Expert Analysis

Poonam Khaira Sidhu, commissioner of income tax and joint secretary at the Indian Revenue Service – who holds a Michigan LLM in international taxation with a master’s in economics – reflects on tax competition, inequality, BEPS, information exchange and black, white and grey lists in the wake of the ‘Panama Papers’ leak.

Picking up on where we left off in the last installment, this issue of the Brockman Brief digs deeper into the tax function of tomorrow. Not only does an effective tax function depend on building the right skill-set, it must also include developing and making use of integrated technology and forming best practices.

Election day – November 8 – may still be some way off, but the buzz around the battle for the presidency is already at peak levels, largely driven by the polarising Donald Trump and his drive for the Republican presidential nomination. But while his hairdo continues to dominate the front pages, how would a Trump-inspired tax reform be received on the business pages? Amelia Schwanke analyses where each of the front-runners for the White House stand on corporate tax.

Jess Williams, Jimmy Man, and Olivier Hody of Deloitte explain how tax can be elevated from a post-close support function to a value-realisation tool in M&A transactions through quick wins and longer-term actions

Deloitte pillar two experts Chad Hungerford and Alison Lobb share their insights on the latest developments and practical issues that are emerging – and what may lie ahead

Dave Yaros, tax principal, Deloitte Tax LLP

Several South Korean transfer pricing cases have established clearer judicial standards emphasising robust comparability analysis and stronger functional and economic evidence. Yulchon tax partners provide practical insights for navigating the heightened requirements

Ichwan Sukardi and T Qivi Hady Daholi of RSM Indonesia examine how geopolitical conflict and economic volatility are reshaping transfer pricing risk and enforcement, with a particular focus on Southeast Asia and Indonesia

Monika Bieri and Daniel Schönenberger of Tax Partner use a Swiss lens to examine how workforce mobility is reshaping transfer pricing models, and why the location of key decision‑makers is becoming a critical tax risk

The Tiger Global Supreme Court ruling weakens the status of tax residency certificates under tax treaties and increases substance‑based scrutiny, say S Vasudevan, Bharathi Krishnaprasad, and Krishna Laasya V of Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan

Stephanie Eichenberger and Victoria Riep of Tax Partner provide a guide to Switzerland’s securities transfer tax for domestic and foreign investors, explaining when it is triggered and how to mitigate unexpected tax consequences

André Areias and Raquel Santos Ferreira of Cuatrecasas scrutinise Portugal’s use of increased municipal property tax on vacant properties and question whether extreme rate multipliers and weak procedural safeguards can withstand constitutional scrutiny