What it takes to be a good tax manager

Javier Lasso Peña, Global Tax Director at ArcelorMittal, has recently been recognised as one of the most admired Tax  Directors in Europe after a poll lead among International Tax Review‘s readers. But what is it exactly that makes a good tax director? We asked the awarded tax expert himself to give us his views…

“A good tax manager realises that he or she is part of a team. Tax is like a symphony. You cannot play it alone. An orchestra is needed. Every player has his or her own talent, creative skills and responsibilities. But all players are well aware that they need to synchronise harmoniously their instruments to achieve a goal in common: bring value to their company and its shareholders in compliance with tax laws.

This is a major challenge in a world where multinationals are increasingly facing fragmented and conflicting tax landscapes. Thousands of intra-group transactions take place on a daily basis within ArcelorMittal. These intra-company dealings trigger diverse tax and transfer pricing implications.

Tax is not only a concern of tax and transfer pricing specialists. Tax is regularly part of business decisions. It requires sound corporate governance. Therefore, the engagement of the business is crucial. Tax follows the business. However, a good tax manager looks continuously at opportunities as how to influence the business positively. For this purpose, a good tax manager acts as a business partner exploiting all possible management skills in addition to tax expertise.

Are taxes boring? Not at all! During my first 5 years dealing with taxes I seriously considered quitting this profession. In 2010, I am celebrating my 20th anniversary as a tax professional and I continue to enjoy the challenges involving taxes.”

For ArcelorMittal colleagues interested in reading the International Tax Review´s article “Teamwork relieves demands on Tax Directors” following the Most Admired Tax Directors in Europe poll lead, please click here www.myarcelormittal.com. The article can be found under the ‘Tax Info’ section on the linked page.

By Javier Lasso Peña, Global Tax Director, ArcelorMittal