VAT / Sales Tax Automation

To me, it is critical to automate processes wherever possible. Not only does this lead to fewer mistakes in your VAT reporting, but also frees up time for more value add activities. In addition, more countries (e.g. the UK) are requiring the removal of manual adjustments in VAT returns. Let me automate your processes so your team can focus on mitigating risks and finding opportunities, rather than routine compliance work!

My experience

At Adyen, I implemented the end-to-end sales tax process in the US. As Adyen was expanding and targeting North America much more, a structure had to be developed to ensure accurate and timely reporting, and maintaining full control over the inputs. Over the following years, with assistance from a Big 4 firm, the process was fully automated and returns were filed with no human interaction in 45 US states.

I also streamlined the pro rata calculation within Adyen's Dutch entity, using tax codes to automate recoverable VAT amounts and working with the same Big 4 firm to dashboard the recovery rate on a live basis. This enabled advance financial planning and appropriate provisions to be made by the finance team.

At PayPal, I managed the implementation of Thompson Reuters OneSource, staggered across EMEA and APAC. This required cross-functional stakeholder management to cleanse data upstream. This resulted in automated data provision and automated PX calculation, giving live insights into the returns. The implementation also removed the totally manual return preparation, carried out by back office team members in India. The accuracy and correctness of these manual returns was often an issue, and this step could be totally removed, with a multiple FTE saving on labour, as well as time freed up for the VAT Manager on return review and correction.

At KPMG, I implemented software at a number of financial services businesses to streamline their processes, resulting in big time savings and positive feedback from tax authorities.