The New Era of Tax: the lessons from digital frontrunners in the tax domain

From compliance to insight and control

A striking theme in the podcast is the broadening of the tax function and the role of tax within the organisation. Organisations increasingly view tax as a source of reliable data and insights for wider decision-making. Digital tax platforms, automated reporting and standardised data make it possible to respond more quickly to changes in legislation and regulation, as well as to questions from the business.

Data governance

In virtually all conversations, the emphasis is on the same starting point: without properly structured data, there can be no digital tax function. New regulations such as DAC7 mean that reporting on transaction data requires collaboration across many departments and systems. Compliance and information obligations are also rising sharply worldwide. This calls for greater coordination, better data flows and a tax function that is involved from the outset in ERP and process decisions. Assigning ownership of 'other people's data' and introducing standardisation accordingly is essential, because without it you cannot accelerate. This requires not only the latest technological tools, but also clear governance, ownership and collaboration between tax, finance and IT. Van der Leeden: "Without data, there is no digital tax function – and without clear ownership, data will never be reliable".  

Technology demands new skills

Digitalisation is also changing the profile of the tax professional. We hear how tax teams are developing towards T-shaped professionals: deep specialist knowledge, combined with an understanding of data, technology and processes. In addition, stakeholder management is becoming an increasingly important skill. After all, there is a growing demand for interdisciplinary collaboration, with a view to the aforementioned data governance challenges. Successful teams invest purposefully in broader training and work in multidisciplinary settings with increasing frequency.

Transparency, costs and control over compliance

A recurring theme in the New Era of Tax podcast is the growing pressure on transparency – from regulators, society and the organisation itself. Real-time reporting, ESG obligations and international regulation are increasing complexity. At the same time, there is a growing recognition that compliance is not only an obligation but also a cost item with often limited visibility. Digitalisation helps to make processes more efficient, but it also raises new questions: what does compliance really cost, and where do the greatest inefficiencies lie?

Deep dive: the true cost of compliance

What are the true costs of tax within an organisation? How do you identify them, and do you have a proper picture of the hidden costs as well? These questions are central to the in-depth episode "Cost of compliance – gain control over the true costs". In this episode, we explore how organisations can gain greater control over costs through better data flows, process transparency and smarter use of technology. The discussion illustrates how digital maturity directly contributes to management information, cost control and strategic choices within the tax function.

From project to continuous transformation

Perhaps the most important lesson from New Era of Tax is that digitalisation is not a one-off project. Organisations that succeed work iteratively: start small, learn, scale up and adjust course. Technology is an accelerator, but success is ultimately determined by vision, leadership and the capacity for change within tax. Those who want to gain control over compliance, costs and trust will need to embed digitalisation structurally within their tax strategy.

The New Era of Tax is not a vision of the future – it has already begun. Would you like to hear first-hand how tax leaders are approaching the transformation of their tax function – and which steps are achievable for your organisation too? Listen to the New Era of Tax series and discover where you can start today.