Shawn Smith appointed global leader of EY’s new Tax Technology and Transformation group
EY has announced the formation of Tax Technology and Transformation, a dedicated group of more than 1,000 tax technology and performance improvement professionals in member firms across the globe that help organizations to redefine their tax functions and drive transformation for the digital age. The Americas practice will leverage the extensive experience and insights of professionals working in the US, Canada, Brazil and Mexico by merging the region’s market-leading Tax Performance Advisory and its Tax Technology and Data Analytics Services teams.
Tax Technology and Transformation services are offered to companies in response to the impact of existing and emerging technology including: the growing data burden that many businesses face, driving efficiencies to create a cost-effective tax function, and the need to understand how to make data an asset. The underlying objective of the combined offering is to help businesses navigate the digital age of tax transparency alongside new trends in tax compliance and tax audit methods, as well as helping to solve the most pressing challenges that businesses face. Tax Technology and Transformation services will be provided with the support of EYTax.Tech™, a customized suite of client-serving technology services.
Tax Technology and Transformation will comprise the following:
- Digital tax transformation services
- Tax applications-as-a-service
- Tax data and improvement services
- Tax analytics and reporting enhancement services
- Emerging tax technology services including robotic process automation (RPA), artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, cloud solutions, data lake development and business intelligence innovation
- Tax technology program mobilization services
- Custom tax technology application development and deployment
- Tax technology strategy and road mapping
- Tax systems implementation and configuration
- Post-transaction (M&A) tax function operational services
- Tax operating model transformation, including process improvement, risk and controls
Shawn Smith, the newly appointed EY Global Tax Technology and Transformation Leader, is based in New York. Smith was previously EY Americas Tax Performance Advisory Leader – Financial Services Office (FSO) and the Southeast Region Market Segment Leader – FSO. He has extensive proven experience in a wide range of tax function services designed to improve the operating performance of corporate tax functions for financial services.
Smith says: “The pace of change in tax legislation, and the accelerated use of technology by governments as they automate their compliance and filing processes, is disrupting the traditional tax function. Increasingly, businesses are looking to professional services organizations to help them overcome technology-driven business challenges, and with Tax Technology and Transformation, EY will lead by example.”
Kurt Neidhardt, EY Americas Tax Tech Transformation Leader, will be driving services in the Americas.
“This expansion of our successful delivery of technology, process and data services to transform the tax function demonstrates our commitment to offering exceptional and innovative services to meet client needs,” said Neidhardt. “Our tax professionals with deep experience are combining forces to focus on helping businesses redefine their tax functions by offering a new digital experience to our clients.”
“Tax Technology and Transformation recognizes the significant impact that emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, RPA and advanced robotics will have on global business, added Kate Barton, EY Americas Vice Chair of Tax Services. “Tax departments are dealing with the convergence of three megatrends – global tax legislation changes including the possibility of US tax reform; the rise of digital and pace of technology change including robotics process automation and the like; and finally the trend to look at whether you automate in-house or outsource the day-to-day operations to take advantage of the new technologies and leverage costs.”