Cross-border Tax Talks

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Chris Desmond, leader of PwC’s US Global Trade Services practice and, as Doug notes, a ‘reformed transfer pricing partner.’ Doug and Chris discuss the current fragmented trade environment, why tariffs may remain a lasting feature rather than a short cycle, rising customs enforcement, the Supreme Court’s IEEPA decision and the operational complexity of securi...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Laura Valestin, an International Tax Services Partner in PwC’s Washington National Tax Services practice, where she focuses on financial transactions. In this episode, recorded at PwC’s International Tax Conference in Carlsbad, Laura unpacks the latest Section 987 developments following Notice 2026-17. Doug and Laura discuss what Section 987 is, why it matte...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Anja Manuel, co-founder and principal at Rice, Hadley, Gates, and Manuel LLC, a strategic consulting firm, and a former diplomat, author, and foreign policy advisor. Doug and Anja discuss the geopolitical forces reshaping cross-border business, including the Iran conflict and its implications for oil, shipping, Gulf investment, and AI infrastructure; China’s...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Steve Kohart, a New York City-based international tax partner at PwC and former advisor to the OECD’s Center for Tax Policy and Administration. Doug and Steve discuss the January side-by-side agreement’s implications for US-parented multinationals, why Pillar Two remains relevant through QDMTTs, and how the CBCR transitional safe harbor bridges to the perman...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Wade Sutton, a PwC principal who leads the International Tax Team in PwC’s Washington National Tax Services Practice and previously served as Deputy International Tax Counsel at the US Department of the Treasury. Doug and Wade discuss late-2025 Treasury and IRS guidance implementing cross-border provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), focusing ...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Nils Cousin, an international tax partner in PwC’s Washington National Tax Services Practice, for his fourth appearance on the show. Doug and Nils discuss Nils’s April 2024 Jeopardy experience before pivoting to the 1916-era Section 892 exemption: how foreign governments, sovereign wealth funds, and public pension funds use it, and how ‘commercial activity’ ...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Craig Stronberg, Senior Director on PwC’s Intelligence Team. Craig leads analysts focused on macroeconomic and geopolitical intelligence; he previously served in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Doug and Craig discuss why business and tax leaders should focus on the geopolitical landscape to understand its impact on cross-border business,...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Pat Brown, an International Tax Partner in PwC’s Washington National Tax Services practice and Co-leader of the National Tax Office. Pat previously served as GE’s VP of Tax and Director of Tax Policy. Doug and Pat discuss highlights from 2025: the US day-one Pillar Two executive order and the OECD’s late-year side-by-side package; Section 899; the shifting o...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Beth Bell, a Principal in PwC’s Washington National Tax Services Policy Office. She previously served as a Senior Advisor to the US Treasury Department, Tax Counsel for the US House Committee on Ways and Means, and Policy Director and Tax Counsel in the United States Senate. Doug and Beth discuss the OECD’s January 2026 side‑by‑side package: why consensus fo...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Hanan Abboud, a Dubai‑based International Tax and M&A partner who leads PwC’s Pillar Two efforts across the Middle East. Doug and Hanan discuss the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) region’s corporate tax landscape, including country differences, Zakat as a covered tax, and the prevalence of withholding and treaty networks. They t...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Beth Bell, a principal in PwC’s Washington National Tax Services Policy group. Beth previously served as a senior advisor at the U.S. Treasury Department, tax counsel for the House Ways and Means Committee, and policy director and tax counsel in the U.S. Senate. Doug and Beth discuss contrasts between Senate personal offices and House committee roles; Ways a...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by returning guest Tadd Fowler, Senior Vice President, Treasurer, and Global Taxes at the Procter & Gamble company. Doug and Tadd discuss US tax policy after the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the OB3 package’s priorities and fixes (including interest expense apportionment, GILTI and FDII changes, and maintaining competitiveness), and why certainty still depends on...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Matt Ryan, PwC UK’s International Tax and Treasury Network Leader and the UK’s Pillar Two lead. Recording in Barcelona at PwC’s Global Tax Symposium, they take stock of Pillar Two implementation and the much‑watched ‘side‑by‑side’ agreement. Doug and Matt discuss policymakers’ evolving openness to net CFC tested income (NCTI) coexistence, the UK’s 2027 legis...

Wade Sutton (PwC’s WNTS International Tax Services Leader) guest hosts the podcast and is joined by Rob Ozmun, a State and Local Tax Partner, and Monic Kechik, PwC’s WNTS Federal Tax Services Leader. Together they discuss the OB3 ‘curveballs’ to the federal changes: Section 163(j) - ATI addbacks of depreciation and amortization; Section 174A - domestic expensing; Section 168(k) - the return to 100% bonus depreciation; and Section 1...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Will Morris, PwC’s Global Tax Policy Leader, from PwC’s Global Transfer Pricing, Customs, and Indirect Tax Conference in Prague. Doug and Will discuss how trade policy now shapes tax outcomes, the G7 ‘side‑by‑side’ debate for Pillar Two, and why geopolitics complicates an Inclusive Framework deal. They explore the EU’s ‘simplification’ agenda (FTT/DEBRA/Unsh...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Chris Desmond, a Principal in PwC’s Customs & Trade Practice. Chris leads PwC US’s Global Trade Services. Doug and Chris, while at PwC’s Global Transfer Pricing, Customs, and Indirect Tax Conference in Prague, discuss the Supreme Court’s expedited review of IEEPA‑based tariffs, possible outcomes, and the implications of an estimated ~$108B refund exposur...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Pieter Dere, a partner in PwC Belgium’s International Tax Services practice who leads Belgium’s Pillar Two initiative and co‑hosts the Tax Bites Podcast. Doug and Pieter recorded in Prague at PwC’s Global Transfer Pricing, Customs, and Indirect Tax Conference. They discuss Belgium’s Pillar Two compliance landscape: 2024 applicability of QDMTT/IIR/UTPR, a lat...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Sarah Hickey, a PwC Australia International Tax Partner and the Australian tax desk leader in New York City. Doug and Sarah discuss Australia’s corporate tax landscape (30% headline rate; new thin-cap at 30% of tax EBITDA with a retrospective integrity rule on related‑party debt), investment incentives, the two‑speed CFC regime and “use it or lose it” foreig...

Doug McHoney (PwC’s International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Mitch Schuckman, who is retiring after 39 years at PwC and has held a range of leadership roles, most recently leading PwC’s Global Tax Pursuits. Mitch is also the author of “I’ll Tell You a Great Story” and is a certified professional coach. Doug and Mitch discuss the evolving nature of tax careers, from early technical work to client pursuits and leadershi...