Sandra Esteves, Head of Tax at Qlik (previously HoT at Talend, which was acquired by Qlik in 2023), joins Tax Leaders Unplugged to unpack what it takes for an in-house tax team to get through due diligence and integration without losing control or credibility. We cover the realities of PE-backed deals, running Talend and Qlik as standalone groups until late 2023, and how to lead when sponsors and colleagues exit during the process. In this episode, she shares:
• The dashboard she built within months of joining in 2021 to brief the CFO on eight core items: on-time compliance, risk positions, liabilities, controversy, cash taxes, cash opportunities, and attributes.
• Why deep business knowledge accelerated structuring and integration decisions.
• How to balance team morale and transparency when duplication forces tough calls.
• Why compliance is strategic, not second-class, especially with Pillar Two and central oversight.
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Where to find Sandra Esteves: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-esteves-33788313/
Where to find Stevi Frooninckx: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevifrooninckx
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In this episode, we cover:
[00:00:00] From Portugal to Amsterdam: Sandra’s Tax Journey
[00:05:10] The Compass Quote: Staying Focused as a Leader
[00:08:42] Talend’s Acquisition by Qlik
[00:12:50] The 8-Line CFO Dashboard for M&A Readiness
[00:15:12] Leading Through Integration and Sponsorship Loss
[00:24:25] Compliance as a Strategic Advantage
[00:27:30] TEI, IBFD, and Career Lessons for Tax Leaders
