New Tools and Big Moves
Every so often you’re going to get a little shameless promotion from me (I apologise, I can’t help it, a career in sales is to blame), but I think you’ll like this one.
The vendor spotlights in this newsletter draw from more detailed reports that I build first and then summarise. Based on feedback on demand, I’ve now made these available for purchase at The Nexus new E-commerce Site
And now that I have 17 vendors profiled (around 600 pages of research) I also thought it would be cool to build a vendor evaluation tool that helps users to navigate the market.
I’ve not deployed it online yet but if anyone out there is interested, I’ll happily spend some time walking through it 1:1.
Elsewhere in the market, hot off the heals of the Blue Dot deal, Sovos acquired Flowie a finance agentic orchestration platform in a meaningful leap towards enhancing it’s AI capabilities. I’ve always felt that Sovos’ M&A stratgy was on point and this puts them once again in pole position among the vendors IMO, although the risk with sovos is always execution and acquired product sprawl, where this creates real tension for customers and staff.
Now for this weeks feature on CCH Wolters Kluwer, after the announcement a few weeks ago of the Marosa acquisition I was keen to see how they stacked up against the big players, find out the results below…
🌍 Vendor Spotlight: CCH Wolters Kluwer
CCH Wolters Kluwer: A US Sales-Tax Engine Buys Its European Passport
Every US sales tax incumbent now wants to be a global indirect tax platform, and e-invoicing mandates are setting the timetable. In August, Wolters Kluwer paid €112M for Marosa to join them. The question for buyers is whether it bought a platform or a second product.
WHAT CCH ACTUALLY IS
Two products, one owner. CCH SureTax is a US sales and use tax engine (26,000+ jurisdictions with cited rules, exemption certificates, returns, managed filing) with a telecom and utility tax specialism. VATify, bought with Marosa, adds EU/UK VAT returns, SAF-T, Intrastat, registrations, outsourced filing and format-level e-invoicing in 21 European countries. The centre of gravity is the ERP: SureTax is an SAP Endorsed App with certified NetSuite and Dynamics connectors. Scale is modest: an estimated ~€88M of revenue and ~350–500 people, inside a €625M division led by CPM, ESG and audit software. US-headquartered Medium and Large companies with growing EU obligations should longlist it.
WHERE IT BEATS THE MARKET BASELINE
CCH is above baseline on US content depth (its rates database has served the IRS for 15+ years), ERP certification (SAP integration scores a leading 4) and audit trail. VATify’s European e-invoicing is above baseline too, documented country by country down to the technical standard. EU VAT returns sit at baseline. It falls below baseline on clearance outside Europe (none of its own), AI inside SureTax (none) and pricing transparency (none, with value for money rated 2.0/5).
PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS
Three moves built this: CCH content (1995), SureTax (2015) and Marosa (August 2026, ~11x trailing revenue of ~€10M). The perimeter is still ~85% US sales tax; e-invoicing is ~4% of revenue. Every AI capability came with Marosa. Two consoles, two APIs, two delivery teams, no published integration milestones: two good products sharing an invoice, not one platform. Yet.
WHERE THE DEAL LEAVES CCH
On paper, Marosa moves CCH from US sales tax specialist into the club of vendors that determine, e-invoice and file across the US and Europe. It is the last US incumbent to make the move, and the smallest. Thomson Reuters paid about $800M for Pagero in 2024 for a network spanning 80+ mandate countries. Vertex assembled Taxamo, Systax, Ecosio and Brinta for digital-services VAT, Brazil and European CTC. Sovos claims 60+ CTC countries across Latin America, Turkey and APAC. CCH’s estimated ~€88M indirect tax business is roughly a third of ONESOURCE’s estimated indirect tax revenue and a small fraction of Vertex’s ~$748M. Its CTC reach also stops at Europe’s edge. For a multinational needing clearance in Mexico, Brazil, India or the Gulf, CCH is not yet in that conversation.
Where it does stand out is in the middle of the market. VATify brings a managed EU filing operation of its own, where ONESOURCE leans on Deloitte to run e-invoicing services. Its working AI tools are further along than Avalara’s newly launched Avi agents or Vertex’s embedded analytics, on the evidence in our profiles. SureTax sits alongside ONESOURCE as one of the few SAP Endorsed tax engines, and its telecom depth is matched mainly by Avalara’s communications tax. That makes the combined offer a credible alternative for US-led companies whose international footprint is mainly Europe: more complete than the challengers, lighter in scope than the global suites. The catch is timing. If VATify isn’t reachable through SureTax’s certified connectors before the 2026–27 French and German mandate waves, the incumbents with deeper networks will take the European upsell that justified the price.
BUSINESS MODEL, DELIVERY MODEL AND SIZE BAND FITS
Business model fit
• B2B goods: 3 – Strong fit; exemption certificates, certified ERP connectors, plus EU VAT, Intrastat and SAF-T.
• B2C goods: 2 – Good fit; Adobe Commerce and Salesforce Commerce Cloud in the US, Amazon/Stripe in the EU.
• B2B/B2C digital services: 2 – Good fit; no billing-platform connectors evidenced.
• B2B/B2C services: 2 – Good fit (3 for Large telecom and utility providers, a genuine specialism).
Delivery model fit
• Software-only and software + managed services: 3 – Strong fit; self-serve 1 – Patchy fit (no public pricing, no checkout).
Size band fit
• Small: 1 – Patchy fit; 60–90-day implementations and enterprise pricing.
• Medium: 3 – Strong fit for B2B goods (2 elsewhere), if you can staff two projects.
• Large: 2 – Good fit; strong across the US and Europe, absent beyond them.
CUSTOMER AND EMPLOYEE SENTIMENTS
The two halves look like two companies: VATify’s customers are consistently positive; SureTax’s are few and lukewarm.
• G2: SureTax 3.3/5 (15 reviews), credited for accuracy, marked down on learning curve, reporting and price; VATify 4.4/5 (~28).
• Capterra / TrustRadius: SureTax value for money 2.0/5; support called slow.
• Glassdoor / Indeed: Wolters Kluwer 3.7 and 3.6/5 group-wide; weak on management and advancement. Marosa pre-deal 3.6/5, work-life 2.7.
• RepVue: 48% of reps at quota against a 44% benchmark, but inbound lead flow scores 2.5. SureTax is sold, not discovered.
Net-net: the product is trusted, but the service experience depends on which half you buy, and the half customers praise has just changed employer.
IF YOU’RE BUILDING OR BUYING INDIRECT TAX CAPABILITY — HERE’S THE READ
For buyers
If you’re a Medium or Large US-headquartered B2B goods company on SAP, NetSuite or Dynamics with EU mandates arriving, shortlist CCH. Contract on today’s two products, and make any combined-platform promise a dated milestone with remedies. If you’re a telecom or utility provider, SureTax remains one of the few engines built for your taxes. If your clearance obligations run through Latin America, India or the Gulf, look at the deeper networks first; if you’re Small, look elsewhere. Either way, lock a renewal cap, a definition of billable transactions and named VATify contacts before signing.
For prospective employees
• Strong move for tax content specialists: one of the deepest cited-rules benches in the market, plus European CTC work.
• Interesting for integration engineers: merging two platforms is real work, at big-company speed.
• Reasonable for sales: above-benchmark quota attainment, but don’t count on marketing to fill your pipeline.
• Vigo staff: watch pay, process and decision distance over the next 12–18 months.
Want to know more about this vendor? see below ⬇️
A selection of of opportunities to connect in person and interact online over the next few weeks.
OCTOBER 2026
Power of 3: PwC, SAP & Vertex (Roundtable)
PwC / SAP / Vertex | 15 October 2026 | TBC
A joint client event from PwC, SAP, and Vertex on e-invoicing, SAP transformation, and tax technology, flagged by PwC’s Ron Sperling as part of a run of autumn 2026 events. Private/invite-only — no public registration page found; details expected closer to the date.
Billions Left on the Table? Unlock Travel Recovery and Maximise ROI with Ramp & VAT IT (Webinar)
VAT IT / Ramp | 20 October 2026, 11:30am | Online
A joint VAT IT and Ramp webinar on unlocking VAT recovery on corporate travel spend and maximising ROI from expense and reclaim processes.
TEI Annual Conference 2026 (Conference)
TEI — Tax Executives Institute | 21 October 2026 | Grand Hyatt Nashville, Nashville, TN
TEI’s flagship annual conference for senior in-house tax professionals, featuring high-level sessions on federal, state, and international tax developments, technology, and the evolving role of the corporate tax function.
5th Annual VAT Compliance and Indirect Tax Forum 2026 — ITX (Conference)
Amistat Group | 21–22 October 2026 | Van der Valk Hotel, Brussels, Belgium
Over 20 senior speakers across 20 high-level practical sessions on VAT compliance, AI in tax technology, and e-invoicing, plus 6+ hours of dedicated networking. Sponsored by Blue dot, Fintua, Meridian, 360WEDO, and VATabout.
RTC Webinar: 2026 Tax Compliance Virtual Symposium — The Evolving E-Invoicing Landscape Across APAC (Webinar)
RTC Suite | 22 October 2026, 10:00am CEST | Online
A virtual symposium covering the evolving e-invoicing mandates and compliance models across Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
IVA Autumn Conference 2026 (Conference)
International VAT Association (IVA) | 22–23 October 2026 | Marseille, France
The IVA’s flagship autumn gathering brings together VAT professionals, businesses, tax authorities, and international organisations from around the world for one of Europe’s leading VAT events. Full agenda and speakers to be announced closer to the date.
ITR AI in Tax Forum 2026 — USA (Conference)
International Tax Review | 26 October 2026 | New York, USA
ITR’s dedicated AI in Tax Forum returns to the US, examining how artificial intelligence is moving from early promise to everyday reality across direct and indirect tax functions — with senior in-house perspectives on implementation, governance, and what’s next.
E-Rechnungs-Gipfel 2026 — Repeat Edition (Conference)
Vereon AG / E-Invoicing Exchange Summit | 26–28 October 2026 | Frankfurt am Main, Germany
A second Frankfurt edition of Germany’s e-invoicing summit, added after the June Berlin edition sold out — covering XRechnung, ZUGFeRD, Peppol and EN16931 compliance ahead of the January 2027 mandate deadline.
ITR Global Transfer Pricing Forum 2026 — USA (Conference)
International Tax Review | 27 October 2026 | New York, USA
ITR’s flagship US transfer pricing forum, bringing together in-house tax leaders and advisors to examine the latest developments in TP policy, controversy, and technology-enabled compliance.
NOVEMBER 2026
42nd Annual TEI/SJSU High Tech Tax Institute (Conference)
TEI — Tax Executives Institute / San José State University | 2–3 November 2026 | Crowne Plaza Cabana, 4290 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA
The prestigious annual gathering of tax professionals from the technology sector, covering federal, state, international, and transactional tax with particular relevance to high-tech companies. A must-attend for in-house tax teams in Silicon Valley.
2026 TechTAXcelerate: Building Smarter Tax Functions Through Technology, Data & AI (Virtual Conference)
TEI — Tax Executives Institute | 9–13 November 2026 | Online
TEI’s dedicated technology-focused virtual conference, exploring how in-house tax functions are using data, automation and AI to modernize processes and build smarter, leaner tax departments.
Tax Technology Conference 2026 (Conference)
Tax Technology Academy / Verlag Dr. Otto Schmidt | 10–11 November 2026 | Kap Europa, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Germany’s premier tax technology conference brings together over 500 tax and tech experts for two days of keynotes, deep dives, and project insights covering automation, GenAI, compliance process design, and digital transformation — with a focus on delivering measurable value.
CIOT Indirect Taxes Annual Conference 2026 (Conference)
Chartered Institute of Taxation | 12 November 2026 | One Great George Street, Westminster, London, UK
The Chartered Institute of Taxation’s flagship annual conference for indirect tax professionals, covering the latest VAT, customs, and excise developments, practical compliance guidance, and emerging issues for businesses operating in the UK and internationally.
SAP for Global Trade & Tax Conference 2026 (Conference)
TAC Insights / Meridian Global Services | 12–13 November 2026 | Hotel NH Malaga, Malaga, Spain
The premier annual forum for SAP users and experts dedicated to mastering the complexities of international commerce. Two days of actionable strategies in trade compliance, customs automation, and next-generation tax technology built on the SAP ecosystem. Meridian Global Services among key participants.
SYNERGY 2026 (Conference)
Thomson Reuters | 16–19 November 2026 | Fontainebleau Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
Thomson Reuters’ comprehensive annual conference for tax, accounting, audit, legal, and corporate professionals — the largest event in the Thomson Reuters calendar. Extensive product training, CPE/CLE credit opportunities, and insights from leading industry experts. In-person only in 2026.
Tax Evolution Summit 2026 — From Evolution to Revolution: Accelerating the Tax Function (Conference)
Tax Evolution Summit / PwC | 18–19 November 2026 | FEMA Madrid, Av. del Partenón, 5, Madrid, Spain
Co-hosted with PwC and designed for senior audiences including CFOs, Tax Directors, and Tax Transformation/IT leads across EMEA, this year’s edition combines with a second PwC event in Madrid on 18 November for cross-event networking, exploring how tax functions move from incremental evolution to real technology-driven transformation.
14th Tax Strategies & Experiences (Forum)
Thought Leader Global | 18–19 November 2026 | Radisson Blu Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands
A senior peer-to-peer forum for tax leaders to share strategies and experiences on tax technology, transformation, and evolving compliance demands — running in parallel with other major November tax events.
3rd Tax Technology & Compliance Summit 2026 (Conference)
Tax Technology Summit | 18 November 2026 | Grand Millennium Hotel, Dubai, UAE
The region’s premier gathering for tax technology and compliance leaders, focusing on VAT and e-invoicing readiness, AI-driven compliance, and the accelerated digital transformation of tax administration across the GCC. Expert panels, industry talks, and peer-level networking.
Southern Europe Tax Summit (Conference)
Uniglobal | 24–25 November 2026 | Milan, Italy
Uniglobal’s Southern Europe gathering for indirect tax and tax technology professionals, covering regional VAT, e-invoicing, and compliance developments across Italy, Spain, and neighbouring markets.
*any organisers or events I’ve missed? please let me know.
A curated selection of blogs, white-papers and on demand content published by multiple organisartions across the landscape, organised into a themed learning path.
MONTH — OCTOBER 2026
Market Consolidation, Live Mandates, Post-Filing Pillar Two & Synthesis
October is the most event-dense month in the program to date. France’s CTC mandate went fully live in September — the first post-live analysis is now available. Fonoa closed the largest funding round in indirect tax software history and acquired PwC’s platform in May, but the integration story is only now landing in the market. Orbitax shipped GIR amendment tooling in September, directly responding to what 1,700+ live filings revealed about the complexity of the first Pillar Two cycle. And the UAE’s October 30 ASP appointment deadline makes this the last actionable window before the January 2027 enforcement date. The four weeks are structured to carry all of this — market consolidation and its implications, the live e-invoicing operating reality, the post-filing direct tax landscape, and a synthesis capstone.
Week 1 · 5–10 October
Market Consolidation: Fonoa’s $110M Round, the PwC Edge Acquisition & What It Signals
01📖Fonoa Raises $110M and Acquires PwC’s Indirect Tax EdgeFonoa10–12 min
02📖AI for Serious People: Fonoa’s $110M Series C and the Acquisition of PwC’s Indirect Tax EdgeDawn Capital8–10 min
03📖The 2026 AI TaxTech Map: Every Major Partnership YTDIndependent analysis10–12 min
04🎥Sovos TaxScapes Q3 2026: What’s Changing in Indirect Tax — US and GlobalSovos45–60 min
Week total: 3 articles + 1 webinar · ~73–94 min
Week 2 · 12–17 October
France Live, UAE Deadline & the E-Invoicing Operating Reality
05📖Sovos Launches Compliance Network to Address Unprecedented Wave of Global E-Invoicing MandatesSovos10–12 min
06📖Sovos Brings Global 2000 Clients Live in France Ahead of the World’s Most Complex E-Invoicing MandateSovos8–10 min
07📖Global E-Invoicing Mandates Are Becoming an ERP Architecture TestERP.today8–10 min
08📖UAE E-Invoicing: What Businesses Need to Know Before the October 30 ASP DeadlineThomson Reuters / Pagero8–10 min
09📖E-Invoicing in Norway and Latest European VAT UpdatesMarosa VAT8–10 min
10🎥Countdown to Slovakia 2027: Preparing for Mandatory E-Invoicing and Digital ReportingSovos45–60 min
Week total: 5 articles + 1 webinar · ~87–112 min
Week 3 · 19–24 October
Post-Filing Pillar Two: What 1,700 Real Filings Actually Revealed
11📖Orbitax Powers 1,700+ Pillar Two Filings Across 34 JurisdictionsOrbitax10–12 min
12📖Orbitax Introduces GIR Amendments for Pillar Two GloBE ReturnsOrbitax8–10 min
13📖The Pillar Two Filing Landscape: Understanding Form Types and How to Stay on Top of ThemOrbitax10–12 min
14📖Understanding the GloBE Information Return: Why XML, XSD Schemas and Validation Rules MatterOrbitax12–15 min
15🎥Pillar Two Compliance: Grant Thornton & Orbitax StrategiesOrbitax / Grant Thornton60 min · CPE
Week total: 4 articles + 1 webinar · ~100–109 min
Week 4 · 26–31 October (Capstone)
Platform Selection, Maturity & Synthesis: Bringing October’s Threads Together
16📖8 Best Cross-Border VAT Compliance Software: 2026 GuideKintsugi12–15 min
17📖Ready Before the Notice: A Sales Tax & VAT Audit PlaybookAnrok / KPMG20–25 min
18📖2025 Tax Recap and 2026 Preview for Accounting FirmsWolters Kluwer / CCH10–12 min
19📖AI-Enabled Tax TransformationDeloitte Global20–25 min
20🎥Taking Corporate Tax Management Beyond Provision with Longviewinsightsoftware / International Tax Review60 min
Week total: 4 articles + 1 webinar · ~122–137 min
Programme Summary
Week 1Week 2Week 3Week 4October totalThemeMarket consolidation & the Fonoa/PwC dealFrance live, UAE deadline & e-invoicing operating realityPost-filing Pillar Two: what 1,700 real filings revealedPlatform selection, maturity & synthesisArticles354416Webinars11114 (+ 1 bonus)Est. Time~1.25–1.5 hrs~1.5–2 hrs~1.75–2 hrs~2–2.5 hrs~6.5–8 hrs
September total: 20 articles + 6 webinars = 26 resources · ~532–615 min (~8.5–10 hrs)
*any cool content I’ve missed? please let me know.
A selection of open roles across tax tech vendors and tax advisory/consulting businesses who are involved in tax technology.
In house roles are provided courtesy of the smart people at https://taxjobs.ai
Use the column headers to sort, or the search function and don’t forget to navigate all pages! And feel free to share the love on socials.
*I do this using an AI agent and due to the volume, I don’t check every link, so please let me know if any of these don’t work or have disappeared when you follow them.
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