"The global tax environment is in a state of rapid change and indirect taxes are at the heart of it," saidJeffrey C. LeSage, national managing partner in charge of KPMG LLP's U.S. Tax practice, echoing wide sentiment at the 2011 International Indirect Tax Conference held by KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax and advisory firm.

Speakers and participants at the recent KPMG conference inNew Orleansfound consensus in their view that effectively managing corporate indirect taxes – ranging from state and local sales and use taxes to international value-added taxes (VAT) – has become a major area of focus for companies worldwide, particularly as federal, state and municipal governments seek to raise revenue.

"It has become an economic fact of life that governments worldwide are re-assessing their long-term tax policies and many are either increasing indirect tax rates – particularly VAT – or are considering introducing a national VAT for the first time," LeSage said. "Global and domestic businesses are finding they need to keep pace with these tax reforms. They need to actively manage the new, emerging risks and opportunities related to them."

More than 100 tax professionals from Fortune 1000 companies and large mid-market companies attended plenary sessions presented by KPMG Tax professionals on topics such as global VAT risk and compliance, indirect tax performance management, VAT audits, and the prospects for a VAT inthe United States.

Additional sessions on topics such as trade and customs, indirect tax technology, and regional VAT perspectives were also part of the program, as was a panel where senior indirect tax professionals from global companies shared their insights into managing global indirect tax.

"The KPMG conference participants confirmed to us that they are taking a holistic view of their domestic and global indirect tax operations," saidSam Guevara, national leader of KPMG LLP's U.S. Indirect Tax practice and conference speaker. "By being proactive and thinking strategically, they see opportunities to decrease compliance costs, potentially increase profitability and cash flow, and make better informed commercial decisions."

KPMG's 2011 International Indirect Tax Conference, titledViews on VAT: Navigating the Present, Preparing for the Future,was held onMay 23– 25 inNew Orleansand was organized and managed by KPMG Indirect Tax principalsLeah DurnerandFrank Sangster.