Robert Desax

Robert Desax

Partner
lic. iur., LL.M., Attorney at Law, Certified Tax Expert

Location

Zurich

Contact

Direct phone: +41 58 658 52 77
robert.desax@walderwyss.com

Curriculum Vitae

PDF download

Robert Desax is a partner in the tax team. He works in the fields of national and international taxation. He represents clients in controversial tax matters and assists private clients regarding the tax aspects of estate and wealth planning. He regularly advises on cross-border implications of international taxation, especially on the application of double tax treaties, on issues in connection with the refund of Swiss withholding taxes in international structures, on the Swiss tax treatment of trusts as well as on the redomiciliation of individuals and businesses to Switzerland. In addition, he also advises and represents clients on corporate tax matters, especially in negotiations with tax authorities during transfer pricing audits and regarding reorganizations. Robert Desax is a frequent speaker on tax matters and is a regular author of contributions for tax publications. He was named one of Switzerland's 20 Tax Controversy Leaders in 2015 by the International Tax Review.

Born in 1978, Robert Desax graduated from the University of Fribourg, Faculty of law, in 2002 (lic. iur. 2002 including special mention Bilingual Licentiate). In 2005 he passed the Zurich bar exam and obtained an LL.M. in international tax law from the Vienna University of Economics and Business in 2006. After that, he worked in the international tax department of one of the Big Four audit firms. In 2010 he earned the diploma as a Swiss certified tax expert. Prior to joining Walder Wyss in 2016, he was a Senior Associate in a large international law firm, where he had been a member of the tax team for more than five years. He is a member of the International Fiscal Association (IFA), of EXPERTsuisse and of the Swiss/French Chamber of Commerce.

Robert Desax speaks French, German (as first and second native languages) and English. He is registered with the Zurich Bar and is admitted to practice in all Switzerland.

Schulthess Forum on Successions Current - Matrimonial property, inheritance and property law planning prior to the JUSO estate tax initiative

| Speakers Kinga M. Weiss and Robert Desax | Schulthess Forum | Park Hyatt, Zürich

Everything in life has financial consequences

| by Robert Desax | in: Tages Anzeiger - Fokus Recht

Commentary on article 14 of the Swiss withholding tax act

| by Maja Bauer-Balmelli and Robert Desax | in: Martin Zweifel, Michael Beusch und Maja Bauer-Balmelli (Hrsg.) (Editor[s]) | "Kommentar zum Schweizerischen Steuerrecht, Bundesgesetz über die Verrechnungssteuer (VStG)" | 3

Kommentierung der Artikel 41, 42, 45 und 46 des Bundesgesetzes über die Verrechnungssteuer VStG

| by Robert Desax and Fabienne Limacher | in: Martin Zweifel, Michael Beusch und Maja Bauer-Balmelli (Editor[s]) | "Kommentar zum Schweizerischen Steuerrecht, Bundesgesetz über die Verrechnungssteuer (VStG)" | 3 | Basel

Contrôles fiscaux: retour de pratique et conseils

| by Robert Desax, Aurélie Carrara and Caryl Neuenschwander | in: Gazett 01 | pp. 9

Succession planning: tax pitfalls

| by Robert Desax | in: zsis.ch | Zurich

Doing Business in Switzerland – A Practical Guide

| by Ramona Wyss, Andrea Haefeli, Gion Giger, David Vasella, Davide Cerutti, Marco Galli, Roger Staub, Manuel Bigler, Reto Jacobs, Monique Sturny, Thomas P. Müller, Nadja D. Leuthardt, Adriano Antonietti, Valentine Schnyder, Stefan Knobloch, Dimitrios Berger, Dominik Hohler, Letizia Schlegel, Stéphanie Oneyser, Urs P. Gnos, Dario Galli, Michael Kündig, Markus Vischer, Urs Schenker, Christian A. Schmid, Patrick W. Vogel, Alexander Sorton, Samuel Lieberherr, Daniel Dedeyan, Nico Bernhard, Theodor Härtsch, Tervel Stoyanov, Lukas Wyss, Markus Pfenninger, Valentin Wiesner, Rafal Szala, Thiemo Sturny, Roger Ammann, Hubertus Hillerström, Ken Savioz, Simone Wetzstein, Valentina Eichin, Irène Suter-Sieber, Olivier Sigg, Laura Luongo, Francis Nordmann, André Kuhn, Davide Jermini, Christian Eichenberger, Matthieu Seydoux, Thomas Meister, Janine Corti, Robert Desax, Fabienne Limacher, Dieter Hofmann, Rodolphe Gautier, Roxane Allot, Micha Bühler, Michael Feit, Maurice Courvoisier, Oliver M. Kunz and Pascale Köster | Editor[s]: Urs P. Gnos, Theodor Härtsch | ed.: 2nd edition

Purpose and Process: The Increasing Importance of Purpose and Substance in Tax Controversy, and Its Effect on Outcomes

| Speaker Robert Desax | U.S. and Europe Tax Practice Trends, ABA/IBA/IFA Conference at Dolder Grand Zürich | Zurich

Tax Disputes and Litigation in Switzerland

| by Robert Desax, Fouad G. Sayegh and Yacine Rezki | David Pickstone | Editor[s]: David Pickstone | "The Tax Disputes and Litigation Review"

Zürcher Steuerseminar Unternehmerforum: Praxisfälle, Zürich 1. Dezember 2022

| Speaker Robert Desax | Zürcher Steuerseminar, Unternehmer Forum | Zürich

Caution when selling "demolition properties"

| by Robert Desax | in: | pp. 3

Recognitions