Lionel Nobre.

• Position: MEMBER PROFILE

Lionel Nobre always likes a good challenge--whether it's running a marathon, obtaining multiple masters degrees in law from higher-education institutions in Brazil and the United States, securing certification as a global executive master in business administration, serving as a panelist at an international fiscal association conference in Mumbai, authoring tax-publisher BNA's chapter on transfer pricing for Brazil, or starting and directing a high-powered Brazilian business advisory practice for Grant Thornton in Miami.

Now Nobre has agreed to take on one of the most exciting challenges of his career for TEI: serving as head of the organizations new chapter--Latin America--at a time when the countries in the region have become some of the most important business and trading partners for the United States (see Page 21).

"I'm deeply honored to lead TEI's Latin America chapter at a time when tax issues have become front-burner issues in the region," Nobre says. "I'm particularly proud of my association with TEI, and I hope to grow this chapter to be one of the organization's strongest," he says.

As Dell Inc.'s tax director for Latin America, Nobre has tremendous experience dealing with the tax issues that affect corporate tax directors, especially those with global responsibilities. Nobre joined Dell in 2006, and he was responsible for the tax department's initial setup in Latin America, growing his team from one tax professional less than a decade ago to thirty staff members and ten outside tax consultants today.

TAX SAVINGS

Nobre's tax team generated tax savings of more than $350 million in his first three years as head of the department and avoided more than $50 million in tax contingencies over that period through effective tax planning and corporate restructuring.

Nobre oversees all tax compliance, consulting, planning, controversy, and reporting for Latin American countries with Dell subsidiaries. In addition, Nobre manages tax incentives in excess of $150 million a year, including securing a value-added tax incentive of more than $150 million (with no statute of limitations) that took more than two and a half years of research and more than fifty meetings with government officials.

IMPORTANCE OF TEAMWORK

Nobre realizes the importance of teamwork at a major corporation such as Dell. "The tax department should not be out on an island by itselft' he explains. In his tenure at the company, Nobre has collaborated with the finance and IT...