THIS is a high-flying professional who wears a number of hats outside of her office and wields considerable power with it. Paramjit Kaur Matharu is a senior managing director at JP Morgan Chase Bank and heads tax operations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). Her role covers advisory service to lines of business, tax compliance filing and relationship management with Tax Authorities in these countries as well as advocacy and representation on trade industry bodies in these locations. With a stellar career spanning decades, she is a champion of tax strategies and is known for spearheading global initiatives.

Hailing from Kenya, she migrated to the UK in 1980, kick starting her journey with HM Revenue and Customs before making her mark at Price Waterhouse. She left Price Waterhouse in 1994 and after a brief stint at Nations bank, she joined JP Morgan in 1996 as UK VAT Manager. At JP Morgan, she ascended the ranks, leading VAT operations nationally, then across Eu rope, and finally on a global scale. She was pro moted to managing director in 2005. In between 2012 and 2020, she was the chair of the VAT working group at UK Finance. She finally became the head of Tax in EMEA in 2020. For over eight years, Matharu has chaired the VAT working group at UK Finance, advocating for industry interests. She represents the financial services sector in European tax matters and contributes to OECD discussions on consumption taxes. Beyond her professional endeavours and record of achievement, Matharu’s leadership extends to community initiatives as well. Known for advocating for Sikh interests, Matharu is a supporter of the Sikh community and has been serving on the Sikh Council UK.

She leads initiatives for interfaith education and human rights. Her impactful lobbying efforts resulted in EU regulatory