Prof. Dr. Robert J. Danon

Robert J. Danon is a tenured Professor of Law ("Professeur ordinaire") at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), where he is the Head of its Tax Policy Center and leader of its research platform dedicated to Tax-Related Disputes and International Arbitration. He has published, edited or co-edited over 150 articles or books in most areas of domestic, international tax law and investment law. He is a co-editor of the two forthcoming volumes: "Tax Treaty Interpretation under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties" (Danon/Maisto/Martin Jiménez ed.) and "Tax Matters in International Investment Arbitration" (Danon/Wuschka/Ziegler ed.)

From 2017 to 2025 Professor Danon was the Global Chair of the Permanent Scientific Committee (PSC) of the International Fiscal Association (IFA) - the world’s foremost tax association, founded in 1938 and present in 116 countries – and was subsequently appointed as Honorary Member of IFA.

With over 25 years of professional experience in domestic and international taxation, Professor Danon is recognized internationally as combining deep academic insight with extensive practical expertise in resolving complex tax controversies and advising on the evolving global tax landscape.

In 2025, he received for example a Lexology Index Client Choice Award 2026.

Expert Opinions, Tax Litigation, and Advisory Work

Professor Danon is as an expert in domestic and international tax controversies. He has provided expert evidence and opinions in numerous high-profile tax treaty and transfer pricing disputes before national and foreign courts and is frequently involved in tax audits, mutual agreement procedures (MAPs) and advance pricing arrangements (APAs) under bilateral tax treaties.

He is listed as an arbitrator under the mandatory binding arbitration provisions of selected tax treaties.

At the national level, Professor Danon's expertise covers all areas of Swiss tax law with a particular emphasis on corporate taxation, restructurings and the taxation of mobile individuals (executives and global families) as well as estate planning vehicles (inter alia trusts and foundations). Moreover, his practice and expertise extend to criminal tax law, administrative and constitutional law.

International Arbitration

A significant part of Professor Danon's professional practice focuses on international arbitration. Professor Danon is regularly called to give evidence as an expert witness in investment treaty arbitration cases involving bilateral and multilateral investment treaties. He has served as an expert witness in international and comparative tax law in several high-profile arbitration cases under the arbitral rules of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).

Tax policy and tax in the boardroom

Beyond litigation and arbitration, Professor Danon plays an active role in tax policy design and reforms. He frequently advises governments, international organizations, and taxpayers on legislative and regulatory developments, contributing both to policy formulation and implementation. For instance, in 2015, he was requested by Switzerland's finance minister to analyze the entire constitutionality of its corporate tax reform designed to comply with the OECD/G20 and EU standards.

He is regularly invited by the OECD to express his views on matters of international tax law and policy. In particular, he has done so on matters such tax controversies and legal certainty, tax treaty issues or the implementation of the global minimum tax (“Pillar Two”).

Finally, Professor Danon provides strategic guidance to business leaders and board of directors regarding the impact of the evolving international tax framework on corporate tax affairs and risks associated thereto.

Professor Danon holds a PhD in Law ("doctorat en droit"), summa cum laude and an LL.M. in International Taxation.