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The comprehensive guide to the world's leading tax firms

In response to the changing market conditions, Ernst & Young formed a specialist industry team for financial services. The team covers banking, insurance and fund management and is headed by partner Chong Lee Siang.As one of the larger tax practices ... [more]

In response to the changing market conditions, Ernst & Young formed a specialist industry team for financial services. The team covers banking, insurance and fund management and is headed by partner Chong Lee Siang.

As one of the larger tax practices in Singapore, the Russell Aubrey-led group has been commended for its international tax, customs tax and transfer pricing advice. The transfer pricing team is led by Jesper Solgaard and now includes four dedicated partners.

The firm has been involved in helping shape the regulatory environment in Singapore. Most recently, the firm advised on the public-private partnership tax framework and the tax incentives for project finance. Other activities included conducting international tax training for government agencies and undertaking exercises for the Economic Development Board.

One change in the practice has been the recruitment of executive director, Julia Smith. Smith was formerly with Hewitt and will provide a boost to the performance and reward advisory business.

KPMG has been highlighted by peers for its "market penetration". The tax practice is commended for its transfer pricing work and it's "no surprises" approach to tax work.

Competitors have underlined PricewaterhouseCoopers as having one of the largest tax practices within Singapore. International taxation is a focus for the firm with Chinese, Indian and Malaysian desks operating out of Singapore.The firm is providing tax ... [more]

Competitors have underlined PricewaterhouseCoopers as having one of the largest tax practices within Singapore. International taxation is a focus for the firm with Chinese, Indian and Malaysian desks operating out of Singapore.

The firm is providing tax advisory services to a regional telecommunications multinational on the integration of its new acquisitions. This involves structuring contracting models that will be operationally tax efficient. It has also assisted a multinational in the food and beverage sector with its structuring and implementation of a regional entrepreneur model for franchising business, including advising on intellectual property migration and negotiating for tax incentives.

Allen & Gledhill manages to compete with the bigfour accountancy firms despite its relatively small practice. There are four tax partners and a further 11 tax professionals in the practice. The firm is split into two sections; a dispute and controversy ... [more]

Allen & Gledhill manages to compete with the bigfour accountancy firms despite its relatively small practice. There are four tax partners and a further 11 tax professionals in the practice. The firm is split into two sections; a dispute and controversy side and a tax advisory and structuring side. Nand Singh Gandhi has been recommended for his tax controversy work and has been involved in numerous disputes over the past year.

Sunit Chhabra has been busy and acted for Malayan Banking Berhad in obtaining an income tax exemption for interest payments under $416 million. The scheme grants complete tax exemption for the company on any bond issuance. This transaction was heavily tax-driven and it is believed to be the first of its kind in Singapore.

Deloitte's Singapore office boasts 180 tax professionals and partners. The firm is led by Ajit Prabhu, who was widely praised by the tax market. Prabhu serves many of Deloitte Singapore's largest clients and has worked as project leader on a wide variety ... [more]

Deloitte's Singapore office boasts 180 tax professionals and partners. The firm is led by Ajit Prabhu, who was widely praised by the tax market. Prabhu serves many of Deloitte Singapore's largest clients and has worked as project leader on a wide variety of multinational corporate tax planning projects, including international M&A, and structuring of inbound and outbound investments.

The tax team was bolstered by the appointment of Richard Standing, who joins from HSBC where he was head of the bank's South East Asia financial services practice. Bob Fletcher migrated from Deloitte China to become head of the firm's customs practice.

Prabhu, Lee Tiong Heng and See Jee Chang all worked together on a number of the country's largest M&A transactions.

Drew & Napier has one of the few dedicated tax practices out of all the law firms in Singapore. Ong Sim Ho heads the team which contains seven professionals. Ong, with Ong Ken Loon, worked together on one of the largest bond issues in Singapore in 2009. ... [more]

Drew & Napier has one of the few dedicated tax practices out of all the law firms in Singapore. Ong Sim Ho heads the team which contains seven professionals. Ong, with Ong Ken Loon, worked together on one of the largest bond issues in Singapore in 2009. The pair acted as counsel in this tax driven transaction. They also advised the sponsors and issuer of a $530 million bond involving the Jurong Point Shopping Centre.

Ong Ken Loon is a well-respected specialist in tax dispute resolution and regularly represents clients in tax tribunals and courts. The firm has also brought in Guo Jia Wen and Melissa Foo as associates.

KhattarWong - Taxand's tax practice now consists of nine tax professionals. The firm, which is part of the Taxand network of independent tax firms, offers a full range of tax services including structuring, M&A and planning. The firm has been preoccupied ... [more]

KhattarWong - Taxand's tax practice now consists of nine tax professionals. The firm, which is part of the Taxand network of independent tax firms, offers a full range of tax services including structuring, M&A and planning. The firm has been preoccupied with three aspects of tax over the past year. Dispute resolution, fraud cases and more advisory work have all become specialities for the practice.

Four partners operate within the practice and are led by senior partner Gurbachan Singh. The firm hired Moira Khaw as partner. Khaw was previously associate tax professor at Nanyang Technological University. Leon Kwong Wing is the head of tax at KhattarWong and has been involved in some of the firm's larger pieces of work. Leon helped a client object to the payment of income tax on inland transportation. The matter concerned a bill of lading covering both inland transportation as well as sea carriage. The Revenue accepted that the shipping profits exemption could be interpreted to encompass the whole of the income from a through bill of lading, both by ships and by rail.

In recent years, Baker & McKenzie, Wong & Leow's tax practice has consolidated its position as a law firm in Singapore that can provide efficient, comprehensive and commercial cross-border tax structuring advice. Edmund Leow is head of tax and is one ... [more]

In recent years, Baker & McKenzie, Wong & Leow's tax practice has consolidated its position as a law firm in Singapore that can provide efficient, comprehensive and commercial cross-border tax structuring advice. Edmund Leow is head of tax and is one of the most respected tax practitioners in Singapore. Leow represented a client in a $1.6 billion restructure in the past year. The client was a publicly traded corporation with a market capitalisation of $11.58 billion who required a restructure across 10 jurisdictions.

With more than 15 years of specialist tax compliance and advisory experience, Jack Wong regularly represents Singaporean and multinational corporations. He has extensive experience in dealing with the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) to resolve income tax and stamp duty disputes for his clients. He also assisted many clients in successfully securing favourable tax incentives from the Economic Development Board, the International Enterprise Singapore, Monetary Authority of Singapore and Maritime Port of Authority.

Outside the big-four, Chio Lim Stone Forest is one of the biggest accounting firms in Singapore and is a member of the RSM International network. The firm offers a full range of tax services, with a particular emphasis on M&A transaction work. The firm's ... [more]

Outside the big-four, Chio Lim Stone Forest is one of the biggest accounting firms in Singapore and is a member of the RSM International network. The firm offers a full range of tax services, with a particular emphasis on M&A transaction work. The firm's international capabilities are highlighted by offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Suzhou as well as a dedicated Sarbanes-Oxley division aimed at aiding clients in their US compliance efforts.

Another respected firm is Rajah & Tann, having acted as counsel for a number of key clients over the past year. Christina Ng and Yeoh Lian Chuan acted as counsel to REC in its investment in building the world's largest integrated solar manufacturing ... [more]

Another respected firm is Rajah & Tann, having acted as counsel for a number of key clients over the past year. Christina Ng and Yeoh Lian Chuan acted as counsel to REC in its investment in building the world's largest integrated solar manufacturing plant. This is the largest investment project in Singapore.

Ng also acted for Visa in respect of its Asia Pacific headquarters as part of Visa's global restructuring which saw the creation and listing of Visa on the New York Stock Exchange.

Loyens & Loeff has a well-regarded tax practice in Singapore with special emphasis placed on their cross-border tax work. Pieter de Ridder, head of practice, has been busy transferring a client's management and control to Singapore as well as creating ... [more]

Loyens & Loeff has a well-regarded tax practice in Singapore with special emphasis placed on their cross-border tax work. Pieter de Ridder, head of practice, has been busy transferring a client's management and control to Singapore as well as creating a hybrid debt instrument for a Singapore issuer to an overseas buyer.