What are the biggest lessons in your career so far?
When I started my career, I thought technical excellence was the most important thing. But I soon realized that tax is a team sport, and opportunities, growth, and breakthroughs often come through people who believe in you. No one knows everything in the world. Teamwork brings diverse expertise, insight and experience and good teammates can lift each other up. Being the Head of Tax, I always remind myself that people are the most important asset in an organization. The best team doesn’t just have smart people; but has smart people who work brilliantly together, absorb pressure and support each other.
How did you come to specialize in tax?
Taxation was my favourite subject at university. After graduating, I was glad to join the tax department of a firm where I met good mentors who gave me lots of guidance and training with regards to tax assignments. Tax is a blend of laws, numbers and strategies, and this, to me, makes tax a highly interesting area to work in. Tax influences everyone – from individuals, small business to multinationals. Whether we are assisting an individual in tax compliance, helping a small business owner in saving money or advising a multinational on cross-border tax strategy, our work and advice go beyond theory and has real impact.
What is your advice for young CPAs eyeing careers in tax?
Young CPAs should build a quality-first mindset as quality is the backbone of being a successful tax professional. In tax, quality doesn’t only mean good technical skills, but also good analytical skills and communication skills, with integrity. Both global tax practice and local tax laws keep changing, so it’s important to stay sharp. In the business world, we must understand that clients want a tax advisor, not a technician. Therefore, a well-rounded tax professional should be able to think critically and translate complexity into clear and actionable advice. Finally, we should always keep ethics and integrity in mind, even when the pressure is high. High quality work enables us to build trust and long-term relationship with people and will also bring new opportunities.
What tax issues are currently taking up most of your time as you help clients navigate them?
BEPS 2.0 is no doubt the most significant one. Not only are the new regulations complex, but each jurisdiction has its own pace of implementation and local nuances, so we must understand and interpret the local laws and regulations while ensuring global consistency. The evolving nature of BEPS 2.0 means we, as professionals, must stay updated on ongoing discussions, commentary and technical guidance issued or announced by the OECD and local tax authorities, resulting in additional workload. Apart from BEPS 2.0, Hong Kong has had several significant changes in its taxation framework in recent years, for example, patent box tax incentive, and family office tax concessions.
How has your CPA qualification helped you in your career?
It allows me to be recognized by my clients and employers as a reliable and ethical professional, and provides me with expanded career opportunities. The CPA training enhances my analytical and communication skills, which are core parts of quality. Also, the Institute has successfully created a great community of professionals, which I have access to through the events and conferences it organizes.
