Asia Tax Awards 2018

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Asia Tax Awards 2018

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Firms, individuals and companies across the Asia-Pacific region shared prizes at the Asia Tax Awards in Singapore on May 3 2018.

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Tencent Group, the Chinese multinational specialising in internet-related services and products, entertainment, AI and technology, won the award for Asia in-house tax team of the year, with Indian IT multinational, Infosys, winning the equivalent award for transfer pricing. Umang Dhingra, associate director of tax at Discovery Communications India, was named as Asia in-house tax director the year.

Yazeed Mohamed, the Maldives Tax Commissioner won the award for Asia Tax Commissioner of the Year in recognition of his work on SMEs, training the leaders of tomorrow and digitalising tax filing in the Maldives.

Among the firms, KPMG led the way with 21 awards, building on its success in 2017 where it won 13 awards. Other Big 4 firms, Deloitte and EY also won 20 awards between them.

The other firms to win more than one award were Du-Baladad and Associates (BDB Law), DFDL, Dhruva Advisors, Kim & Chang, MinterEllison, Shearn Delamore & Co and Yulchon.

The individual awards for practitioners went to:

  • Allen Tan of Baker McKenzie (Asia Tax Practice Leader of the Year);

  • Joanne Su of EY (Asia Transfer Pricing Practice Leader of the Year); and

  • Seok Hoon Kang of Yulchon (Asia Tax Disputes & Litigation Practice Leader of the Year).

The awards were held at the Mandarin Orchard Hotel in Singapore on May 3. Companies, firms and individuals had to the opportunity between November and January to make submissions to be considered for the awards. The shortlists were selected by International Tax Review.

On the following pages, winners are listed first, highlighted in red, followed by a list of nominees.

Methodology

Between November 2017 and January 2018, companies, law firms, tax advisers, accountants and other tax service providers submitted three examples of their best work for consideration for the national tax, transfer pricing, and litigation and disputes awards.

The awards were judged according to:

  • Size: Not conclusive, though it does indicate what a tax team is capable of taking on

  • Innovation: Did the advice the firm gave show something more than the straightforward answer that is commonly used?

  • Complexity: Did the matter address tax issues that were out of the ordinary and what ingenuity did the firm show to solve them?

  • Impact: What impact did the advice have on the taxpayer? For example, did it help them take over their biggest rival? Issue equity and debt in a particular market for the first time? Win an unprecedented judgement in court?


National Awards

Australia Tax Firm of the Year

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KPMG

> Allen & Overy

> Ashurst

> Baker McKenzie

> DLA Piper

> Herbert Smith Freehills and Greenwoods & Herbert Smith Freehills

> MinterEllison

Australia Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

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MinterEllison

> Deloitte

> Grant Thornton Australia

> KPMG

> Transfer Pricing Solutions Australia

Australia Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

MinterEllison

> Herbert Smith Freehills and Greenwoods & Herbert Smith Freehills

> KPMG

Cambodia Tax Firm of the Year

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DFDL

> Deloitte

> Sciaroni & Associates

> VDB Loi

Cambodia Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

DFDL

> Deloitte

China Tax Firm of the Year

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EY

> Baker McKenzie

> Deloitte

> KPMG

China Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

EY

> Baker McKenzie

> KPMG

China Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

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KPMG

> Baker McKenzie

> Deloitte

> DLA Piper

> EY

Hong Kong Tax Firm of the Year

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KPMG

> Baker McKenzie

> Deloitte

> DLA Piper

Hong Kong Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

KPMG

> Deloitte

> EY

Hong Kong Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

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EY

> KPMG

India Tax Firm of the Year

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Dhruva Advisors

> Advaita Legal

> Ashok Maheshwary & Associates

> Deloitte

> KPMG

> Nangia & Co

> SKP

India Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

Dhruva Advisors

> Advaita Legal

> Ashok Maheshwary & Associates

> Deloitte

> Khaitan & Co

> KPMG

> SKP

India Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

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Deloitte

> Advaita Legal

> Ashok Maheshwary & Associates

> KPMG

> SKP

Indonesia Tax Firm of the Year

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Deloitte

> EY

> GNV Consulting Services

> Hadiputranto, Hadinoto & Partners

> KPMG

Indonesia Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

Deloitte

> GNV Consulting Services

> KPMG

Indonesia Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

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GNV Consulting Services

> Deloitte

> KPMG

Japan Tax Firm of the Year

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KPMG

> Baker McKenzie

> DLA Piper

Japan Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

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EY

> Deloitte

> DLA Piper

Malaysia Tax Firm of the Year

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Shearn Delamore & Co

> Deloitte

> EY

> KPMG

> Wong & Partners

Malaysia Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

Shearn Delamore & Co

> Deloitte

> EY

> KPMG

> Wong & Partners

Malaysia Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

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KPMG

> Deloitte

> EY

> Wong & Partners

Myanmar Tax Firm of the Year

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EY

> DFDL

New Zealand Tax Firm of the Year

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Deloitte

> Bell Gully

> Chapman Tripp

> KPMG

> Russell McVeagh

New Zealand Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

Deloitte

> Bell Gully

> KPMG

New Zealand Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

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Russell McVeagh

> KPMG

Pakistan Tax Firm of the Year

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KPMG

> Grant Thornton

Pakistan Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

KPMG

> Grant Thornton

Philippines Tax Firm of the Year

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Quisumbing Torres

> Deloitte

> KPMG

Philippines Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

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Deloitte

> SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co (EY)

> RG Manabat & Co (KPMG)

Philippines Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

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Du-Baladad and Associates (BDB Law)

> Deloitte

> KPMG

> Quisumbing Torres

Singapore Tax Firm of the Year

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EY

> Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow

> Deloitte

> KPMG

Singapore Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

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KPMG

> Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow

> Deloitte

> EY

> Grant Thornton

> Transfer Pricing Solutions Asia (Singapore)

Singapore Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

KPMG

> Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow

> Deloitte

> Rajah & Tann Singapore

South Korea Tax Firm of the Year

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Kim & Chang

> Bae, Kim & Lee

> Deloitte

> KPMG

> Yulchon

South Korea Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

Kim & Chang

> Deloitte

> KPMG

> Yulchon

South Korea Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

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Yulchon

> Bae, Kim & Lee

> Deloitte

> Kim & Chang

> KPMG

Sri Lanka Tax Firm of the Year

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KPMG

> BDO

> Julius & Creasy

> Nithya Partners

Sri Lanka Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

KPMG

> Nithya Partners

Taiwan Tax Firm of the Year

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Deloitte

> EY

> KPMG

Taiwan Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

Deloitte

> EY

> KPMG

Taiwan Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

Deloitte

> EY

> KPMG

Thailand Tax Firm of the Year

a29.jpg

KPMG

> DFDL

> Tilleke & Gibbins

Thailand Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

KPMG

> Baker McKenzie

> Deloitte

> EY

Thailand Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

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Deloitte

> KPMG

Vietnam Tax Firm of the Year

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KPMG

> Baker McKenzie

> Deloitte

> DFDL

Vietnam Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

KPMG

> Deloitte

Vietnam Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

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Deloitte

> Baker McKenzie

> KPMG



Regional Awards

Asia Tax Transactions Firm of the Year

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Shearn Delamore & Co

> Ashok Maheshwary & Associates

> Bae, Kim & Lee

> Deloitte

> Dentons Rodyk

> DFDL

> Dhruva Advisors

> EY

> Grant Thornton

> Kim & Chang

> KPMG

> MinterEllison

> SKP

> Yulchon

Tax Policy Firm of the Year

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Du-Baladad and Associates (BDB Law)

> Dhruva Advisors

> KPMG

> Rao Law Chambers

> SKP

> Yulchon

Asia Tax Technology Firm of the Year

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Deloitte

> EY

> KPMG

> Online Pajak

Asia Tax Innovator of the Year

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EY

> KPMG

US Corporate Tax Team of the Year

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KPMG

> EY

Asia Best Newcomer of the Year

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Anuj Mahajan & Co

> Grant Thornton (Singapore)

> TraTax (Thenesh Renga & Associates)

Asia Tax Compliance & Reporting Firm of the Year

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KPMG

> Ashok Maheshwary & Associates

> Deloitte

> SKP

Asia Indirect Tax Firm of the Year

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Deloitte

> Grant Thornton

> KPMG

> KPMG Singapore

> MinterEllison

> Shearn Delamore & Co

> SKP

> Yulchon

Global Executive Mobility Tax Team of the Year in Asia

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MinterEllison

> Ashok Maheshwary & Associates

> Deloitte

> EY

> Grant Thornton

> KPMG Australia

> KPMG Singapore

> KPMG New Zealand

Asia Tax Disputes & Litigation Firm of the Year

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KPMG

> Deloitte

> GNV Consulting Services

> MinterEllison

> Shearn Delamore & Co

> Yulchon

FATCA/Withholding Tax Team of the Year in Asia

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KPMG

> Ashok Maheshwary & Associates

> Deloitte

> Shearn Delamore & Co

> SKP

> Yulchon

Asia Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year

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Deloitte

> EY

> KPMG

> MinterEllison

Asia Tax Firm of the Year

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KPMG

> Baker McKenzie

> Deloitte

> DFDL

> Dhruva Advisors

> EY

> Shearn Delamore & Co



In-house Awards

Asia In-house Transfer Pricing Team of the Year

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Infosys India

> Discovery Communications India

Asia In-house Tax Team of the Year

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Tencent Group

> Cargill Indonesia

> Discovery Communications India

> Infosys Limited India

> PT Astra International

> PT Freeport Indonesia

Asia In-house Tax Director of the Year

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Umang Dhingra, Discovery Communications India

> Balaji Balasubramanian, Standard Chartered Bank

> Ben Choy, Tencent Holdings

> Mukhlis Ishak, PT Freeport Indonesia

> Sunil Kumar Dhareshwar, Infosys Limited India



Leadership Awards

Asia Tax Disputes & Litigation Practice Leader of the Year

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Seok Hoon Kang, Yulchon

> Ahdianto, GNV Consulting Services

> Il Young Cho, Bae, Kim & Lee

> Goh Ka Im, Shearn Delamore & Co

> Leung Yew Kwong, KPMG

> Jisoo Lee, Kim & Chang

> Carmen McElwain, MinterEllison

> A R Madhav Rao, Advaita Legal

> Steven Sieker, Baker McKenzie

> Adeline Wong, Baker McKenzie

Asia Transfer Pricing Practice Leader of the Year

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Joanne Su, EY

> Maria Carmela M Peralta, KPMG (RG Manabat & Co)

> Jason Casas, Grant Thornton Australia

> Luis Coronado, EY

> Maulik Doshi, SKP

> Kyu Dong Kim, Yulchon

> Sanjiv Malhotra, Baker McKenzie

> Tae Yeon Nam, Kim & Chang

> Kamal Sawhney, Advaita Legal

> Geoffrey Soh, KPMG

Asia Tax Practice Leader of the Year

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Allen Tan, Baker McKenzie

> Woo Hyun Baik, Kim & Chang

> Sudipta Bhattacharjee, Advaita Legal

> Sujit Ghosh, Advaita Legal

> Khoon Ming Ho, KPMG

> Dinesh Kanabar, Dhruva Advisors

> Tae Kyoon Kim, Bae, Kim & Lee

> Manish Shah, SKP

> Jack Sheehan, DFDL

> Adeline Wong, Baker McKenzie

Asia Tax Commissioner of the Year

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Yazeed Mohamed, Tax Commissioner, Maldives

> Ng Wai Choong, Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Singapore

> Chris Jordan, Commissioner of Taxation, Australia

> Wang Jun, Commissioner for the State Administration of Taxation, China

> Wong Kuen-fai, Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Hong Kong

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