Bakers promotes Eugene Lim to Head of Tax & Wealth Management in Singapore
Baker & McKenzie has announced that Eugene Lim, a Partner in the Firm’s Hong Kong/China Tax Practice Group, will be moving to the Singapore member firm, Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow, on 1 January 2014 to become the new Head of the Tax & Wealth Management practice in Singapore. The move provides the opportunity for Mr. Lim to expand the Firm’s pan-Asia Pacific indirect tax and trade practice, which is a market leader in its field.
The move will follow the appointment announced today of Edmund Leow, Managing Principal and present Head of the Firm’s Singapore Tax & Wealth Management Practice, as a Judicial Commissioner in the Supreme Court of the Republic of Singapore. A Judicial Commissioner is appointed to the Supreme Court by the President of Singapore on the advice of the Prime Minister, and has the powers of a Judge.
Michael Olesnicky, Head of Baker & McKenzie’s Asia Pacific’s Tax practice, commented, “We are very proud of Edmund’s appointment as a Judicial Commissioner, and of his significant contribution to serving our clients in Singapore and globally. Edmund has been integral to building Baker & McKenzie’s international reputation as the leading global legal tax advisory firm.
“We are delighted that we have strong leaders such as Eugene with an international skill-set and reputation to ensure that we continue to deliver seamless service to our clients across the region. He will be joining a strong team in Singapore, including Dawn Quek and Allen Tan. This is a great opportunity to enhance our tax platform in the expanding Asian market. Eugene has built an impressive trade and related indirect tax practice in China and developed a great team which will be led by Will Marshall after Eugene’s relocation to Singapore. Will will continue to be supported by the tax and trade team spread across the Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong offices,” he added.
Mr. Lim is a Singaporean and joined Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow in Singapore in 2000 before relocating to Hong Kong. He graduated from the National University of Singapore with a LL.B (Hons) and later McGill University with a LL.M (International and Comparative Law). Eugene is qualified in Singapore and England & Wales. He co-Chairs Baker & McKenzie’s Asia Pacific Regional Customs and International Trade Steering Committee and heads the China trade practice. Eugene is experienced in tax and international trade matters (both contentious and non-contentious) and focuses in advising on global and regional supply chain structures.
“Eugene’s move signals the growing importance of developing regional capabilities to cater to the needs of our Singapore-based clients. Eugene’s move also coincides with increasing economic integration across the 10 ASEAN nations. As ASEAN economic integration becomes a reality, holistic advice that covers tax and trade issues will be highly sought after with the expected increase in the movement of goods and services. With trade flows around and into this region also increasing, Eugene’s skills complement our existing offerings and bolster our practice,” said Mr Andy Leck, who succeeds Edmund Leow as Managing Principal of Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow.
Eugene Lim said, “It is a privilege to return to the office where I started my career and to continue to work with my colleagues across Baker & McKenzie’s international tax and trade practices, including now the high-caliber teams in Singapore and across Asia Pacific.”
“I am delighted to be afforded this opportunity to develop our regional tax and trade competencies from Baker & McKenzie’s Singapore office. Further developing the Firm’s transfer pricing capabilities to ensure that we remain ahead of the curve in providing our clients with a full range of tax services is also a priority. Of course, we will continue to extend the sterling tax advisory and wealth management practices that have been serving our clients across Asia Pacific and the globe. Given Singapore’s attractiveness as the location of choice for multinational regional headquarters, its position as one of the most significant global wealth management markets, and the considerable growth in pan-Asia Pacific trade, our Firm is well placed to continue to provide our clients with sophisticated global tax advice and to further consolidate our position as the leading legal tax practice,” he added.