Becky Lai, Senior Advisor of Business & Tax Advisory Services of Ernst & Young Tax Services Limited, and Leader of the Tax Policy Practice of the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong SAR, started her professional tax career in Hong Kong, and has been based in Beijing and Toronto.
Since 1985, Becky has focused extensively on China cross-border tax consultation.
Becky's tax consultation practice has covered issues surrounding foreign direct investments into China and continual operations for MNCs in numerous industries, including pharmaceutical, energy, aircrafts, motor vehicles, transportation, financial services, software, telecommunications and electronic commerce.
The subject matters of Becky's tax consultation include tax structuring of cross-border investments, restructuring and tax deferral, IPO pre-listings, tax negotiations, administrative review, application of tax treaty provisions and Mutual Agreement Procedure.
Tax Policy consultations to organizations, governments and policy makers:
- Tax trends study
- Tax competitiveness studies and gap study
- Tax policy formulation
Highlights of discussions with the China tax authorities, including the State Administration of Taxation (SAT):
- Initiated discussions with the tax authorities regarding client specific tax consequence unintended by legislation, resulting in issuance of specific circular to alleviate tax hardship
- Enhancement of the China foreign tax credit system and M&A
- Discussions on the taxation of trusts and partnerships
- Lobbying for interbank interest exemption
- Provided exclusive technical support to SAT for the G20 Peer Review (Phase 1 and 2 combined)
Becky is a member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (Canada) and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, fellow member and Certified Tax Adviser of the Taxation Institute of Hong Kong.
Becky receives her B.Comm (summa cum laude) from the St. Mary's University, and the MBA from the University of Western Ontario in Canada. Becky completed China Executive programs and Renewal Program on business transformation and restructuring, innovation offered by the Tsing Hua University and the Harvard Business School.
