Blog

Peter Wilson, Director of Global Tax at Simmons Gainsford Global Tax LLP. Peter is a Member of the Institutes of Chartered Accountants in England and Australia and has Master’s degrees in Business and Tax Law. He is a member of the Tax Institute and is researching towards a PhD in “BRICS and International Tax Law” at Queen Mary - University of London, which allows him to meet and discuss cross-border tax issues with leading academics.

Peter has more than 37 years of experience in domestic and international tax in most of the leading jurisdictions and in growth economies. He is currently based in London, but has previously been based at EY New York (International Tax Partner in Jim Tobin’s foreign tax desk programme and Global Head of EY’s international Oil and Gas Practice); EY London (International Tax Partner, London Foreign tax desk cluster); EY Sydney (Partner and Head of the Australian Natural resources practice), and; PwC London (International Tax Partner, European Head of tax based financing).

Peter advises on the tax risks of various cross-border business and personal structures including business reorganisations, financings and derivatives, intangibles and on the constituents of avoidance and evasion internationally, transfer pricing, bi-lateral and multi-lateral tax agreements including information exchange.

Grace Shi, CPA, CTA, MBA, Partner at ECOVIS Beijing. Grace has over 15 years of experience in accounting, auditing and tax advisory services in both international accounting firms and large domestic corporations. She has an international MBA and a US Global Finance Master’s degree. Since 2001, she is a Chinese Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and since 2002 a Chinese Certified Taxation Agent (CTA). Before joining Ecovis she was the head of a leading international firm in Beijing for more six years and the CFO of a local company with more than 1000 employees. She is fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese.

Kristina Koehler, Director of China Operations at Koehler Group. Kristina has worked in the Chinese legal and accounting industry since 2003 when she joined Koehler Group as its China Director. Fluent in English, German, French and Mandarin, Kristina advises and represents Western clients with their business interests in China. She has worked on numerous complex transactions in foreign direct investment including corporate (re)structuring, company liquidations and M&A deals.  Additionally, she frequently advises on and represents foreign clients in tax, accounting and trade-related matters.

Kristina is co-author of Koehler Group’s monthly magazine, ChinaInvest.biz, which provides insight into investment, tax and operational issues for foreign companies entering and expanding throughout China. Kristina has also contributed to numerous other publications, all relating to the Chinese legal, accounting and business practices, and frequently holds seminars, presentations and webinars at business groups and government institutions around the world.

Steve Dickinson, Lawyer at Harris Moure. Steve focuses on assisting foreign companies who do business in and with China. He prides himself on working primarily in the “real” China: the world of the factories, fish plants, and farms that lie outside of Beijing and Shanghai. Work in these areas requires a command of the Chinese language and an appreciation for the history and culture of China, and Steve possesses both of those in spades.

Steve was named one of Washington State’s "5 Most Amazing Attorneys" by Washington CEO Magazine and also one of only three “Washington State Amazing Lawyers” in International Law. Steve was the first attorney to be invited to China by an independent Bar Association and he has lectured in Chinese at the University of Beijing School of Law and to the Shanghai Bar Association.

Steve is a frequent speaker throughout the United States and in China on various issues relating to International, Chinese, Japanese, and United States law. He also co-authors the China Law Blog.