Eugene Lim
Asia Pacific Chief Operations Officer, WTS Global
Founding Principal, WTS Taxise
Eugene Lim is an international tax and trade lawyer who works extensively in the Asia Pacific region. He is a founding Principal with WTS Taxise, a specialist international tax, transfer pricing and international trade practice comprising of a boutique Singapore law corporation, Taxise Asia LLC, and a boutique tax consulting firm, Taxise Asia Consulting Pte Ltd. WTS Taxise is the exclusive member for Singapore of WTS Global, a global tax network of independent tax advisory firms with presence in more than 100 countries.
Previously, Eugene was based in Hong Kong and China for 11 years before moving to Singapore in 2014 to head the Singapore Tax, Trade and Wealth Management practice in one of the largest international law firms in Singapore. He has extensive experience relating to the structuring of supply chain and distribution strategies in the Asia Pacific region as well as in international tax and trade matters.
Eugene is recognised by leading legal directories such as Chambers Asia Pacific, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific and International Tax Review, with Chambers Asia Pacific describing him as having “a strong reputation for international tax and trade matters”.
His representative matters include:
- Advised a Fortune 500 semi-conductor equipment company on the indirect tax, customs and export controls aspects of the establishment of their global manufacturing facility and global principal entity in an ASEAN country.
- Advised a U.S. fabless semiconductor company on the transfer of fixed assets and inventory in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand as part of a global divestiture of a business unit valued at USD2.75 billion.
- Advised a German semi-conductor equipment conglomerate on tax and supply chain structures for a potential joint venture with a Chinese partner.
- Assisted a Scandinavian apparel company on their Asia Pacific distribution hub structure.
- Advising one of the world’s largest FinTech company on export control issues in Singapore, and various countries in the Asia Pacific region.
Awards and accolades:
- Leading Individual, Legal 500 Asia Pacific Singapore Tax 2024
- Band 3, Chambers Asia Pacific Singapore Tax 2024
- Leading Individual, Legal 500 Asia Pacific Singapore Tax 2023
- Band 3, Chambers Asia Pacific Singapore Tax 2023
- Recommended Lawyer, Legal 500 Asia Pacific Singapore Tax 2022
- Band 3, Chambers Asia Pacific Singapore Tax 2022
- Highly Regarded Tax Leader for Indirect Tax, International Tax Review 2021-2023
- Highly Regarded Tax Leader for Tax Controversy, International Tax Review 2021-2023
- Notable Practitioner for Tax, asialaw 2021-2023
- Best Lawyer for Tax Law, Best Lawyers 2016-2023
- Best Lawyer for Trade Law, Best Lawyers 2016-2023
- Tax Advisory Export of the Year in Singapore, Corporate INTL 2023
- International Trade Lawyer of the Year, The Asian Lawyer 2021
- Leading Lawyer (Asia-wide, International Trade), Chambers Asia Pacific and Chambers Global 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014
- Leading Trade and Customs Lawyer, The International Who’s Who of Trade & Customs Lawyers
Education:
- Master of Laws in International and Comparative Law, McGill University
- Bachelor of Laws (Honours), National University of Singapore
Admissions and qualifications:
- Solicitor, Senior Courts of England and Wales
- Advocate and Solicitor, Supreme Court of Singapore
Professional associations and memberships:
- Board Member, Singapore Tax Academy
- Co-Chair of Tax and Trust Committee, Law Society of Singapore
- Member, Singapore Academy of Law
- Member, Law Society of Singapore
Languages:
- English and Mandarin Chinese
“He demonstrates excellent knowledge and has practical strategies and alternative ideas.”– Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023, Tax client
“Eugene is a practical, engaging and professional partner. It is great to work with him.”– Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2023, Tax client
“He demonstrates excellent knowledge and has practical strategies and alternative ideas.”– Tax client, Chambers Asia Pacific 2023
“Clients prize the practical nature of Eugene Lim’s advice, and particularly appreciate his ability ‘to analyse, find solutions and add value – not just as a legal counsel but as a business consultant too’.”– Chambers Asia Pacific
“Eugene Lim is certainly a very credible lawyer,” says one source, while a second source compliments his “good experience and knowledge.”– Chambers Asia Pacific
“Eugene is the ‘first port of call’ for clients in the trade and customs field.”– Who’s Who Legal
