CEO Opening Remarks at IFA–Tax Academy International Tax Conference 2026

CEO Mr Dennis Lui giving the opening remarks at IFA-TA Academy International Tax Conference 2026

IFA–Tax Academy International Tax Conference

Dennis Lui, CEO, Tax Academy of Singapore

16 Oct 2026

Good morning, distinguished guests. A very warm welcome to all of you, especially our guests joining us from overseas.

I will leave the technical content to our top speakers but allow me to briefly explain what the Tax Academy is all about.

Build tax capability beyond classroom training

First, we want to build tax capability that goes beyond classroom training.

Tax Academy is a unique institution that can bring together Government, Industry and Academia. One example is STARI, the Singapore Tax Academy Research Initiative, where we are bringing academics and practitioners together to conduct research, develop local research talent, and contribute to international tax discussions.  Though this, we hope Singapore can contribute to the thinking that shapes international tax developments.

Connect communities and disciplines

Second, we want to connect communities and disciplines that do not always work closely together.

Take our collaboration with IPOS International. We recently launched a joint masterclass bringing intellectual property, valuation and tax together. These are often treated as separate disciplines, but businesses experience them as part of the same commercial decisions.

Similarly, our recent joint seminar with the Singapore Institute of Directors explored tax strategy and risks from a boardroom perspective.

Tax does not exist in isolation. We want to bring tax into wider conversations about business, investment, governance and public policy.

Create something more enduring

Third, we want partnerships to create something more enduring than individual events.

Our collaboration with IFA is an important example.

Today's conference brings together academic research and professional experience. But I hope our relationship will extend beyond today — through continued exchanges, closer connections between academics and practitioners, and opportunities to develop ideas that benefit the wider tax community.

For our academic guests, I hope this is the beginning of a longer relationship with Tax Academy.

I would like to thank IFA for partnering with us, our speakers for contributing their time and expertise, and all of you for being here.

Launch of TaxTOC

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to launch TaxTOC – our new digital platform for tax learning.  TaxTOC brings together recorded lectures, conference sessions, expert insights and non-demand courses, making quality tax knowledge accessible beyond the classroom and beyond the duration of any single event.

To mark the launch, we are offering one month of complimentary access, followed by a 20% discount on subscription - available to those who take it up by 31 December 2026. I hope you will explore TaxTOC and find it useful and exciting.  

With that, I wish everyone a fruitful conference and networking.

Thank you.

Mr Dennis Lui
Chief Executive Officer, Tax Academy of Singapore
Deputy Commissioner (Indirect Taxes, Law & Investigation Group),
Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore