Welcome Home: CEO's Address at the Opening of the Tax Academy of Singapore Hub

CEO Tax Academy, Mr Dennis Lui giving the Welcome Address

Distinguished Guests, Board Members, Partners, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening.

Welcome to the opening of the Tax Academy of Singapore Hub. Tonight, we celebrate a beautiful new space and a new beginning for the Tax Academy of Singapore.

For twenty years, Tax Academy operated from the basement of Revenue House. We rented training space from IRAS or from external providers for our courses. We have trained thousands of professionals, strengthened Singapore’s tax ecosystem, and built strong partnerships.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to IRAS —not only for supporting Tax Academy over the past twenty years, but also for making this wonderful new home possible. A big thank you to the IRAS facilities management team under Chor Leng, Choon Teck, Joanne and Allison. Also thank you to the JTC team Mervyn and Lynn for your support.

I also acknowledge my predecessors, the former CEOs of Tax Academy, for building up her strong foundations – Ms Chiam Yah Fang, Mrs Eng-Tay Geok Lee, Mrs Chia-Tern Huey Min and Mr Alan Ow.

I thank the Tax Academy Board of Directors. In particular, the immense contributions and leadership of our outgoing Chairman Mr Tham Sai Choy.

I have benefitted greatly from his wisdom.

Last but certainly not least, a big Thank You to the Tax Academy team led by Eunice for pushing so hard to get the renovation completed on time! With the new premises, we know that the work has just begun. Thank you.

CEO Tax Academy, Mr Dennis Lui giving the Welcome Address

A New Home

Yes, we have moved from Basement One to Level One. For the first time in our history, Tax Academy has a home. And a home changes everything.

Most importantly, it changes how we think.

When we rented classrooms, our focus was naturally on delivering programmes. When we have a home, we ask bigger questions, for example - what kind of learning experiences should we create? What kind of institution should we become? What is tax education all about?

New Era of Professional Education

Professional education is entering a new era. Knowledge has become more accessible, artificial intelligence can answer questions in seconds.

Our challenge is no longer simply how to teach more. Rather, it is how to develop better tax professionals. Foundational technical knowledge is even more necessary today than ever before, otherwise you won’t know if the AI is hallucinating, or mixing up the facts without the proper context.

But beyond technical knowledge, tax professionals need to collaborate across disciplines and have the confidence to navigate complexity, across borders and across cultures. We all need to stay connected, to stay curious – and that is how we become even more human in the age of AI.

The Tax Academy will become a platform where government, business, academia and the profession learn from one another. Where Singapore engages with international thought leaders. Where ideas are exchanged, partnerships are formed and innovation flourishes.

CEO Tax Academy of Singapore, Mr Dennis Lui, Playing the Guitar at the Opening of Tax Academy of Singapore Hub

Music and Tax Education

Now, I occasionally bring a guitar into our learning sessions and meetings with guests. Why so? Music has an extraordinary ability to bring people together. It crosses cultures. It crosses generations. It crosses language.

With music, we simply become human beings sharing that same experience. A familiar song, but played on a different instrument, or in a different style – it helps us to listen differently, notice the nuances, to be more curious. And by having a shared experience, we bring people together, we increase the connections. When you attend Tax Academy’s courses and programmes, we aspire to deliver a training experience where you learn, connect, discover and more.

The Future

What excites me most about this hub, is possibility. How can the Tax Academy help people become better than they imagined they could become? Because ultimately, that is the purpose of education. Not simply helping people know more. But helping them think more deeply. Lead more wisely. And continue learning throughout their lives.

Conclusion

In conclusion, twenty years ago, Tax Academy was entrusted with building tax capability for Singapore. That mission continues.

But tonight, we begin a new chapter. We have a new home. A new platform. Many new opportunities.

The real question is what we will build together. Whether you come from government, business or academia; whether you come from Singapore or from overseas; I hope this becomes a place where ideas are exchanged partnerships are formed, curiosity is sparked and future leaders are developed.

Welcome to the Tax Academy of Singapore Hub.

Welcome home.

Thank you.

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