Real Estate Industry Group: Hong Kong Residential Property Market - Latest Stamp Duties Structure and Cooling Measures

The Real Estate Industry Group invites you to the following industry focus roundtable discussion. There will be networking opportunities before and after the session.

Drinks and hors d'oeuvres will be served at 4:30 PM with roundtable discussion starting at 5:00 PM on Friday, 21 April. Members are encouraged to arrive early at 4:30 PM.

We welcome all members who are interested in gaining more in-depth information about the industry. Hong Kong Law Society CPD point will be applied for.

TOPIC:  Real Estate Industry Group: Hong Kong Residential Property Market - Latest Stamp Duties Structure and Cooling Measures

In this roundtable discussion, the panelists will share their in-sights on some of the topics about the Hong Kong residential property market and implications on the latest stamp duties:

• Likelihood of the measures being lifted and what impact the market can expect to see based on the measures and/or their lifting
• Have the measures been effective? Are the new stamp duties sustainable? Comparison to other key markets.
• Effect of the increase in interest rates. 
• How are the Hong Kong developers dealing with their land banks?   
• What are the advantages of implementing measures which protect local Hong Kong citizens?

Panelists:

	Chee Weng Lee, Managing Partner - Tax Markets, Asia Pacific, EY Chee Weng is a seasoned tax practitioner and has been a tax partner for close to 20 years. He advises major multinationals and large Hong Kong corporations on Hong Kong Profits tax with a focus on cross border and Asia Pacific regional tax issues and also on mergers and acquisitions and tax structuring in relation thereto, dispute resolutions with the tax authorities and also works on Initial Public Offerings. He has extensive experience in advising clients in the hotel and hospitality industry, real estate, infrastructure, manufacturing and trading. Chee Weng has worked extensively on tax reviews and reorganisations and also on dispute resolutions and controversy cases. He was an expert witness on a major tax dispute involving his client and the US Internal Revenue Service.
	Steven Sieker, Partner, Baker & McKenzie Steven Sieker practices exclusively in the area of tax law, and is recognized as a leading individual in tax as well as private client and wealth management by Chambers Asia Pacific, Citywealth Leaders List and Guide to the World’s leading Tax Advisers. Mr. Sieker has authored a wide range of key articles and publications, including the Hong Kong volume of the CCH series Tax Planning and Compliance in Asia. He is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), and was an executive director of STEP and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. Mr. Sieker is admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong, England and Wales, and is qualified as a barrister and solicitor in Alberta, Canada.
	Eddie Chi Man HUI, MH, Professor, Academic Discipline Leader of Construction & Real Estate Economics; Award Coordinator (4-year curriculum FT) for BSc(Hons) Property Management Prof. Hui is an all-round professional with diverse experience in research and consultancy projects. Before joining PolyU, he was responsible for research and development for a major professional surveying firm in Hong Kong. At Hong Kong University, he obtained his BSc (first class honours) with prizes/awards. At the University of Cambridge, UK, he finished his MPhil in Land Economy (first class) with a Commonwealth Scholarship. With another Commonwealth Scholarship, he completed his Ph.D. at the Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge, UK, where he is a fellow of the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust. The Chief Executive has awarded Prof. Hui in this year’s (2015) Honours list. He is presented the Medal of Honour (MH) for his dedicated public service, particularly his contributions to the Town Planning Board and the surveying sector.

Facilitator:

Gordon Chan, Vice President - Legal, Asia Pacific, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts Gordon is currently the Vice President – Legal, Asia Pacific of Hyatt Hotels & Resorts covering the company’s businesses and development projects in Asia Pacific. He is also the Hyatt Thrive (Hyatt's Corporate Social Responsibility Program) Committee Leader for Asia Pacific. Hyatt Thrive is the company's global corporate responsibility platform. Gordon has been in regular contact with various organizations in the local community and throughout the region. The article published in the August 2012 edition of Hong Kong Lawyer titled "Corporate responsibility: implications on daily legal work" was written by Gordon.

Event details

If you register but are then unable to attend, please email events@hkcca.net and tell us so that other members on any waitlist may attend. If you have any suggestions for topics or speakers for future HKCCA events, please let us know at events@hkcca.net.

Please note this event is exclusively for HKCCA members. If you are not an HKCCA member but you want to attend this presentation, you need to successfully apply for membership at www.hkcca.net and pay the membership fee before registering for the event. If you have any membership queries, please contact HKCCA Secretariat on info@hkcca.net or (852) 2516 7007.