Associate Director - Tax

Howden M&A advises clients on specialist insurance and risk solutions in connection with M&A transactions, disputes and portfolio matters across Asia. Our core solutions include warranty and indemnity (W&I) insurance, tax liability insurance, and contingent and litigation risk insurance, together with insurance due diligence and other advisory support across cyber, credit, political risk and other financial lines.

The team comprises former M&A and disputes lawyers, tax and accounting professionals, and experienced insurance specialists.

The role will sit within Howden’s Asia M&A platform, with a particular focus on tax liability insurance opportunities involving Chinese clients and inbound and outbound transactions involving Chinese businesses. The successful candidate will work closely with colleagues across Asia to originate, lead and execute regional tax insurance opportunities, while helping to deepen Howden’s relationships with Chinese corporates, private equity sponsors, tax advisers, law firms and other market participants.

The opportunity

This is an opportunity to join a specialist business advising on complex transactions and tax risk matters across Asia. The role offers meaningful responsibility across technical analysis, transaction execution, client development and the continued growth of Howden’s tax insurance proposition in China and across the wider Asia M&A platform.

Role and ideal background

Howden is seeking an Associate Director to be a senior member of its Asia M&A team, with a particular focus on tax liability insurance. The role will lead the execution of tax insurance transactions, manage key client and market relationships, contribute actively to business development, and support the continued growth of the relevant country business and the wider Asia platform.

The ideal candidate should ideally:

• Be proactive, resourceful and commercially minded, with the ability to take ownership while working collaboratively across jurisdictions and disciplines;
• Possess a strong understanding of M&A processes, tax due diligence and the analysis of complex or uncertain tax positions;
• Have approximately 8 - 10 years of experience in a tax advisory role with a focus on China, ideally gained at a leading law firm, accounting firm or in-house tax team;
• Have demonstrated experience managing M&A transactions, tax advisory mandates or comparable complex, time-sensitive engagements with a high degree of independence;
• Have the commercial confidence and relationship-management skills to originate opportunities, advise senior stakeholders and contribute meaningfully to business development;
• Have strong tax analysis, advisory and drafting skills, with sound judgement and close attention to detail;
• Able to translate complex tax issues into clear, practical and commercially focused advice for clients, advisers and insurers;
• Communicate clearly and confidently with clients, advisers, insurers and colleagues, both in writing and in meetings, negotiations and presentations;
• Be able to manage multiple live matters, work effectively under pressure and resolve issues constructively;
• Be fluent in Chinese and English, both written and spoken. Additional Asian language capability would be helpful but is not essential; and
• Be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Key responsibilities

The responsibilities of the role will include:

• Leading the placement of tax liability insurance policies from initial engagement through policy inception, transaction closing and post-closing servicing. This includes assessing the insurability of tax risks. reviewing transaction and tax information, preparing submissions, obtaining and analyzing insurer terms, negotiating with insurers, presenting recommendations to clients and managing the underwriting process;
• Advising existing clients and prospects on tax insurance and other transaction risk solutions, and helping to structure solutions that address identified tax exposures and support clients’ commercial objectives;
• Working with clients and their tax, legal and financial advisers to understand the relevant tax position, identify information gaps and present the risk clearly and effectively to insurers;
• Building and maintaining effective relationships with tax underwriters, and maintaining a strong understanding of insurer appetite, pricing, coverage and underwriting trends across Asia and the international market;
• Working with Howden colleagues across Asia and other business lines to originate tax insurance opportunities, coordinate cross-border execution and deliver a joined-up client proposition;
• Taking responsibility for developing and managing relationships with law firms, accounting firms, investment banks, fund managers, private equity firms, corporates and other referral sources, and converting opportunities into active mandates;
• Attending client meetings, conferences, seminars and industry events to represent Howden, build market relationships and support business development;
• Supervising and developing junior colleagues, including reviewing technical work and supporting their day-to-day development;
• Innovating and working with insurers to develop solutions for complex or emerging tax risks that meet clients’ commercial objectives and requirements;
• Preparing high-quality presentations, proposals, articles, data and other collateral for business development and transaction-specific use; and
• Contributing to the growth and strategic direction of the relevant country business and the wider Asia M&A platform, including business planning, market strategy, product development, new client segments and cross-selling opportunities across the wider Howden platform.

What we value

• A client-first mindset and the confidence to operate credibly with experienced tax, legal, financial and investment professionals;
• A willingness to mentor and develop junior colleagues while contributing to a collaborative team culture;
• Commercial curiosity, creativity and enthusiasm for developing solutions in a fast-evolving market;
• High standards of integrity, teamwork and accountability; and
• An interest in building a long-term career in a specialist regional M&A business.