Steven Liu

Senior Associate

he/him

Steven is a tax specialist with broad experience advising on New Zealand tax matters, with a particular focus on cross-border tax issues.

He regularly advises on the tax aspects of cross-border investment, both inbound and outbound. Prior to joining MinterEllisonRuddWatts, he worked in international tax specialist group in a Big Four firm in New Zealand and later in Canada.

He works with a broad range of clients, including large New Zealand corporates, multinationals, financial institutions, start-ups, high net worth individuals and not-for-profit organisations. He advises on all aspects of projects, including structuring, rulings applications, documentation and disputes.

Steven takes a keen interest in understanding the client’s business. He is proficient at drawing out actionable steps from complexity and uncertainty, and distilling tax concepts to make them easy to understand. He is focussed on delivering commercial outcomes to his clients on their tax matters so that they spend more of their energy focussing on what they do best.

Career highlights

Advising Wellington Gateway Project on various aspects of the Transmission Gully motorway Public Private Partnership (PPP) project, providing tax structuring advice.

Advising a multinational group on the New Zealand tax aspects of their global IP realignment.

Advising on the tax aspects of several significant business transactions with complex cross-border issues.

Assisting an ASX-listed company to develop a cross-border financing structure and tax governance protocol for their New Zealand subsidiary.

Assisting with the New Zealand structures for several inbound solar generation investments.

Achievements and recognition
  • Tier 1 team, Tax, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific