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UAE corporate tax 3rd anniversary: Dubai summit highlights new priorities for CFOs
An exceptional line-up of guest speakers brought real depth and authority to proceedings as corporate tax has become central to the strategic agenda of UAE businesses
- PUBLISHED: Wed 17 Jun 2026, 2:34 PM
Marking a significant milestone since the introduction of UAE corporate tax, the Taxation Society UAE celebrated the regime’s third anniversary in style in Dubai on June 6, 2026.
The event was exceptionally well attended, drawing a capacity audience of senior finance and tax leaders from across the UAE — CFOs, group tax directors, legal advisors, and in-house practitioners representing businesses of all sizes and sectors. It was the kind of attendance that speaks to just how central corporate tax has become to the strategic agenda of UAE businesses.
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The gathering was addressed by Nimish Makvana, president of the Taxation Society; and Naveen Sharma, chairman, before welcoming chief guest Mirza Al Sayegh, member of the Board of Trustees of the Al Maktoum Foundation, whose address underscored the UAE’s broader economic ambitions underpinning the tax framework.
The guest of honour and keynote address was delivered by Dr (CA) Ankur Aggarwal, chairman and founder of BNW Developments, whose perspective bridged the worlds of business and real estate development.
An exceptional line-up of guest speakers brought real depth and authority to proceedings.
Nilesh Ashar, senior managing director at FTI Consulting, delivered a commanding overview of key CT issues and updates facing UAE-headquartered groups.
Rishi Sapra, founder and CEO of Young Global, gave great insights on financial year 2025-26 transfer pricing updates and compliance considerations.
Fran Wilhelm, associate partner at Dhruva Consultants, rounded out the speaker programme with a well-received introduction to the UAE’s newly launched R&D tax incentive.
The afternoon progressed further with a high-calibre panel on "Beyond Compliance: How UAE Corporate Tax Changed the CFO Agenda." Moderated by Mahendra Khiani, joint vice-president of the Taxation Society and director at KPMG Middle East, the discussion drew together Mohammed Afzal Volli, director of Finance, RAKEZ; Shiraz Khan, partner and head of Tax Mena, Al Tamimi & Company; Ashwani Baweja, group corporate finance head, Export Trading Group; and Nitin Agarwal, group tax director, Majid Al Futtaim.
Three years since it’s inception, it is clear that corporate tax has moved from an implementation project to a permanent fixture on the UAE business agenda.
The event was made possible by the ever-generous support of its partners. BNW Developments served as title partner, Young Global as presenting partner, co-powered by ALAAN.
Technology partner Tally Solutions, valuation partner Reliant Surveyors, platinum partners included EVAS Constantin, Cygnet.One, and Suntech Group, AJMS Group and Marmin Technologies as advisory partner, DLS Inc. served as gold partner, with silver partners Stockify and Navifin Capital. And, Khaleej Times as media partner of Taxation society.
The event concluded with felicitations for annual partners and founding members, followed by the much-anticipated third issue of the Tax Connect Newsletter. More importantly, it ended with meaningful conversations and new connections that reflected the true spirit of the Taxation Society—creating a platform where knowledge is shared freely, professional relationships are strengthened, and the UAE tax community grows more connected and informed.