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• Vice President and tax director – Siemens Limited, China
• ACCA member since November 2006

Forest began her finance career in Beijing where she was recruited in 1996 by PwC. She joined the tax department – a small team of 10 staff – where she developed skills in her chosen field over five years. By the time she left the firm, she was a senior tax consultant in a department that had grown in stature and number with 200 staff. ‘Working for PwC was a good learning experience and an opportunity to grow. I learned how to be a qualified professional in PwC and how to study while managing pressure and a heavy workload.’

Her move to Shell as a China tax manager offered a broader view of national tax issues. ‘Being an in-house tax adviser is more interesting than working in a Big Four firm because you see the consequences of your advice, get in-depth information and data from your own business, and make decisions that influence corporate strategy.’ Although valuing her experience at Shell, Forest was keen to work for a larger organisation. That opportunity arose in 2006 when she was appointed Vice President and tax director at Siemens Limited, China.

‘The company wanted a strong tax director to set up a new tax department, covering all aspects of tax management. I thought it was a good opportunity for me to develop my leadership skills and also develop my knowledge.’ As director of one of the key corporate departments of Siemens, Forest heads a team of 16 – one of the largest in-house tax teams in China – which reports directly to the Senior Executive Vice President and CFO. Her expertise means that she has a significant role to play in the global tax community; as a member of the global tax management team, she meets with fellow tax professionals throughout the year to implement tax management strategy worldwide.

Closer to home, she is a member of the Siemens China senior management team. Although Forest notes that grappling with different Chinese tax authorities is a daily challenge, she also acknowledges the demands of working for a brand leader. ‘Co-ordination and co-operation are always a challenge to managers working in large companies. You can never do a project by yourself. In most cases, almost all departments should be involved. How to co-ordinate these departments and make the project move is an art.’ If that wasn’t enough to keep her busy, Forest is also studying for an Executive MBA at China Europe International Business School.

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