The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) is entrusted with the vital task of tax administration and enterprise disbursement schemes. Beyond its core responsibilities, it is also a champion of talent development. Through its scholarship programmes, IRAS serves as a springboard for aspiring scholars to transcend limits, explore new frontiers, and contribute meaningfully to Singapore’s economic growth and prosperity.

IRAS Scholar Au Hui Yan exemplifies the agency’s commitment to nurturing talent. Hui Yan pursued her undergraduate studies in Accountancy at NTU, establishing a strong foundation in the finance domain.Beginning her journey as an undergraduate scholar, Hui Yan joined IRAS in 2011 as a member of the Individual Income Tax Division. Her dedication and potential were quickly recognised, leading her to assume roles in organisational excellence and strategic planning from 2016 to 2021.

Driven by her passion for continuous learning and professional development, Hui Yan embarked on a postgraduate scholarship journey. In 2021,she pursued a Master of Public Administration in Science, Engineering and Public Policy at University College London. Equipped with advanced knowledge and fresh perspectives, she returned to IRAS to take on the role of Senior Assistant Director, leading the Compliance Strategy & Policy Team.

We sit down with Hui Yan to find out what drives her towards excellence and success in Singapore’s dynamic tax ecosystem.

What sparked your interest in pursuing a career at IRAS?

I remember reading about how a business ran afoul of the taxman, and I applied for the Merit Scholarship because I was impressed with IRAS’ strong reputation in enforcing against tax evaders.

As I learnt more about the inner workings of the organisation, I realised that tax compliance goes beyond nabbing the bad actors. We also partner with ecosystem stakeholders such as software developers and industry partners to strengthen trust in the tax system and make it more seamless for taxpayers to fulfil their tax obligations.

Could you tell us more about the support you received through the scholarships at IRAS?

I’m grateful for IRAS’ support during my education in my Bachelor of Accountancy programme at Nanyang Technological University and my Master of Public Administration (MPA) at University College London (UCL). The support given by IRAS goes far beyond the monetary aspect and extends to the mentorship and testimonials received from my bosses, and advice on the course of study and how it could facilitate my professional growth.

What led you to pursue the Master of Public Administration in Science, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP)? How did your experiences in IRAS influence your decision?

My interest in this field emanated from the exposure I received in IRAS when working on various cross-divisional projects. As someone who studied Accountancy, my work experiences opened my eyes to new fields of interest. For instance, I was part of a taskforce which spearheaded digitalisation initiatives that sought to further IRAS’ efforts in integrating seamless filing within taxpayers’ natural systems such as the use of software integrated with Application Programming Interface developed by IRAS. My concurrent involvement in the Organisation for Economic Corporation and Development (OECD) Forum on Tax Administration’s work also opened my eyes to the various building blocks in digital transformation, which are necessary to maximise the benefits to IRAS and the society, such as through joined-up government e-services.

The STEaPP covers many aspects of policy, ranging from policymaking to publicadministration and analytic methods. I was particularly drawn to the Digital Tech and Policy specialisation which allowed me to examine the emerging dilemma in tech policies. It also provided the opportunity to work with experienced academia, industry experts and ex-policymakers (including a former advisor to the UK Prime Minister).

Could you tell us more about your experience of studying overseas at University College London? What are some of the valuable lessons you’ve learned?

It was a well-rounded experience! Beyond the academic knowledge gleaned, I also formed lasting bonds of friendship with my MPA cohort who studied hard, worked hard and networked hard together.

The diversity of my experience was also something that surprised me a little, and which I truly valued. For instance, my capstone project team was internationally diverse, and comprised representatives from Brazil, China, India, and the US. We had the chance to work on a project with real-world impact, through consulting for the UK government (specifically the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation) to investigate the data ethics risks in key consumer-facing tech IoT, AI and more as the UK furthers her Net Zero 2050 ambition. My team’s varied experiences across the technology, legal, consulting and public sector backgrounds added to the richness of our deliberations and enabled us to ultimately produce meaningful and well-received recommendations.

How has your journey in IRAS shaped your professional growth?

Given that I’ve spent my professional life in various structured postings across IRAS, I would say that IRAS has moulded me professionally and given me opportunities that I had not previously thought possible. These rotations enabled me to acquire valuable experiences in different dimensions of IRAS and cross-agency work and meet various peers and mentors (formally and informally)!

My first posting at the Individual Income Tax Division allowed me to interact with self-employed and individual taxpayers directly and offer the right service or develop e-services to meet their specific needs. I then moved to the Strategic Planning Branch and my team enjoyed the exciting opportunities in the realm of corporate development – such as to drive IRAS’ transformation direction, desired culture and change management programmes. We also represented IRAS on the world stage at the OECD to profile Singapore’s best practices in tax administration as well as to advance and safeguard Singapore’s interests in tax matters.

I’m currently in the Compliance Strategy and Tax Recovery Division where we strategise policies and programmes to calibrate our compliance approaches based on compliance behaviour of taxpayers. My earlier work and academic experiences definitely helped me to better appreciate the challenges from businesses’ perspectives and the policy levers available amidst an evolving domestic and international landscape.