Navigate Customs & International Trade with Confidence
Practical customs and international trade advice, grounded in decades of experience across Asia-Pacific and international markets. Helping businesses identify risk, resolve complex issues and move goods across borders with greater confidence.
How Can I Help?
Customs issues rarely arrive neatly labelled. They may begin with a valuation question, a disputed HS classification, an origin concern, a Customs audit, or simply the feeling that something in the supply chain is not quite right. I help businesses understand the issue, identify the practical options and find a workable way forward.
Customs & Trade Advisory
Valuation, tariff classification, origin and Free Trade Agreements, Customs procedures and complex cross-border issues. Practical advice focused on getting the treatment right and keeping goods moving.
Compliance & Risk
Customs audits, post-clearance reviews, related-party transactions, documentation and compliance programmes. Identifying exposure early, strengthening controls and helping businesses respond confidently when Customs comes knocking.
Trade Strategy & Solutions
Strategic advice for businesses facing changing tariffs, sanctions, trade measures and supply chain challenges. Looking beyond the immediate problem to understand the wider commercial impact and develop practical, resilient solutions.
Experience That Goes Beyond the Textbook
Customs problems are rarely solved by simply reading the legislation. They require an understanding of how Customs authorities think, how businesses operate and how international trade works in the real world. My experience spans more than four decades across government, professional services and industry, including senior Customs roles and advisory work throughout Asia-Pacific.
That experience allows me to look at an issue from both sides of the border. I understand the questions Customs is likely to ask, but I also understand the commercial realities facing the business that has to answer them.
Experience Across Customs, Consulting and Industry
My career has included senior roles within New Zealand Customs, international professional services firms, multinational businesses and independent advisory work across Asia-Pacific. I have worked with Customs administrations, multinational companies, law firms, tax advisers and trade professionals on issues ranging from individual transactions to complex regional compliance programmes.
The objective remains the same: understand the facts, challenge assumptions where necessary, explain the issue clearly and find a solution that works in practice.
When Should You Call Me?
Sometimes the hardest part of a Customs or trade problem is knowing whether you have a problem at all. A question from Customs, an unexpected duty cost, a change in sourcing or a concern raised internally can be the first indication that something deserves a closer look.
It may be worth having a conversation if any of these situations sound familiar:
Customs Has Questioned Our Declared Value
A valuation question can quickly become much more than a disagreement over an invoice price. Understanding the transaction, the relationship between the parties and what Customs is really questioning is the first step towards responding properly.
We Are Not Certain Our HS Classification Is Correct
Classification affects far more than the tariff rate. An incorrect HS code can affect duty, Free Trade Agreement eligibility, licences, trade measures and Customs compliance. Getting the classification right begins with understanding what the product actually is and what it does.
We Are Unsure Whether Our Goods Qualify for FTA Benefits
Preferential duty rates can offer significant savings, but only when the Rules of Origin are properly understood and satisfied. I can help determine whether the goods qualify, what evidence is required and whether the claimed FTA treatment can withstand Customs scrutiny.
Customs Has Started an Audit or Post-Clearance Review
A Customs audit can reach well beyond the transaction that first attracted attention. I can help identify the underlying issues, assess the potential exposure, organise the facts and documentation, and develop a practical strategy for responding to Customs.
Our Related-Party Pricing Is Being Questioned
Transactions between related companies often attract closer Customs attention, particularly where transfer pricing adjustments, royalties, management fees or other payments are involved. I can help examine how the commercial arrangements interact with Customs valuation and identify where adjustments, evidence or a different approach may be required.
Tariffs, Sanctions or Trade Measures Are Affecting Our Business
New tariffs, sanctions, trade remedies and other government measures can change the economics of a supply chain surprisingly quickly. I can help businesses understand where the real exposure lies, examine sourcing and routing alternatives, and develop practical strategies for operating in a changing trade environment.
Senior Experience. Direct Advice. No Layers.
When you contact me, you deal directly with me. The person discussing your problem is the same person examining the facts, considering the Customs and commercial implications, and helping you develop the way forward. There is no handover through layers of staff and no need to repeatedly explain your business or the issue.
I also recognise that not every problem requires a large project. Sometimes a business simply needs an experienced second opinion, a review of a Customs position, help preparing for a difficult discussion with an authority, or someone independent to ask the questions that may not yet have been asked.
Working Alongside Your Existing Advisers
I often work alongside a business’s existing lawyers, tax advisers, accountants, Customs brokers, consultants and in-house teams. My role is not to replace those relationships, but to bring specialist Customs and international trade experience to the table where it can help clarify the issue, test assumptions and strengthen the overall advice.
This can be particularly valuable where Customs valuation intersects with transfer pricing, where Rules of Origin affect sourcing decisions, or where a Customs issue has wider legal, tax, supply chain or commercial implications. I am equally comfortable working directly with the business or quietly supporting its existing professional advisers.
International Experience. Asia-Pacific Perspective.
International trade rarely fits neatly within one jurisdiction. A transaction may involve a manufacturer in China or ASEAN, a regional headquarters in Singapore, a buyer in Australia or New Zealand, and Customs requirements at several points along the supply chain. Understanding how those pieces connect can be just as important as understanding the rules in any one country.
My work across Asia-Pacific and international markets has given me practical experience of those connections. I assist businesses and professional advisers with Customs and trade issues involving ASEAN, China, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and other major trading markets, while drawing on the WTO framework and the international principles that underpin Customs valuation, classification, origin and trade facilitation.
Sometimes the Best Place to Start Is a Conversation
You may already know exactly what the Customs problem is. Or you may simply have a concern that something does not look quite right. Either way, an initial conversation can often help identify the real issue, the questions that need to be asked and whether further work is actually necessary.
If you would like to discuss a Customs or international trade issue, get in touch. We can start with the problem as you see it and work from there.