Maria Kotova

BIO

Maria is the Regional Director, Middle East for Dezan Shira & Associates and is based in Dubai. She also serves as the Head of UK and Ireland Business Development. With a strong understanding of China regulatory issues, business environment factors, and industry services, Maria advises foreign businesses on corporate formation, taxation and legal issues for their investments in China and SE Asia.

Her role entails working closely with Middle East, UK, and Ireland partners overseeing support and collaboration on clients, FDI knowledge sharing, as well as business development and marketing campaigns in the region. 

Maria is also an in-demand speaker at international events on legal, tax and financial issues in SE Asia and consistently contributes business intelligence publications to the firm’s publishing company, Asia Briefing Ltd., and acts as a key thought leader providing comments to South China Morning Post and other internationally recognized publications.

Prior to joining Dezan Shira & Associates in 2013, Maria worked in both international and domestic business advisory firms in China. Her work included analysis on corporate tax structuring, equity transfers, profit repatriation issues, cross border transactions, analysis of legal and tax implications under M&A and corporate restructuring of Asian groups. Maria also worked as a manager of communication department developing focus personality analysis (FPA) strategies.

Maria has a master's degree in Management and Chinese from South China Normal University and a bachelor's degree in International Affairs and Relations from Saint Petersburg State Polytechnic University. She also holds a certificate in Chinese studies from Liaoning University.

Maria also heads the firm's Russia desk and assists Russian clients with their plans for China and the rest of Asia, liaising on their behalf with our offices throughout the region.

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