Blog

"Aggressive and Comprehensive"

19 June 2018   Paul Sutton

If, like me, you’re a student of international corporate structures, you’ll like this interview with Edward Zeng. Edward is the Shanghai-based Senior Partner of HanSheng Law Offices, and the interview focusses on the “aggressive and comprehensive” approach of Customs officials in China, and the role of Intercompany Agreements in helping multinational groups to avoid fines…

For Mental Health Awareness Week

15 May 2018   Paul Sutton

As it’s Mental Health Awareness Week, today I’m not going to write about corporate structures or intercompany agreements or joint ventures or personal effectiveness. I’m not even going to share one of those ‘how to’ lists for reducing stress in the workplace or achieving a better work/life balance. I want to celebrate all the listeners,…

Top 5 tax and finance mistakes to avoid in China

20 April 2018   Paul Sutton

Following our China theme for this week, here’s a list of the top 5 tax and finance mistakes to avoid in China. It’s based on an article written by the Shanghai team at WTS China, some of whom my boss / wife / LCN co-founder Xiaofang had the privilege of meeting in person earlier this…

To Be or Not to Be Intimidated

20 March 2018   Paul Sutton

If you haven’t read the book “To Be or Not to Be Intimidated” by Robert Ringer, you should – particularly if you’re in the property business, and you’re involved in pulling deals together. It has lots of stories from Ringer’s business life of how he was deprived of commission as a real estate broker ……

A Plate Of Scorpions From Your Mother-In-Law

20 March 2018   Paul Sutton

What would you do if your mother-in law gave you a plate of scorpions? This happened on my first visit to meet the parents of my then-girlfriend, now-wife, Xiaofang. They come from Henan province in central China – the birthplace of Chinese civilisation and one of the undiscovered gems which every Western tourist should visit….

When Am I Going To Get Found Out?

20 March 2018   Paul Sutton

For the first ten years or so of my legal career, I was terrified that I was going to get “found out”. I was expecting a tap on the shoulder at any moment from one of the partners in the law firm I trained with. The conversation was going to go something like “Paul, we’ve…

Some Impressive DIY At Chateau Sutton

20 March 2018   Paul Sutton

Last weekend, I achieved an impressive DIY result at our new home in West Sussex: fitting a new toilet roll holder in one of the bathrooms upstairs. Admittedly, it just involved drilling a hole through pasterboard … and the inside of the fitted cupboard in the adjoining room may now be spikier than it was…

Old Ginger

20 March 2018   Paul Sutton

According to Xiaofang, there’s an old Chinese saying which runs as follows: “The older the ginger, the hotter the spice.” It certainly seems to be true in the tennis world, with Roger Federer’s recent victory at the Australian Open, his 20th Grand Slam, making him the oldest Grand Slam winner in 35 years. It also seems…