Professional Summary

Dhana Pillai is a Partner and Managing Director at Cygal Attorneys Ltd, based in Abu Dhabi, and DP Taxation Consultancy Co. LLC, based in Dubai. With over 20 years of experience across the Netherlands, Oman, and the UAE, she specializes in international taxation, corporate governance, M&A, and real estate. She is a formally qualified International Tax Lawyer and Alternative Investment Advisor, recognized for her leadership by the Women in Law Awards and International Tax Review.

Areas of Specialization

• Tax: Oman/UAE VAT, Corporate Tax, and Tax-efficient holding structures.
• Real Estate: Development structuring, documentation, and licensing.
• Fintech: Open finance licenses and crypto-asset structuring.
• Private Client: Inheritance law, Wills, Trusts, Foundations, and succession planning.
• Corporate: M&A, Joint Ventures, FIDIC Contracts, and Due Diligence.

Key Client Experience (Cygal Attorneys & DP Taxation)

• High Net Worth Client: Successfully redomiciled a family office from DIFC to IFZA; won a penalty reconsideration case before the DIFC.
• Bennefin (Bahrain): Advised a leading fintech gold loan platform on securitization, lien storage, and foreclosure of movable property.
• Vision Bank (ADGM): Advised the neobank on regulatory frameworks and tax compliance.
• China Water Industry: Guided a major industry player on global expansion and UAE subsidiary establishment.
• Essar Iron & Steel: Advised on characterizing proceeds of OCPS instruments across Mauritius and UAE, including tax consequences.
• Sugee Properties Limited: Created a full suite of service agreements and construction contracts for a major development at Ras Al Khaimah (Al Marjan).
• Humblebean Company: Assisted a successful Indian coffee chain with UAE expansion, fundraising, and subsidiary establishment.
• R7 Capital: Served as local counsel for holding company restructuring across Canada, Portugal, and the UAE.
• KCT Capital Ltd: Advised the investment fund manager on Corporate Tax and VAT laws.
• Adaptavist (Veniture): Managed company restructuring in the World Trade Centre and oversaw regulatory compliance.
• Nexawave Information Technology: Successfully filed a reconsideration application against penalties, winning the case.
• Confidential Crowdfunding Platform: Drafted template service agreements and established legal structuring for licensure.

Previous Leadership & Practice Highlights

Mr. M. K. Sreedhar is a senior tax professional with over 40 years of experience in direct and indirect taxation across India and the Sultanate of Oman. He holds degrees in Science and Law (LLB) from the University of Mysore, Karnataka, with expertise in tax administration, assessment, litigation, and training.

Before joining DP Taxation Consultancy, he served for over 25 years in the Indian Income Tax Department under the Central Board of Direct Taxes, New Delhi, where he held senior positions including Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax in Bangalore. He later spent 15 years with the Secretariat General for Taxation (now the Tax Authority) under the Ministry of Finance, Oman, overseeing tax assessments, investigations, and policy work in sectors such as petroleum, banking, and construction.

A qualified advocate and trained faculty member, Mr. Sreedhar represented the Income Tax Department before the ITAT, successfully handling more than 10,000 cases, and served as faculty at the National Academy of Direct Taxes (NADT), training senior officers.

At DP Taxation Consultancy, he contributes extensive expertise in tax advisory, compliance, and dispute resolution, strengthening the firm’s capabilities in Oman and across the GCC.

Experience in Taxation

• Indian Income Tax Department (CBDT, New Delhi): Served for over 25 years in various positions including Income Tax Inspector, Officer, and Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax. Managed business circle assessments, tax administration, and investigations.
• Legal Counsel (Advocate), Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT): Represented the Income Tax Department in more than 10,000 appeals before the ITAT, achieving a strong record of success.
• Faculty Trainer, National Academy of Direct Taxes (NADT), Nagpur: Delivered advanced training programs to senior officers and tax inspectors. Designed course modules on assessment, investigation, and legal interpretation.
• Secretariat General for Taxation, Ministry of Finance, Sultanate of Oman: Led tax assessments and investigations across major sectors. Advised on the introduction of Withholding Tax and contributed to legislative drafting and policy review.
• Independent Tax Consultant (India): Since 2013, providing consultancy on Indian and Omani taxation matters and conducting seminars, workshops, and training programs for tax professionals.

Rudraksh is an ACCA finalist and is a tax associate at DP Taxation Consultancy. Rudraksh is an integral part of the team. He is a passionate tax professional. He has supported on matters involving various sectors, including sustainability, fund management, education, technical solutions, agriculture, leisure, and real estate. Rudraksh assists in tax advisory, client accounting, and tax returns for both corporate tax and VAT services for UAE clients.

Experience in DP Taxation

• Investment Fund Tax Exemption Application: Obtaining non-automatic licences for the investment funds and investment fund managers of DIFC.
• UAE and Oman Tax Advisory: For a number of clients investing from Russia into UAE and Oman.
• Sugee Properties: Assisting a large-scale developer on the client accounting, corporate tax registration, VAT registration, filing, and contract reviewing.
• Victory Strategy Investment Ltd: Assisting an investment company on incorporation.
• Velocity Holding LLC: Assisting a real estate investment company on client accounting, corporate tax registration, and VAT registration.
• Veniture FZA: Assisting an IT service provider on client accounting, corporate tax registration, and VAT registration.
• Black Beard Leisure Yachts and Boats Rental: Assisting a yacht company on corporate tax registration and VAT registration.
• Century Investment: Assisting on client accounting, corporate tax registration, and VAT registration.
• Eight Clouds Fund: Assisting on client accounting, corporate tax registration, and VAT registration.
• Equity of Fund: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• Falcon Peak Fund: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• Incubit Management Consultants DMCC: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• Voxi Partner FZE: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• Oenergy Commodities DMCC: Assisting on corporate tax registration.

Samiah Abdul Rahim is a part qualified ACCA undergoing training at DP Taxation Consultancy. Samiah is supporting the senior tax practitioners of the firm in matters involving hospitality, sustainability, education, technical solutions, leisure, and real estate throughout the GCC region. He has registered over 30 corporations for VAT and corporate tax. Samiah is committed to providing exceptional support to the tax and accounting practice of the firm.

Experience in DP Taxation

• Vision Bank: Assisting the Abu Dhabi Global Market neobank in their VAT compliances and VAT advisory.
• China Water Industry: Assisting on the incorporation of the subsidiary of a large industry player in the field of water and landfill recovery in the United Arab Emirates.
• ESSAR Project Middle East FZE: Assisting on corporate registration.
• ESSAR Project Management LLC: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• ESSAR Project Construction LLC: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• Seamless Procurement Overseas FZE: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• BSA Al Rashdi & Al Barwani Advocates & Legal Consultants: Assisting in tax advisory.
• KCT Capital Ltd: Assisting a fund manager on its VAT registration, penalty calculations, and corporate tax registration.
• Mentaa Technology LLC: Assisting on the incorporation of an incubated mentoring digital marketplace.
• Humblebean Company: Assisting a successful Indian coffee chain in its incorporation.
• Warom Electric Middle East Trading LLC: Assisting on UAE tax compliance simulation, corporate tax registration, and GAP Analysis Project.
• Ocean Leonid Holding Ltd: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• Ocean Leonid Investments Ltd: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• Nomadista Adventures FZE: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• Real Impact Ltd: Assisting a sustainability firm on client accounting, corporate tax registration, VAT registration, and filing.
• Nexawave Information Technology Co. LLC: Assisting an IT service provider in filing a reconsideration application against penalties and successfully winning the case, filing, client accounting, corporate tax registration, and VAT registration.
• Ijadah Commercial Broker: Assisting in corporate tax registration.
• Graphene Investment: Assisting an investment banker in client accounting and redomiciling to IFZA from DIFC.
• ASP RCM Project Management Co LLC: Assisting an investment banker on client accounting and corporate tax registration.
• Red Dot Services FZCO: Assisting a training and event coordinator on client accounting, corporate tax registration, VAT registration, and filing.
• Job Master Technical Service: Assisting on client accounting, filing, corporate tax registration, and VAT registration.
• Sugee Properties: Assisting a large-scale developer on client accounting, corporate tax registration, VAT registration, filing, and contract reviewing.
• Victory Strategy Investment Ltd: Assisting an investment company on incorporation.
• Velocity Holding LLC: Assisting a real estate investment company on client accounting, corporate tax registration, and VAT registration.
• Veniture FZA: Assisting an IT service provider on client accounting, corporate tax registration, and VAT registration.
• Black Beard Leisure Yachts and Boats Rental: Assisting a yacht company on corporate tax registration and VAT registration.
• Bina Matthew Consulting FZE: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• Just a Pause FZCO: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• K S G R Goods Wholesaler Co LLC: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• High Net Worth Client: Assisting on client accounting, corporate tax registration, and VAT registration.
• Technoproject Middle East Technical Service LLC: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• Century Investment: Assisting on client accounting, corporate tax registration, and VAT registration.
• Eight Clouds Fund: Assisting on client accounting, corporate tax registration, and VAT registration.
• Equity of Fund: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• Falcon Peak Fund: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• Incubit Management Consultants DMCC: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• Voxi Partner FZE: Assisting on corporate tax registration.
• Oenergy Commodities DMCC: Assisting on corporate tax registration.