Desmond Tan

Desmond Tan is the Senior Partner of Audit and Assurance, China Business Practice Leader and also co-manages the Johor Office of Grant Thornton Malaysia. 

Experience

Desmond has over 30 years of experience in the field of audit, investigation, domestic or foreign base listing exercise and advisory work. He deals with a wide range of clients, from small local entrepreneurs to large multinational companies, as well as companies listed on the Malaysia Stock Exchange and Overseas Stock Exchange. The industries which he has dealt with are manufacturing, trading, retails, food & beverages, aquaculture, oil & gas, plantation, construction, property development, government agency, information technology, etc.

He has also undertaken due diligence review, special investigations, government agency privatisation exercise, listing exercise and corporate exercises varying from merger &  acquisition, domestic or foreign base initial public offering to back-door listing or reverse takeover as well as involving the review of profit / cashflow forecast and preparation of accountants’ report.

With his audit and IPO expertise, he currently leads the audit team as the Official Auditor for the Sin Chew Business Excellence Awards (2013–2025) and also serves as a speaker for the Awards.

He currently leads the China Business Practice of Grant Thornton Malaysia which assists Chinese businesses to invest, expand and set up operations in Malaysia. He also assists Malaysian businesses to invest, expand and set up operations in China as well as to provide sound advice and guidance to Chinese businesses and investors.

In his professional capacity, Desmond currently holds numerous roles in professional bodies, namely:

• Council Member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA), appointed by the Ministry of Finance for term April 2025 - March 2027
• Member of the Disciplinary Appeal Board of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA)
• Member of the Education Board of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA)

He also held numerous roles in the past in the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA), such as: 

• Committee Member of the Public Practice Committee
• Committee Member of the Capital Market Advisory Committee

Past roles held in the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA):

• Council Member (2020 - 2025)
• Alternate Chairman of the Membership Affairs Committee
• Member of the Public Practice Committee
• Member of the Financial Statements Review Committee
• Member of the Examination Committee
• Member of the Investigation Committee

Beyond his involvement in professional bodies, Desmond had served as the Independent Returning Officer in 2017, 2022 & 2025 for the Democratic Action Party (DAP)’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) Election.

He also played a leadership role in the peer review of Grant Thornton member firms overseas.

In his personal capacity, he has completed the International Senior Leadership Program conducted by Business Said School, Oxford University in United Kingdom. 

He also served as the Chairman and Treasurer of the Joint Management Board for his neighbourhood.

Areas of expertise

• Audit of public and private companies
• Reporting Accountants
• Companies Law and Financial Reporting Standards 
• Internal audit
• Due diligence audit