Harsh Agarwal

Seasoned tax professional known for productivity and efficiency in task completion. Skilled in leadership, operational strategy, and financial management. Excel at litigation management, optimising tax efficiency, communication, problem-solving, and adaptability to drive team success and achieve organizational goals.

Driving Watching movies & series Music Cricket

• Awarded Mc Dowell’s presents Amazing Team Award for F24 Q3 & F23 Q4 for identification of multiple tax saving opportunities
• Awarded JW Double Black Award in F24 Q2 for successful closure of legacy litigation
• Awarded Finance R&R for Q3 F22 for successfully strategising and obtaining stay on TCS demand
• Awarded “Rising Star of the Quarter” for Q4 2016 by HSBC
• Runners up in Diageo Finance Awards for F24 in JW Keep Walking Category

Date of Birth: 12/27/92

Advisory:

• Assistance with day-to-day advisory requirements of clients engaged in manufacturing of e-vehicle, solar power projects, e-commerce, tech-based companies, defense, bakery, SEZ, STPI etc.
• Review of contracts and agreements for taxability under indirect tax laws
• Drafting of a representation on behalf of trade bodies
• Assistance in setting up of an STPI unit and bond to bond transfer from SEZ to STPI unit
• Analysing impact on restructuring of business under GST for large leasing company
• Analysing taxability of cashbacks and promotional schemes etc.

Compliance

• Key team member actively involved in overseeing end-to-end compliances as per GST laws (such as monthly returns, various reconciliation including reconciliation with books and closing entries, annual returns and reconciliations etc)
• Drafting of SOP for various tax related compliances
• Carried out GST audit for large manufacturing entities dealing in cement, railway coaches, refectories, and other large corporates

Litigation

• Successfully handling various litigations of around 7,000 Crs and ensuring the successful closure of risks around 3,000 Crs, spanning from 2004 to date at USL
• Heading litigation team at Udaan and working actively to minimize tax exposure through efficient planning
• Actively working with senior counsel on various DGGI matters, with a cumulative demand of over 2,000 Crs, and obtaining a stay on said matter
• Leading various DGGI investigation matter such as demand of service tax on settlement, demand of GST on economic surplus, free supply of software for a large tech company, requirement to comply with TCS provision and requirement to reverse ITC on account of free of cost service supply,
• Independently representing on behalf of the Company before Commissioner/Commissioner (A) on various high-stake matters
• Drafted responses for submission before the various levels of department authorities, including drafting litigation documents on matters relating to Service Tax, Customs, and GST, and representation thereof
• Independently handled departmental GST audits for various states
• Ensured smooth and timely completion of anti-evasion investigation

Strategic Planning and Others

• Identifying various tax-saving opportunities leading to savings of INR 50+ Crs (setting up a bonded warehouse, setting up an FTWZ, availing common ITC, revisiting the procurement of tickets for self-use, ESOP, obtaining AA for the export of liquor, and changing the business structure through route-to-market changes)
• Identifying various tax saving business opportunities reducing annual expenses by ~INR 25 Crs through proposed setting up of dry ports , setting up of independent logistics company.
• Implementing customs digitalisation project , e-invoicing & ISD
• Implemented GST tools at various client organisations
• Successfully implemented project for large MNCs enabling them in optimizing their utilization of ITC by shifting to centralized billing, resulting in a reduction of accumulated ITC of INR 10 crores
• Managed a team of 4 people
• Expediting refunds for the company having accumulated ITC of 150 Cr by proposing a dual refund approach
• Responsible for carrying out Audit Readiness program for company with ~150 registrations
• Identifying possible refund opportunities totaling ~INR 10 crores, leading to working capital unlock
• Reviewing of all agreements from tax perspective in order to safeguard risks and optimizing tax structure