Daniel Rae

Executive summary

Daniel is a Partner in BDO's International Trade and Customs team based in Sydney. He has 20 years' experience and joined BDO from a global accounting firm. Daniel applies a commercial and practical lens to help clients achieve strong outcomes, drawing on broad Asia Pacific experience across international supply chains, project management and consulting environments.

Daniel advises clients on the trade-related aspects of international supply chains and manufacturing operations. He helps businesses comply with complex licensing requirements, import and export regulations, and reporting obligations, while identifying opportunities to mitigate indirect tax and duty costs and streamline operational compliance.

He specialises in supporting importers, exporters and manufacturers across the retail, life sciences, industrial, mining and resources, energy and alcohol sectors.

Prior to entering the consulting industry eight years ago, he held international supply chain roles in freight forwarding, consumer goods and manufacturing businesses, including several years based in China.

Expertise

• International trade and customs duty advisory for importers, exporters and manufacturers
• Australian industry plans, customs duty strategies and implementation support for major projects and government-funded projects
• Customs and excise support for global supply chain projects
• Trade facilitation program advisory, helping businesses access and participate in trade facilitation initiatives
• Trade technology implementation support
• Excise advisory, including licences, permissions, refunds, remissions, classification and compliance requirements
• Fuel tax credit advisory
• Wine equalisation tax advisory
• Advisory services for businesses operating in the retail, life sciences, industrial, mining and resources, energy and alcohol industries.

Experience

• Global apparel company – led a regional trade compliance review that resulted in multi-million dollar customs duty refunds and ongoing savings through free trade agreement utilisation
• ASX-listed supermarket chain – developed and implemented a duty mitigation strategy for major new facilities, securing more than $10 million in duty savings
• Major wine and alcohol producer – led the customs and excise workstream for a significant transaction, providing advice on contracts, duty risks, licensing requirements and compliance obligations.

Qualifications and affiliations

• Master of Business Law, University of Sydney
• Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Commerce, University of Canterbury
• Member, Freight and Trade Alliance (pending)
• Affiliate Member, CA ANZ (in progress)
• Registered Tax Agent.

Professional engagements and activities

• Non-tariff barriers to trade, ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement Joint Committee Workshop, Kuala Lumpur, 2025.