Moves – 9 May 2013

Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow has added further depth to its corporate and securities legal practices with the appointment of Yanni Long as a new associate principal. He has acted on some of the most significant transactions in the Singapore market, such as the S$2.78 billion (US$2.26b) takeover by CapitaLand Ltd for The Ascott Group Ltd, the takeover by JG Summit Holdings Inc for United Industrial Corporation Ltd and the contested cash-cum-share takeover offer for Vantage Corporation Ltd by SC Global Developments Ltd, contested by Global Advisory Group Pte Ltd and Eastunited Holdings Ltd.

Clyde & Co has appointed Rhys Lewis and Ross Barfoot as partners in its MENA corporate group. Lewis joins the firm’s Dubai office from Holman Fenwick & Willan in Dubai. He brings more than 15 years regional experience and extensive expertise in the defence and security sectors, having acted for major international security organisations and defence contractors across the Middle East and North Africa region. His practice spans a wide range of areas including M&A, joint ventures, consortium bids and strategic finance. On the other hand, Barfoot joins the firm’s Abu Dhabi office from Trowers & Hamlins in Abu Dhabi. He has spent the last five years in the region advising both international and regional corporates on a mix of corporate advisory, M&A, private equity, restructuring, corporate governance and joint venture work. He has a particular focus on the energy, media and education sectors.

Gide Loyrette Nouel has appointed Paul-Emmanuel Benachi as a partner in the firm’s Shanghai office. He brings with him considerable expertise developed notably during his nine years of practising law in China. Benachi has extensive experience advising foreign companies investing in China. His practice focuses predominantly on corporate law and M&A matters, cross-border transactions and restructuring. He also regularly advises clients on retail, real estate and labour law matters.

Howse Williams Bowers has appointed Andrew Kinnison as a partner. Kinnison, who is returning to Hong Kong to join the firm later in the year, was previously a partner with Holman Fenwick & Willan in Hong Kong and a partner with Greene & Greene in the UK. He specialises in commercial litigation and insolvency, including ADR, banking, professional negligence and property litigation.

Locke Lord has expanded its litigation and corporate team with the additions of Adrian Taylor as a litigation and dispute resolution partner and Michael Fung as a corporate partner in the firm’s Hong Kong office. With more than 20 years of experience in international disputes, trust and taxation matters, and insolvency and restructuring issues, Taylor works across a wide range of industries to handle dispute resolution by negotiation, litigation, mediation or arbitration. Formerly with Squire Sanders’ Hong Kong office, Taylor’s experience includes counseling employers, contractors and subcontractors, professional consultants and insurers. He also advises private clients on trusts and family wealth issues, and he has counselled insolvency practitioners and creditors on formal insolvency procedures. Fung’s practice focusses on corporate finance and M&A. Fung most recently was with Loeb & Loeb and, before that, Salans, both in association with Pang & Co. Fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin, he focusses on corporate finance practice, including advising both issuers and underwriters on IPOs on the HKSE. He also is experienced in secondary equity fund raisings, such as right issues, open offers, top-up placings, and M&A, and he regularly advises HKSE-listed companies on post-listing compliance.

Sidley Austin has appointed Gregory Salathé as a partner earlier this week. He is a member of the firm’s M&A practice and will reside in its Singapore office after a transition period in Tokyo. Salathé focuses on cross-border M&As, with particular strength in representing private equity and hedge funds in their downstream investments. He has represented global investment funds and multinational corporations in connection with their investments across Asia, as well as Asian companies investing in the US and Europe.