Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas has added Manisha Kumar and Gautam Gandotra as corporate partners at its Mumbai office. Kumar and Gandotra have extensively worked as transactional counsels in law firms over the past 14 years and 11 years, respectively. Prior to joining the firm, Kumar and Gandotra were partners with J Sagar Associates, where they led various transactional teams acting for leading private equity players, sovereign wealth funds, blue chip Indian and multinational corporations. Kumar graduated from the University of Delhi in 1996 and has qualified as Solicitor with the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 2003 and the Bombay Incorporated Law Society in 2002. She specializes in cross border private equity investments, M&As (both in the listed and unlisted space, across diverse sectors) and has vast experience in investment restructuring and securities law advisory. On the other hand, Gandotra specializes in private equity investments and M&As and has vast experience in various aspects of legal advisory across diverse sectors. He graduated from the ILS Law College, University of Pune in 2004 as a university rank holder and gold medalist. He also holds a Master’s degree in corporate law from New York University School of Law, where he was a Hauser Global Scholar.

Hogan Lovells has added Noor Meurling as a new corporate partner in Singapore. She was the lead partner in building the relationship which led Hogan Lovells to enter into an association with Indonesian law firm Dewi Negara Fachri & Partners (DNFP) effective 1 June 2016. Hogan Lovells has over 30 years’ experience in Asia and a strong reputation for advising on award-winning transactions in Indonesia. The association between the two firms brings together many years of combined local and international legal expertise and allows both firms to significantly expand their offering. Meurling was formerly a partner at Ashurst, resident in its associated firm in Jakarta where she led the corporate M&A practice. She is one of Asia’s leading M&A practitioners, having advised on joint ventures and acquisitions within the region and internationally since 1989. She has practised law in Singapore, Auckland and Jakarta and is active in business and industry circles in the region.

Howse Williams Bowers has added Antony Yung as a partner in the banking practice. He joins from JP Morgan where he was an Executive Director and Assistant General Counsel. Yung set up and headed the bank’s APAC trade finance legal team as well as the APAC lending practice group from 2011. He also co-headed the bank’s APAC transaction services legal group in recent years. He has an excellent understanding of banking products, internal operations and risk appetite as a result of his in-house banking experience. Yung has experience in a broad range of banking and finance matters. He also specialises in a diverse range of trade finance matters.

King & Wood Mallesons has expanded its Hong Kong partnership again with the lateral recruitment of two new partners – leading commercial litigator and technology specialist Peter Bullock and IPO specialist Anthony Wan. Bullock joins from Pinsent Masons, where he established a Technology Law Group nearly two decades ago. His focus is on dispute resolution for a broad range of technology sector clients, which include equipment vendors, software vendors, telecommunications companies and digital technologies players. On the other hand, Wan joins from the Hong Kong office of a leading Chinese law firm where he led the Corporate & Securities practice. He has a substantial IPO focused practice, acting for investment banks and listed issuers. Previously, Wan was a consultant with Clifford Chance and a senior lawyer with Morrison & Foerster.

Stephenson Harwood
has expanded its private wealth team with the addition of Erik Wallace as a partner, based in its Hong Kong office. His practice is focused on advising high net worth families on all aspects of US taxation and estate planning. He has extensive experience assisting clients with US connections in structuring and restructuring trusts, establishing private trust companies and international charitable foundations, as well as advising on corporate reorganisations, the sale of large family businesses and pre-IPO planning. Wallace joins from Withers where he was a partner since 2006.

Troutman Sanders has continued to expand its practice in Greater China with the addition of Jason Kuo to the corporate practice in Hong Kong. Previously a partner in the Hong Kong office of Sidley Austin, Kuo is highly regarded for his handling of large and complex corporate finance transactions. He has handled some of the most sophisticated corporate transactions in Asia over the last two decades, with an emphasis on equity and debt offerings by issuers from the PRC and the Asia-Pacific region. Kuo’s experience includes mezzanine financings, high-yield debt offerings, tender offers, private placements, pre-IPO venture capital investments and Luxembourg listings. He has handled transactions involving issuers from the PRC, Vietnam, Indonesia, Korea and Taiwan. Kuo began his law career as an associate in the New York and Hong Kong offices of Brown & Wood, one of the legacy firms of Sidley Austin. He is a native speaker of both Mandarin and English, having grown up in Asia and the US. He received a Bachelor of Science, cum laude, from the University of Minnesota and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

White & Case has expanded its global M&A practice with the addition in Hong Kong of new partner Chris Kelly, who will lead the corporate practice in Asia. Kelly has extensive experience in a wide range of public and private corporate finance and commercial matters, including M&As and equity offers, and also in the provision of general corporate advice. He joins from Linklaters, where he was head of private equity in Asia, and brings more than 25 years of experience, including 12 years in Asia.

Withers has added Mahesh Kumar as a partner in its Singapore office. He provides wealth planning, succession and corporate tax advice. Kumar is qualified in India and Singapore (as a registered foreign lawyer) and will shortly qualify in England and Wales. He joins from Indian firm Nishith Desai Associates’ Singapore office, where he headed the international tax, private client and globalization practice. Kumar advises high net worth families on a range of planning and structuring issues, including succession planning, governance, family offices and philanthropic giving. He also advises MNCs and investment funds on strategies for cross-border M&A and the structuring of global operations.


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