Great little round up of recent partner moves in the region…
If you want to read in situ here’s the direct link?? http://asialegalblog.com/?p=3549
They write..
The head of King & Wood?s taxation practice Stephen Nelson has made a lateral move to join DLA Piper in Hong Kong as a new partner of its Asian tax practice. In addition to heading King & Wood?s tax practice, Nelson was also the co-head of the PRC firm?s corporate group. Nelson, who has practiced in China for more than 25 years, mainly engaged in the technology field, advising many technology clients on the tax-effective establishment and restructuring of operations in China, with an industry focus in the TMT sector. He has worked with foreign investments, M&A and other corporate work in his expertise over the years. Nelson will be based in Hong Kong and expects to spend a major portion of his time in DLA Piper?s Beijing office. Nelson was admitted to practice in California in 1986 and was called to the bar in Hong Kong in 2009.
In anticipation of increased dealflow in the private equity space, US firm O?Melveny & Myers has transferred London partner James Ford to its Hong Kong office. Ford, who has particular experience in PE and venture capital transactions, has worked on such transactions as Coller Capital?s acquisition of a 70% stake in the Bank of Scotland Integrated Finance portfolio, the US$190m acquisition of 3i?s venture capital portfolio and the spin-out of the ABM AMRO life science team portfolio.? Ford will work alongside the firm?s other PE and fund formation partners in the region including Beijing-based Lawrence Sussman, Dean Collins in Singapore and Doug Freeman in Hong Kong.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed senior corporate partner Robert Ashworth as Asia regional managing partner. Ashworth, who has worked in China for 16 years, has led the firm?s corporate practice in Asia since 2000. Ashworth has been based in Hong Kong since 1994 and became a member of the firm?s partnership council in 2008. He specializes in corporate law, particularly cross border M&A and private equity.
After launching its Hong Kong law practice with the lateral hire of Freeman Chan from Norton Rose in late 2010, US firm Cleary Gottlieb has added another partner to its office in the SAR with the transfer of Christof von Dryander. von Dryander, who has been based in the firm?s Frankfurt office, relocated to Hong Kong following an increase in transactional work flowing between Asia and Europe. His practice involves assisting Asia-based clients on European and other international deals in addition to advising European companies on their activities across Asia. von Dryander has spent his entire professional career at the firm having joined as an associate in Brussels in 1982.
Clifford Chance has appointed Patrick Zheng as partner to spearhead the firm?s China litigation and dispute resolution practice. Zheng has significant experience in international dispute resolution, particularly in international arbitration and ADR, having worked for eight years at China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) where he handled over 300 cases. After turning to private practice, he has acted as counsel and advocate before arbitral tribunals in various systems, including CIETAC, HKIAC, LCIA, ICC, KCAB, SIAC and ad hoc under the UNCITRAL Rules. He also has an extensive track record working with many state-owned enterprises, mainland and international companies.
Norton Rose has appointed Charlotte Robins as a partner in the Hong Kong corporate team. Robins joins from Clifford Chance Hong Kong, where she is a consultant. With over 10 years? experience based mainly in Asia, her practice is focused on financial services regulatory and licensing matters across the Asian region, including advising hedge funds and private equity funds on their establishment and ongoing regulatory requirements, and investment banks on legal and compliance issues.
White & Case LLP has strengthened its global project finance expertise with the appointment of Ken Hawkes as a partner in the firm?s Singapore office. Hawkes, who joins from Hogan Lovells LLP where he was head of the firm?s banking and finance practice in Singapore, has 16 years? experience in project finance, with specific expertise in negotiating, structuring and documenting complex financing transactions in the oil and gas, power, resources and telecommunications industries. As well as Asia, he also has experience in the Middle East, South America, Africa, Australia and the Indian subcontinent.
