Sidley Austin has boosted both its M&A and private equity offering in Southeast Asia with the hire of White & Case partner and Indonesia chief Charlie Wilson into its Singapore office.
Wilson joined White & Case in 2009 from an in-house role at specialist finance company Linq Asia Capital and acted as the firm’s Indonesian head.
A specialist in private equity and sovereign wealth fund investments and disposals in Southeast Asia, Wilson is ranked as a leading individual by The Legal 500 and has worked on deals including Pertamina, Indonesia’s state oil monopoly, purchase of Venezuelan oil assets.
Thomas Albrecht, managing partner for Sidley Asia Pacific, said: ‘Charlie has a particular strength in understanding the investment philosophy of, and legal requirements for, private equity investment in the region, and we believe that investment sector will continue to expand along with the regional economy.’
‘He also brings valuable Indonesia experience to the firm, and we expect that country to continue to attract the attention of our international clients,’ added Matthew Sheridan, head of international corporate finance practice in Asia and a member of Sidley’s executive committee.
In Indonesia White & Case recently established a new alliance with local, Jakarta-based firm Witara Cakra Advocates, after its previous ally also suffered partner exits.
Meanwhile, also in Singapore, King & Wood Mallesons lost Hong Kong-based international arbitration partner David Bateson to 39 Essex Chambers. He joins the set on 1 July 2015, with a focus on commercial arbitration and construction and will work alongside Ben Olbourne who joined in 2014.
michael.west@legalease.co.uk
