Having launched in Hong Kong last summer, Addleshaw Goddard has forged ahead with a number of developments in the region including adding a third partner, Daniel Wan, and rebranding following the arrival of Nigel Francis at the end of 2013.
Wan, who joins from Jun He and previously worked at Herbert Smith Freehills, specialises in M&A and equity capital markets, particularly pre-initial public offering (IPO) investment and restructuring and post-IPO regulatory and compliance matters.
He brings with him two associates, Simon Wong and Yen Yum, and the trio will work alongside corporate partner Brett Stewien, who joined Addleshaws from DLA Piper in August last year to launch the new office.
Wan’s arrival follows that of Francis, the former head of litigation and employment at Minter Ellison, which has seen the local office change its name from Stewien & Co to Francis & Co.
Francis was hired at the same time as Stewien and Andrew Carpenter, Addleshaws international division managing partner, said: ‘Nigel is very well known in the local market and it was always the intention that the practice would adopt his name once the various regulatory requirements were completed. Daniel is similarly well known in Hong Kong and the PRC for his corporate finance practice which has continued to thrive even in difficult markets.’
The Hong Kong team recently re-located to new premises in Citibank Tower in the heart of Hong Kong’s business district as part of immediate plans to grow the office to 12 full time lawyers.
Carpenter added: ‘The combination of Nigel, Brett and Daniel in Hong Kong and Jamie Harrison in Singapore is opening up new markets in Greater China for us. The combination of that platform with our capability in the GCC, and increasing focus on Africa, Korea, Japan and Malaysia, is an exciting proposition and we are very encouraged by the early opportunities flowing from our investment and increasing capability.’
Addleshaws’ other international offices include Dubai, Oman and Qatar.
caroline.hill@legalease.co.uk
