Leading international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer announces the opening of an office in Singapore.

The opening in Singapore responds to client demand for Freshfields' assistance in Asia's high growth markets and in ASEAN in particular. The office will be focused on corporate, arbitration and finance work.

Recent award winning deals centred on Singapore and South East Asia have included Freshfields' roles on:

• advising on the US$5.45 billion global offering and listing of units of Hutchison Port Holdings Trust on the Singapore Stock Exchange – the largest ever IPO in Singapore and South East Asia;
• advising Vallar on its $3bn cash and shares purchase of 25% of PT Bumi Resources Tbk and 75% of PT Berau Coal Energy Tbk, two of Indonesia’s largest coal mining companies – listed as ‘stand-out-deal’ in the Corporate Law – Emerging Markets category at the Financial Times’ Innovative Lawyers Awards in 2011;
• advising Petronas International Corporation Ltd. on its acquisition of 30% in GMR Energy (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., an electricity generation and distribution company in 2011;
• advising on the concurrent dual listing of Integrated Healthcare Berhad (IHH) in Malaysia and Singapore, the third largest IPO in the world to date this year.

The office will be led by partners Stephen Revell and Gavin MacLaren. Stephen, who heads the firm's global capital markets practice, will relocate from Hong Kong. Gavin MacLaren, who leads the firm's Asia energy and natural resources practice, recently joined Freshfields from a leading Australian firm where he led their South East Asian practice from Singapore for many years. Lucy Reed, global head of the firm's international arbitration group, will spearhead the development of the firm's arbitration practice in Singapore.

Robert Ashworth, Freshfields Asia Managing Partner, said, ‘Singapore is one of the world's leading financial centres and an emerging regional arbitration centre. We have ambitious plans for the office and by being on the ground, Freshfields will meet the need for integrated legal advice on complex cross-border deals and disputes.’

Will Lawes, Freshfields Senior Partner, added, ‘We are delighted to be opening in Singapore with such a strong team, targeting sectors and countries which are very active. Our presence in Singapore, along with our other Asian offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will ensure that we can support our clients throughout Asia.’

www.freshfields.com