Corporate/M&A: International: The Elite
Asia-Pacific Guide 2024 : Singapore
Band 1
Contact number
+6566925700About
Provided by Linklaters
Our Corporate/M&A practice is regarded as the “go-to” trusted advisor for clients with their most strategic and complex deals, including advising Citi on the sale of its five consumer banking franchises in SEA (one of the largest M&A transactions in APAC in 2021), AXA and Affin Bank on the sale of its insurance operations in Malaysia to Generali (one of the largest insurance deals in Malaysia), and Macquarie Asset Management on its acquisition of a significant minority stake in Bersama Digital Infrastructure Asia Pte. Ltd. for c.US$610m (one of the largest foreign investments into the Indonesian digital infrastructure sector).
Many of the transactions that we advise on require wide geographical coverage and the involvement of a considerable number of Linklaters lawyers across different disciplines and jurisdictions. We are able to understand the commercial drivers of the counter parties, have deep empathy with our clients, and can expertly navigate cultural nuances and politics, something no other international law firm can offer.
We are one of the few (if not the only) team in the market to offer a team of three M&A-focused partners, each with a sector focus, supported by specialised teams such as employment, TMT and financial regulation
, that are market-leaders in their own right. This bench strength means that we have a uniquely well-rounded market offering. Together with our strong Jakarta M&A team, led by Karen Phang, we present a uniquely well-rounded market offering.
Chambers Review
Linklaters Singapore is a popular choice of law firm for multinational corporations, banks, private equity investors and early-stage businesses, including AXA, Macquarie Asset Management and Stonepeak. The firm handles private equity, public M&A and complex cross-border transactions, as well as joint ventures, disposals and corporate restructuring. The team is active in jurisdictions across the region including Indonesia, China and Malaysia, working with alliance firms in several countries. The lawyers cover a spectrum of sectors including energy and resources, insurance, technology and financial services.
Work Highlights
- Linklaters advised Macquarie Asset Management, via Macquarie Asia-Pacific Infrastructure Fund 3, as part of a consortium also comprising Provident Capital and PT Saratoga Investama Sedaya, on its acquisition of a significant minority stake in Bersama Digital Infrastructure Asia for approximately USD610 million.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"We rely heavily on the Linklaters M&A team for their strategic advice and strong execution capabilities, especially concerning more complex aspects of the transactions, and the team have certainly delivered."
"They are unmatched in their attention to client demands and have the experience and confidence to guide the client on what to expect to be the main areas of negotiation. Their issues lists and mark-ups to transaction documents are top-notch from the perspective of substantive implementation of commercial objectives and mitigation of risks due to the quality and precision of the drafting."
"We rely heavily on the Linklaters M&A team for their strategic advice and strong execution capabilities, especially concerning more complex aspects of the transactions, and the team have certainly delivered."
"They are unmatched in their attention to client demands and have the experience and confidence to guide the client on what to expect to be the main areas of negotiation. Their issues lists and mark-ups to transaction documents are top-notch from the perspective of substantive implementation of commercial objectives and mitigation of risks due to the quality and precision of the drafting."
Notable Practitioners
Sophie Mathur is highly respected among market sources and clients alike for her expertise in Singapore's M&A space. She impresses with her deep expertise in cross-border M&A and private equity transactions, especially in the insurance and banking spheres.
"Sophie is outstanding and on top of things."
"She is very client-centric, solutions-driven and always thinking a few steps ahead to ensure we stay in the game."
Niranjan Arasaratnam is known for advising clients on an array of cross-border M&A from Linklaters' Singapore office, including particular expertise in the technology and e-commerce sectors.
"He is good at structuring complex transactions and careful in terms of summarising factors and advice."
Robert Elliot in Singapore receives recognition for his transactional practice. He is notably experienced in private equity investments and deals in the technology and energy sectors.
"Rob clearly brings value to the table. He is able to balance both commercial and legal considerations while navigating complex transaction structures."
Ranked Lawyers at
Linklaters
Singapore
Members
Provided by Linklaters