Azmi & Associates

Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions

Partner

Jonathan has been in practice for over thirty (30) years. He joined us from another law firm and has also gained reputation as director of several major companies and corporations in Malaysia.

Jonathan was born in Sarikei, Sarawak, attended early schooling in Sibu but completed his secondary studies in Australia. He was also enrolled at an Australian university and earned himself Bachelor of Commerce (majoring in Accounting) in 1987 and Bachelor of Laws in 1989 both from the Australian National University.

Jonathan was admitted to the High Court of Malaya in 1991 and charted his first legal career as legal assistant at Allen & Gledhill, Kuala Lumpur in the same year. Four (4) years later, he was elevated to partner in 1995. In 1996, he left Allen & Gledhill to become a partner at Nik Saghir & Ismail up until joining Azmi & Associates in April 2019.

Jonathan specialises in corporate finance work and commercial acquisitions & mergers and has been involved in various joint ventures transactions in local and international markets which include conducting legal due diligence and undertaking corporate restructuring. He has also undertaken work in assets privatisations and government concessions, in particular, for water and infrastructure projects.

His credentials and portfolio of directorships in major corporation/companies set out below showcase his familiarity with business operations of corporations, a valuable asset indeed in delivering legal services to clients with a deeper understanding of commercial operations of clients’ business.

His other notable assignments include:

Acted for the acquisition of the controlling blocks of Pimpinan Ehasan Berhad and its mandatory general offer; Acted for the reverse takeovers offer of Ancom Logistics Berhad; Acted for the privatisation of Degem Berhad; Acted for the restructuring of the Paparich Group and the acquisition of the remaining 50% equity interest; Acted for the sale of 50% of Beacon Internal Specialist Centre Hospital to TE Asia Healthcare Partners; Acted for the privatization of Weida (M) Bhd via selective capital reduction and the cash compensation scheme to minority shareholders; Acted for the acquisition by Karex Group for the 100% equity interest in Pasante Healthcare Limited, a UK incorporated company; Acted for the acquisition by Karex group of Global Protection Corp; a company operating in Boston; Acted for Karex group in the acquisition of Medical Latex Sdn Bhd from Berierdolf group from Germany; Acted for the sale of Upeca group of companies engaging in precision parts manufacturing for aerospace and oil & gas industries to a listed company, Senior Engineering Investment Limited, a listed company in LSE; Acted for a private fund in the acquisition of Phystech Firm LLP, a limited partnership entity with oil fields in the North Kazakhstan, with the sale of the business to a new listed subsidiary in Kazakhstan of Cliq Energy Berhad; Acted for QSR Group with a view of the leasing and sale of properties to their newly created REITS, the AL- Salam Reits; Acted for EPMB Manufacturing Berhad in respect of the proposed purchase of the Maju Highway; Acted for the privatization via selective capital reduction of Nadayu Properties Berhad and the subsequent divestment of assets between shareholders; Acted for transfer of Islamic banking business of Public Bank Berhad to Public Islamic Bank Berhad; Acted for Malayan Banking Berhad in the sale of its units trusts subsidiary to PNB; Acted for Malayan Banking Berhad in the due diligence of the businesses of MNI Holdings Berhad; Acted for a private fund in the acquisition of a Singapore listed company, Singatronics Limited; Acted for Malaysan Banking Berhad in the acquisition of American Express card businesses in Malaysia and Singapore; Acted for Public Bank in the acquisition of banking business of Hock Hua bank under 176 schemes of arrangement of business; Acted for Maybank Assurance Berhad in the acquisition Safety Life Assurance Berhad; Acted for Lonpac Insurance Berhad in the creation of a holding company by the transfer of its insurance business to a new subsidiary; Acted for MNRB in the creation of a new holding company by the transfer of a new reinsurance business to a new subsidiary; Acted for Maybank, Public Bank and EON Bank in the merger of its finance company businesses into the banking business of its holding companies; Acted for Public Bank in the acquisition of Sime Merchant bank resulting in the creation of Public Merchant Bank; Acted for the merger of the business of securities trading business of Public Bank Securities with that of Public resulting in the creation of Public Investment Bank; Acted for the listing of Evergreen Fibreboard Berhad; Acted for MNI in the acquisition of the insurance businesses of Sime Axa Assurance Berhad; Acted for EON Bank in the acquisition of Sime Bank Berhad and the subsequent merger of businesses with Eon Bank and in the acquisition of various finance companies’ businesses; Acted for EON Capital in the proposed bid to acquire RHB Bank; Acted for the listing of EON Capital vis the delisting of Kedah Cement pursuant to Section 176 scheme of arrangement; Acted for Puncak Niaga in taking over the treatment plants in Selangor under a concession agreement and acting for Puncak Niaga in respect of the Sungai Selangor Phase 2 Project pursuant to a construction cum operation contract; Acted for Konsortiun Abass Sdn Bhd in respect of the proposal to take-over the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant and capital works pursuant to a Concession Agreement; Acted for Jetama Sdn Bhd in respect of a water supply concession by taking over the water treatment plant in Kota Kinabalu; Acted for Equiventures Sdn Bhd in respect of the concession to sell raw water in Johor Baharu; Acted for Malaysan Banking Berhad for the sale of Kwong Yik Bank to Rashid Hussain Securities; Acted for the consortium of bankers in the financing of Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas; Acted for Colonial Mutual Life in its international bid to acquire the insurance business of Wing on Life’s businesses in Malaysian and Singapore; Acted for the listing of Glomac Berhad and Waste Water Engineering Berhad and Britech Berhad

Current Directorship Roles

The Group Non-Executive Chairman of Evergreen Fibreboard Bhd since June 15, 2015 and served as its Chairman from February 22, 2010 to June 15, 2015 and also has been its Independent Non-Executive Director since January 8, 2007. An Independent Non-Executive Director of Anglo Eastern Plantations plc, a United Kingdom based company with extensive plantation holdings in Malaysia and Indonesia, since July 4, 2013. A Non-Independent Non-Executive Director at Pimpinan Ehsan Berhad since March 2021. Director of Jasa Willawa Sdn Bhd, Upeca Technologies Sdn Bhd, Bionis Sdn Bhd, Maple Success Sdn Bhd, Jasdanis Enterprise Sdn Bhd, Gerbang Kapital Sdn Bhd, Chateau Network Sdn Bhd and Acromaju Sdn Bhd.

He is now part of our expanded Mergers & Acquisitions / Corporate Practice Group.

English and Bahasa Malaysia

Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya

Bachelor of Commerce (majoring in Accounting) from Australian National University Bachelor of Laws in 1989 both from Australian National University