Richard Watkins > Latham & Watkins LLP > Singapore, Singapore > Lawyer Profile

Latham & Watkins LLP
9 RAFFLES PLACE
#42-02 REPUBLIC PLAZA
SINGAPORE 048619
Singapore

Position

Richard Watkins advises private equity and corporate clients on M&A, joint venture, and other strategic transactions with an Asia-Pacific nexus.

Mr. Watkins combines extensive experience across a broad range of deal types with a depth of understanding of local markets to guide clients on:

    • Cross-border mergers and acquisitions, ranging from buyouts to minority investments, both public and private
    • Investing and raising growth capital
    • Consortia and joint ventures
    • Structured and downside-protected quasi-equity investments

He works closely with Latham colleagues worldwide to structure innovative solutions that utilize the latest legal technology and integrate market-leading advice from across the global platform.

Mr. Watkins’ experience spans both buy side and sell side in a variety of industries, particularly real estate, asset management, tech and digital infrastructure, healthcare and life sciences, and consumer goods.

Drawing on his prior experience in London and Moscow, Mr. Watkins provides pragmatic, commercial advice that reflects his experience guiding clients through evolving geopolitical and economic conditions.

Mr. Watkins serves on the firm’s Global Mentoring Committee.

Lawyer Rankings

China > Private equity: foreign firms

Latham & Watkins LLP‘s Hong Kong-based team acts for private equity clients on both their inbound and outbound investments in Greater China. The practice also fields sector specialists in logistics, technology, healthcare, education, real estate and e-commerce. Focused on pan-Asia private equity transactions, Simon Cooke specialises in public and private M&A, as well as corporate finance; and Frank Sun routinely advises on significant private equity investments and M&A deals. Richard Watkins and Stephen Shi are also key figures.

Hong Kong > Private equity

Simon Cooke heads the broad offering at Latham & Watkins LLP, which leverages its network across Greater China and Singapore to assist international private equity clients. Cooke is recommended for his vast knowledge of private equity driven M&A transactions across the APAC region. Frank Sun is noted for his strong focus on multijurisdictional work concerning privatisations and acquisitions. Richard Watkins routinely assists a variety of corporate and private equity clients across the tech, real estate, and asset management industries, while Stephen Shi primarily advises private equity firms and Chinese companies on the establishment of joint ventures.

Hong Kong > Corporate (including M&A)

The offering at Latham & Watkins LLP operates as part of the firm’s wider Greater China practice, advising on both inbound and outbound matters, including carve-outs, club deals, and take privates. Simon Cooke is well-known for his vast knowledge of both public and private M&A, while Frank Sun is particularly adept at advising financial investors on the structuring of joint ventures. Stephen Shi is recommended for his broad experience spanning take-privates, spin-offs, and growth capital investments. Richard Watkins is a key name for corporate finance transactions, often acting on both buy and sell side transactions across the TMT, real estate, and asset management spaces.