Simon Hawkins > Latham & Watkins LLP > Singapore, Singapore > Lawyer Profile
Latham & Watkins LLP Offices
9 RAFFLES PLACE
#42-02 REPUBLIC PLAZA
SINGAPORE 048619
Singapore
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Simon Hawkins
Position
Simon Hawkins, an experienced and trusted advisor to financial institutions and fintech companies, advises on a range of regulatory matters and transactions. He leads the financial regulatory practice in Asia and co-chairs the firm’s Digital Assets & Web3 Practice.
Mr. Hawkins advises a full range of financial industry and fintech clients — from traditional commercial and investment banks, private equity firms, broker/dealers, and insurers to innovative fintech companies, including payments companies, crypto exchanges and custodians, token issuers, and Metaverse and decentralized finance (DeFi) projects.
He provides confident and seasoned regulatory advice and transactional support to clients doing inbound and outbound business in Hong Kong. As an early mover in the fintech industry in Asia, he provides insight and skilled judgment on the dynamic fintech industry and rapidly evolving crypto regulatory landscape.
Resident in Hong Kong since 2009, Mr. Hawkins has developed strong working relationships with regulators at the Securities and Futures Commission and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. He serves as an active member of ASIFMA and the Fintech Association of Hong Kong. Mr. Hawkins regularly steers clients safely through situations of high risk and uncertainty, coordinating a global team of Latham colleagues, and local counsel.
Mr. Hawkins has worked in London, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, and served as a secondee at HSBC in Hong Kong, where he assisted with the launch of HSBC’s Prime Finance business in Asia.
Lawyer Rankings
Hong Kong > Fintech and financial services regulatory
(Next Generation Partners) (Next Generation Partners)Under the leadership of Simon Hawkins, Latham & Watkins LLP
‘s non-contentious financial services regulatory team has gained a particularly strong foothold across the fintech firmament for both emerging fintech companies as well as traditional financial institutions investing in the space. The team’s engagement with leading regional trade associations, as well as its sharing of ideas and interaction with other firmwide practitioners within the overarching global Fintech and Digital Assets Industry Group, has enabled it to provide cutting-edge globally viable solutions, providing real thought-leadership in the area. Crypto and blockchain-related work is a core strength, with Hawkins regularly advising on the regulatory implications of blockchain and distributed ledger technology, payments and stored-value, cryptocurrencies and digital assets, token offerings, virtual banking and digitization projects.
China > Fintech: foreign firms
Led out of Hong Kong, Latham & Watkins LLP advises on fintech transactions across Hong Kong and Greater China to overseas and domestic technology and fintech clients. The team has also been growing its digital assets and web3 practice over the last year and has assisted domestic fintech clients with launching global platforms. Practice head Simon Hawkins is an expert in advising on a range of fintech transactions and projects, and is well versed in blockchain, payments, cryptocurrencies and digital assets. Adrian Fong is noted for his work on digital tokens.
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Capital markets: equity and debt: foreign firms
- Corporate and M&A: foreign firms
- Data protection and cyber security: Foreign firm