Timothy Hia > Latham & Watkins LLP > Singapore, Singapore > Lawyer Profile

Latham & Watkins LLP brings its world-leading credentials in capital markets to Singapore where the team has extensive geographic coverage across Southeast Asia and South Asia. The Singapore department has balanced mix of issuer and underwriter clients with the practice encompassing the full range of equity and debt products. It has maintained an outstanding reputation in regional IPOs, particularly those originating in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, along with India. It is also noted for US IPOs on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq. Sharon Lau is a leading name in regional equity and debt offerings, including SPAC deals, IPOs, medium term note (MTN) programmes and exchangeable bond issuances. Rajiv Gupta is head of the India practice and a leading figure in IPOs and high-yield bond offerings by Indian companies. Stacey Wong is an emerging talent, along with counsel Jeremy Wang. Timothy Hia covers both bank financings and debt offerings. Michael Sturrock has retired.

Latham & Watkins LLP has a quality and versatile practice covering key areas such as acquisition and leveraged finance, private credit financings and bank-bond deals. With its strong presence across the region, the Singapore team frequently advises on cross-border financings involving Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Clients include private equity sponsors, banks, alternative lenders and corporate borrowers. Andrew Bishop is local chair of the finance department, splitting his time between Singapore and Hong Kong, and maintains a strong presence in sponsor-driven leveraged finance. Timothy Hia is a leading figure in Singapore with strong reputation in acquisition finance, along with energy and infrastructure financings. Chuan Wei Kong was promoted to partner in January 2024.

Core streams of work for Latham & Watkins LLP include capital markets, M&A and private equity, shareholder activism and commercial outsourcing transactions, with considerable experience handling matters that span Asia. Practice leader Rajiv Gupta frequently handles matters pertaining to a host of capital markets and M&A transactions, while Sidharth Bhasin represents a stable of private equity funds, sovereign wealth funds and financial institutions on investments in India. Timothy Hia covers the full gamut of finance transactions including some notable leveraged financings.

Latham & Watkins LLP has a wealth of experience advising on cross-border transactions involving Indonesia. The team advises clients across a range of sectors, including telecoms, oil and gas, retail, and power. Sharon Lau focusses on M&A and capital markets transactions; she recently advised Merdeka Battery Materials on its IPO on the Indonesian Stock Exchange. With more than two decades of experience, Timothy Hia is recommended for complex financing and refinancing mandates. Stephen McWilliams is a further standout member of the team with a specialty in handling infrastructure and energy projects. James Clayton-Payne, Marcus Lee and Sidharth Bhasin are also of note.