The ‘highly responsive’ team at Stephenson Harwood LLP handles private equity and venture capital investments across South and Southeast Asia, with demonstrable experience in the transport and maritime, technology and healthcare sectors. Acting in a formal alliance with Virtus Law LLP, the practice is well-placed to advise on the domestic and international aspects of transactions. Praised as an ’excellent technical lawyer, whose client service is second to none’, Tom Platts leads the team and handles M&A, strategic joint ventures and corporate restructurings. Other key contacts in the team include US-qualified Jonathan Goacher, who joined the team from Hill Dickinson LLP in May 2023, Jay Tai who joined from Proskauer Rose LLP‘s Hong Kong office in October 2023, and of counsel Helen Rhind-Hufnagel.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Highly responsive and accurate advice.’

  • ‘Tom Platts is responsive and pleasant to work with.’

  • ‘Helen Rhind-Hufnagel provides thorough advice.’

  • ‘The team is led by Tom Platts. It has bench strength to undertake several complex matters at once. SH in Singapore is not just a satellite office of a UK firm, it is a powerhouse in its own right.’

  • ‘Tom Platts is an excellent technical lawyer, whose client service is second to none. He is available, efficient and very easy to work with.’

Key clients

  • BW Group
  • TotalEnergies Renewables Asia Pte. Ltd.
  • AIGF Advisors Pte Ltd
  • Swire Pacific Offshore
  • Asia Maritime Pacific
  • Lyniate and Hg Capital
  • E2Open
  • Petronas and Petronas Ventures
  • S&P Global Platts
  • Corporation Service Company
  • Finnfund
  • Ringier AG
  • StraitNZ Limited, Ferry Lines Limited
  • Affinity Shipping

Work highlights

  • Advising BW Group on its acquisition of 100% of Hawaiki Submarine Cable and International Connectivity Services (Hawaiki), New Zealand headquartered entities owning the Hawaiki Submarine Cable amongst other assets.
  • Advised the French-headquartered global energy player, TotalEnergies, on its joint venture and associated commercial arrangements with Japanese energy group, ENEOS, to develop onsite B2B solar distributed generation across Asia over the next five years.
  • Advised private equity fund manager ASEAN Industrial Growth Fund on its investment in BHS Kinetic Pte Ltd.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Tom Platts

Other key lawyers

Jonathan Goacher, Helen Rhind-Hufnagel, Jay Tai