Corporate/M&A | Global

Freshfields has an acclaimed public M&A platform complemented by a robust private equity offering. An established leader in China, winning headline transactional mandates and with a sizeable presence in South-East Asia, the firm is noted for a longstanding, much-admired presence in Vietnam, drawing on tax, antitrust and finance expertise to provide a one-stop-shop service. It is additionally skilled in deals involving India and Japan and offers private equity expertise in China, Japan, Vietnam and Singapore, acting for leading private equity houses, investment funds and sovereign wealth funds.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has a standout team for oil and gas M&A across the region, with an illustrious client roster which also features global corporate heavyweights in mining, as well as regional telecoms giants and major financial institutions. The firm's acclaimed Australian offering handles M&A transactions as well as private equity deals, with proficiency across key Asian markets. It is also very active in the India market, where it works with established domestic corporates and is particularly engaged in the pharmaceutical sphere. A notable corporate team in Hong Kong and Mainland China handles transactions across the region. The firm boasts a respected transactional practice in Japan and an established reputation in South-East Asia, especially for M&A in the energy sector, with able practices in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Latham & Watkins fields a respected corporate practice noted for handling M&A transactions in South-East Asia. The firm is especially strong in Singapore, Indonesia and India, and has an impressive practice in Greater China. It works closely with leading teams in capital markets and project finance to provide a one-stop-shop service in the region, and is very active on private equity deals led primarily from its China and Singapore offices, with matters for major private equity funds and corporate investors spanning Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and South Korea.

White & Case has a highly successful M&A group with a particularly firm foothold in Greater China, India, Japan and Singapore, as well as further afield in Kazakhstan. Its impressive list of clients features key regional and global names from the financial services and life sciences sectors, among others. The firm advises clients on significant investments throughout the region and around the world, and is well suited to acting for US and European clients on inbound investments into Asia, particularly on deals involving South-East Asia.

A&O Shearman has a prominent M&A platform, particularly well versed in catering to top-drawer financial services clients. The firm is additionally skilled in deals relating to the insurance, TMT and life sciences sectors, with an impressive regional footprint with leading offerings in a number of key South-East Asian jurisdictions, including Malaysia and Singapore, as well as teams in China, Australia and Japan. It is active in the private equity space through its offices in Australia, Indonesia and Vietnam, and is also well placed to advise on venture capital investments. It offers a wealth of experience in take-private transactions, especially representing special committees. Its work in the private equity space includes working on investments and exits and collaborating with the firm's investment funds team on fund formation. The regional M&A practice works in tandem with its teams in the antitrust and tax fields to give clients full-service coverage.

Davis Polk & Wardwell fields a respected transactional team with considerable M&A expertise. Admired for its representation of high-profile Chinese clients in take-privates, acquisitions and disposals, the firm also handles significant private equity mandates from its Hong Kong and Beijing offices and often acts for private equity funds and VC investors. Its key industry sectors include e-commerce, media and telecommunications. It is additionally able to advise on mandates involving India, Taiwan, Thailand and Japan.

Ashurst has an established record in a number of key markets, most notably Australia, with noted practices in China and Singapore. The firm maintains a respected corporate group across South-East Asia, with an acknowledged offering in Malaysia and Indonesia. It is mandated on big-ticket deals across the region for heavyweight clients in energy, financial services and infrastructure, and enjoys solid recognition for its M&A strength in India and Japan and additional capabilities in South Korea.

Norton Rose Fulbright has an integrated regional practice picking up sizeable mandates in respect of China, Australia and Central and South-East Asia. Its expertise also spans smaller jurisdictions such as Myanmar, Papua New Guinea and Brunei. The firm is well placed to take on cross-border mandates for high-profile clients in the real estate, insurance, finance and technology sectors, and is notably skilled in handling work in the Central Asian energy sector. Supporting mining-related deals is another key area of expertise. The firm also handles venture capital investments and private equity transactions from its Singapore office, as well as deals involving India, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Reed Smith has an established corporate team in Greater China, working from offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. The firm advises across a range of work, including cross-border M&A transactions and regulatory work. Its client base includes an illustrious roster of Hong-Kong listed companies, whom it advises on both domestic and cross-border deals. The firm also has an established M&A offering out of its Singapore office, especially for transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Clients in this market also benefit from the firm's formal alliance with local Singaporean firm Resource Law.

Hogan Lovells draws together multidisciplinary, cross-border teams to assist on complex corporate matters. The firm has an extensive bench across the region, with particular strength in China and also noteworthy services in Singapore, Japan, Australia and Vietnam. It is also recognised as having notable expertise in handling Indonesia-related matters from the Singapore and Japan offices. It represents clients from a wide range of industries, including TMT, insurance, finance, energy, and food and drink.