From strength to strength in Singaporex
Our Singapore team celebrates its 35thanniversary this year. Here, we profile this thriving office.
Singapore – it’s renowned as a thriving hub of South East Asia and one of only three city states in the world.
KAYA PROUDIAN,
OFFICE EXECUTIVE
PARTNER
Famous for its iconic skyline, this tiny country measures only 278 square miles and has a population of around 5.6 million. Nevertheless, it boasts one of the highest GDPs per capita in the world.
A lot has changed since the Firm established its second Asian office in the city in 1983 and, this year, we’re marking our 35th anniversary in Singapore.
Following an all-office celebration aboard the Royal Albatross earlier this year, we’ll be holding a 35th anniversary party for clients, team members and alumni at the National Gallery in October.
Office Executive Partner Kaya Proudian, who moved to Singapore 10 years ago having previously worked in our London and New York offices, says: “One of the great things about our presence in Singapore is that we’ve been here for the long haul, so we have built a familiarity and trust that is so important in this market.
“We have strength in all major practice areas and can provide expertise in local law alongside our international experience, so it’s a compelling offering in a very competitive market.”
Cross-border capabilities
EE LYNN TAN,
ASSOCIATE
The office has around 80 team members and has built relationships with many of the Firm’s key clients. It regularly handles complex cross-border matters in collaboration with our offices around the world.
One recent example is our representation of the firm’s longstanding client, Saudi Aramco, on its acquisition of a 50 per cent equity interest in an estimated $14 billion joint venture with Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) to develop and finance Petronas’s Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (RAPID) in southern Malaysia. This will be one of the largest, if not the largest, project financing transaction in the Asian market currently.
Associate Ee Lynn Tan, who has been working on the deal, explains: “Given the size and the complexity of the project, we have worked alongside lawyers from our offices in Tokyo, Abu Dhabi, New York, London and Brussels to coordinate the various work streams.
“To work with so many teams from across the globe has been an incredible learning experience for me.”
A diverse team
WEI BIN QUEK,
ASSOCIATE
The Singapore office has attracted talent from around the world, but also boasts a strong local knowledge, with many team members being Singapore nationals.
Associate Wei Bin Quek says: “One of the hallmarks of the Singapore legal system is that we have a dual qualification system (we are advocates and solicitors once we have been called to the bar).
“It’s also a very small legal fraternity here, which means you tend to know people easily.”
VERONA HUANG,
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT,
EIPAF AND DISPUTES
Verona Huang, Business Development, EIPAF and Disputes, adds: “I was born in Malaysia but have lived in Singapore most of my life and it’s a great place to live and work.
“The country prides itself on being an international hub and, because English is widely spoken, Singapore attracts people from around the world, meaning you get exposed to many different cultures.”
One of the office’s key strengths is the quality of the team, as Verona explains.
“If I had to single out one thing that makes working here so good, I’d say it’s the people,” she says. “It is very much a team effort and everyone is talented, responsive, approachable and helpful.”
Passionate about people
DENISE BLACK,
LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT
MANAGER
Talent development is something the Singapore office prides itself on. Learning & Development Manager Denise Black says: “I joined the office last September and was immediately impressed by the importance given to L&D.
“Whenever we run a course, people are always encouraged to take part and what I love most is when I see them putting what they’ve learnt into practice. It’s a pleasure to see how committed this team is to continual personal development.”
The office also regularly hosts people from other parts of the Firm’s global network, including Thomas Jacques and Astrid Desmonda, who are currently on assignment from Brussels and Jakarta respectively.
Kaya explains: “We’re passionate about building relationships with other offices and are proud that the team here is so diverse, with people coming from many different backgrounds, countries and cultures. It’s part of what makes this office a great place to work.”
The team also holds regular social and team building events, including a cooking class at the Culinaryon Studio last November.
A bright future
Looking ahead, Kaya is excited about the role Singapore will play in the Firm’s ongoing drive to grow in the region.
She says: “In recent years we’ve seen a lot of investment aimed at growing White & Case in Asia Pacific and it’s an exciting time to be part of that. Our strategic goals for the Singapore office continue to be very much aligned with those of the region and the wider Firm.”
Over the years, our team in Singapore has been passionate about giving back to the community, both locally and in other countries.
This is done through pro bono work, legal education, volunteering, charitable contributions, and our Green Initiative.
CHRISTINA LUI,
ASSOCIATE
Associate Christina Lui explains: “Our aim is to make it possible for every member of the team to get involved in social responsibility initiatives.
“Examples of our pro bono work include holding training sessions with universities in Myanmar and Laos, which we run in partnership with BABSEACLE, an international charity that aims to give people in all areas of the world access to justice and legal education.
“Our aim is to make it possible
for every member of the team
to get involved in social
responsibility initiatives.”
“In 2017, we teamed up with other teams in the region to conduct training at the East Yangon University in Myanmar and the Faculty of Law and Political Science at the National University of Laos. In Laos, we also delivered training on Gender-based Violence to local law students.”
“On the volunteering front, we hold an annual community day at Chen Su Lan Children’s Home, which is a refuge for children who come from broken, dysfunctional and abusive families.
“In 2017 we also launched a Green Initiative, which is aimed at using less paper, recycling more and reducing bottled water consumption. We also are participating as an office in an upcoming ‘beach clean-up’ project in conjunction with the International Coastal Clean Up Singapore 2018.”
