Zeneca opens department in Hong Kong

The UK pharmaceuticals giant Zeneca has dispatched one of its lawyers to Hong Kong to set up a legal department.

Former Clifford Chance banking lawyer David Bligh-Smith was due to take up the post of regional legal adviser Asia Pacific this week.

He said Hong Kong was a major growth area for Zeneca, especially for its agrochemicals division where he has been in-house counsel since 1994.

Initially he will be working in Hong Kong on his own, though there is a possibility of building up the department.

He will handle the legal side of a possible joint venture between Zeneca and a Chinese pharmaceuticals company, as well as work affecting Zeneca projects throughout the region.