Linklaters has bolstered its Asian capital markets team, following an internal reshuffle of partners in the London and Hong Kong offices.
Linklaters’ Hong Kong partner Dean Lockhart will move to Singapore, taking with him a team of associates to join the capital markets practice, which is headed by Kevin Wong.
Linklaters’ London capital markets partner Nigel Pridmore will relocate to the Hong Kong office later this month. Pridmore told The Lawyer: “Clearly China is one of the areas which is a major opportunity and we want to make sure that the region is properly staffed by bulking up the capital markets’ coverage. It is quite likely that we will further grow the Hong Kong office.”
The firm’s Asian practice is in the midst of a major restructuring. Asian head Simon Davies is set to return to London in May 2007. Global finance head Giles White is taking over.
Earlier this year, Linklaters’ Hong Kong office saw the return of partner Keith Johnson from Europe to head the firm’s Hong Kong corporate/M&A practice, while the Shanghai office was bolstered by partner Paul McNicholl, who transferred from the London office.
This also follows a stream of lateral hires to the firm’s Asian practice. Earlier this year, the magic circle firm hired derivatives expert Chin-Chong Liew, who joined the Hong Kong office from Allen & Overy. The firm also poached Clifford Chance head of Asian capital markets and securitisation expert Paul Kruger, who joined Linklaters as a partner in the firm’s Tokyo office.
