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Join us Feb 28-29 in Bangkok

Speakers

Based in India, Anand Mangnale joined OCCRP in 2021 as a regional editor for South Asia and oversees investigations into corporate fraud and government corruption and human rights abuses. Anand has worked on several investigations exposing corporate and government corruption, abuse of power, and government misinformation and fake news campaigns.

Prior to joining OCCRP, he co-founded and was a director at Our Democracy, an online crowdfunding platform promoting transparency and accountability in political funding in India. Anand has worked in media strategy, advocacy and human rights investigations. His work also focused on exposing corporate fraud, corruption and build grassroots media network. He also co-authored “The Drugged State of Punjab,” a book about the drug menace in the Indian state of Punjab.

Anand has a master’s degree in media, campaigning, and social change from the University of Westminster in London.
Andrew is a pioneer in the use of investigations in legal disputes, navigating clients through the most complex scenarios with direct, solutions-focused advice.

He began his career in the sector in the mid-1990s and later joined Kroll Associates, before co-founding GPW in 2004. In 2016 he co-founded Raedas.

Over the course of his career, Andrew has specialised in complex investigations, often working in matters involving international multi-stranded litigation. Andrew is expert in asset tracing and has overseen hundreds of mandates on behalf of state-owned and private banks, governments and corporations, aiding in the recovery of a wide range of assets, including cash, receivables, equity, private yachts and aircraft. His investigative teams have produced evidence leading to freezing orders in the UK and across other Common Law jurisdictions and assisted ICSID claimants address questions of corporate veil piercing, sovereign immunity, offshore and trust-based ownership structures.

More broadly Andrew has led high-profile fraud and corruption investigations in the Middle East, Russia and South America and has been engaged in many of the last decade’s most prominent disputes connected to Russia. He frequently works with legal counsel to develop evidence for disclosure orders in the UK and US, integrating these legal instruments into overall case strategy.

He is described in Chambers as a “pre-eminent figure in intelligence relating to the former Soviet Union” with clients praising his “strategic” advice adding “he’s well connected to key decision makers across these markets”.

Andrew has assisted clients facing serious crises ranging from personal matters involving the threat of arrest, politically motivated tax claims in the FSU, India and Africa, unjustified extradition requests and politically motivated accusations of corruption. Although all crisis situations are different, Andrew is experienced in building multi-disciplinary teams to confront problems as they emerge, working with legal and PR advisors to produce the desired outcome.

Anthony Ellwood-Russell is an Associate Investment Manager, with a focus on Asset Tracing and Intelligence. Anthony is responsible for the assessment and management of cross-border litigation, with a particular focus on enforcement proceedings.


Before joining Omni Bridgeway, Anthony was a managing consultant with J.S. Held where he assisted on high-complexity projects such as asset traces, litigation support and strategic intelligence.  He has completed investigative projects spanning an extensive range of jurisdictions including Asia Pacific, Europe, the United States, Latin America, Oceania and Africa.

Prior to J.S. Held, Anthony led the Asia-Pacific efforts of a London-based corporate intelligence consultancy. Anthony’s expertise is in asset tracing and enforcement, litigation support, fraud and corruption investigations, investigative due diligence and strategic intelligence. Anthony’s stint within the British Army saw him developing capabilities in Information Activities and Operations.

A native English speaker, Anthony is fluent in Mandarin, speaks intermediate Spanish and French and conversational Thai and Indonesian. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Chinese and Indonesian from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

Basem Ayash is a technologist, entrepreneur, and security expert, specializing in application security, cybercrime, and cyber intelligence. As Chief Technology Officer, Chief System Architect and Head of Information Security, Basem leads the software development of numerous enterprise products and the security consulting services. He is CISSP-certified, ethical hacker-certified, and a licensed penetration tester with background experience in operating system development and device drivers.


Basem has in-depth technical knowledge of security at all levels, ranging from network, operating systems, applications, and data levels. Over the last 10 years, he has provided cyber security training and consultancy services to various GCC government clients (including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, etc.), helping them in the design and implementation of their network and cyber security infrastructure.


Basem has worked with major GCC government and private organizations for over 24 years and now leads his companies as one of the most prominent solution providers. Prior to that, he healed technical positions at leading technology companies such as Compaq Computer and Xerox.


Basem is the co-founder of aiNTEL, Indafo and the founder of Akrebeia LLC (USA) and Softech (Software Technology Solutions, Lebanon), and the co- founder of ZFP-IT (Tasheel Information Technology, KSA) and Creative Technology Systems CTS (India). He is responsible for overseeing the operation and business growth of these companies, which have played a major role in their respective industries, delivering world class services and products to clients across different sectors.

Brendan founded Templeton Research after more than a decade with a leading London-based firm, where he built one of the largest business intelligence practices covering markets in Asia Pacific. Brendan has advised law firms, banks, hedge funds, private equity firms and development finance institutions on corruption issues, reputation management and business risks and opportunities across APAC. Brendan started his career in business intelligence in Shanghai.



Carmen Liu is a Principal in Control Risks' Compliance, Forensics and Intelligence practice. She is based in Shanghai and leads the China business intelligence team. Carmen specialises in strategic intelligence, commercial and reputational due diligence, dispute support, fraud and market misbehaviour investigations. Her project experience includes the real estate, healthcare and pharmaceutical, finance and banking, automotive, retail, aviation and shipping sectors.


Chee Chong is responsible for the strategic assessment and management of cross-border litigation, arbitration and enforcement activities, with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region.



Before joining Omni Bridgeway, Chee Chong practiced as an Advocate and Solicitor of the Singapore High Court at Drew & Napier, and the Singapore offices of Clyde & Co LLP and Holman Fenwick Willan. Chee Chong has experience in all forms of single jurisdictional and cross-jurisdictional commercial disputes in the banking, insurance, aviation, and defence industries (amongst others).


Chee Chong holds a Master of Laws from University College London (on a post-graduate scholarship), and a double degree in Law and Business Management from the Singapore Management University (where he graduated as the top graduating law student).


Chee Chong is admitted as a solicitor of the Senior courts of England and Wales. He is fluent in English and Chinese (Mandarin) and understands basic Chinese (Cantonese).
Chris is the founder of the law firm Slateford, specialised in handling serious reputation issues and crises. They regularly advise on contentious allegations about the performance of businesses, both for listed entities whose shares are shorted, and for investment businesses in dispute about the positions they have taken. Their work includes projects with clients from China, India, Malaysia, DR Congo and the Middle East amongst others, particularly focussed on allegations of wrongdoing and restrictions on their freedom to operate.

Described by clients as a “formidable force”, “our go-to guy”, and “good when you need someone to fight in your corner”, Danny has a wealth of experience, commercial acumen, and strategic wisdom in his specialist areas of complex international commercial and financial disputes, fraud, and investigations.  He has led multiple high-stakes cross-border disputes and investigations, across a multitude of industries, and is regularly called upon by financial institutions, private investment funds, and state-owned enterprises to act.  Among Danny’s cases acting for liquidators of a trading company in claims arising from the misappropriation of more than $1 billion dispersed across more than 40 companies, acting for the liquidators of BSI Bank and a US investment bank in relation to investigations into alleged laundering and dissipation of some $1 billion purportedly belonging to the Malaysian state-owned company 1MBD, and acting in claims for fraud and corruption brought by various Mongolian state-owned entities against a former Prime Minister and his alleged associates.  More recently, Danny has been a pioneer in the blockchain and digital assets space, having led the team that successfully prosecuted the first cryptocurrency claim before the Singapore International Commercial Court.


Danny graduated from the National University of Singapore and is admitted to the Singapore Bar as well as the Rolls of Solicitors of the High Courts of Hong Kong and England and Wales.

Since 2010 David Boyle has worked as a journalist and filmmaker in Asia, producing documentary, print, web, radio and TV news coverage for many of the world's leading news organizations.  He has produced award-winning coverage on a raft of topics including human rights abuses, modern day slavery, corruption, labour exploitation and environmental crimes. He started his career as a video editor and has maintained a passion for learning and applying creative technologies to journalism. He is a content focused journalist, having cut his teeth as an investigative print reporter in Cambodia before moving full time into documentary film production. He currently works for Al Jazeera's flagship Asia Pacific news and current affairs programme 101 East.
Investigative financial journalist David Marchant owns and operates Florida-domiciled OffshoreAlert, a news, documents, and conference-organizing company that specializes in financial intelligence and investigations, with an emphasis on high-value, cross-border finance conducted in high-confidentiality offshore and onshore jurisdictions.

Since it was launched in 1997, OffshoreAlert has exposed more than 175 investment frauds and money laundering schemes while they were in progress, contributing to their early collapse, and helped law enforcement, regulators, and asset recovery specialists hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

Fraudsters have sued Marchant and OffshoreAlert for defamation in Canada, Cayman Islands, England, Grenada, Panama, and the United States, with several plaintiffs subsequently going to prison, including one for 17 years.

OffshoreAlert is regularly referenced in news articles, books, government reports, TV programs, and movie documentaries about serious financial crime.
Davin Teo is a Managing Director and leads the Forensic Technology team within Alvarez & Marsal Disputes and Investigations across Asia, based in Hong Kong. Mr. Teo specialises in digital investigations and electronic discovery matters. His primary areas of expertise are fraud investigations, electronic discovery in Disputes,  misconduct investigations, intellectual property theft investigations, dispute matters and data recovery requests. With more than 23 years of forensic technology experience and three years prior in accountancy, Mr. Teo has provided consultancy services in the field of forensic technology, electronic discovery and IT audit to numerous national and international corporations, government bodies and regulators.

In the litigation sphere, Mr. Teo is experienced in handling end-to-end electronic discovery matters in U.S., UK and international litigation. He has managed multiple U.S. Section 337 actions raised in the U.S. for clients in China for Multinational companies and State Owned Enterprises.

Mr. Teo has also represented clients in the capacity as a digital forensic expert in global regulatory investigations involving the U.S. FCPA, SEC, DOJ, and Hong Kong regulatory bodies. One notable assignment was a major fraud investigation in the aviation industry, requiring onsite covert digital forensics acquisitions, analysis and management of an electronic document review. This investigation led to litigation proceedings in Europe where he was requested to give expert reports on the work conducted.

Mr. Teo has handled the eDiscovery process for several international arbitration matters involving a global energy conglomerate based in China. The matters involved custodians and data spread across Europe, China and Asia with a closed state secrets review in China with parallel hosted review platforms in China, Hong Kong and UK. One of the arbitrations spanned more than 5 years and Mr. Teo managed 100+ document production requests for this matter.

Mr. Teo has worked with clients across numerous industries including oil and gas, technology and banking. Prior to joining A&M, Mr. Teo spent more than two years with Chevron Corporation in its Risk Management department in London, where he served as a Team Leader in the Global IT Forensic team.

Mr. Teo earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the University of Queensland and is an EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCE) with certifications in Ethical Hacking (CEH) and Certified Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI). He also holds a graduate certificate in financial management (GCFM).

Mr. Teo has experience in working on matters in the following countries: China, Hong Kong (SAR), Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Ireland, Switzerland, Holland, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Angola, India, South Africa, and the United States. Mr. Teo is a native English speaker and speaks basic Cantonese. He is an Australian and British national.​
Edward H. Davis, Jr., a founding shareholder of Sequor Law, focuses his practice on the representation of individual, corporate and institutional victims of fraud throughout the world. Ed conducts financial fraud investigations, prosecutes civil claims for fraud and pursues misappropriated assets, having tracked such funds in jurisdictions across the globe, including Japan, the Bahamas, Latin America, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, among others.

A highly recognized and sought-after leader in his field, Ed is a Certified Fraud Examiner, Inaugural Chair of the Asset Recovery Sub-Committee of the International Bar Association’s Anti-Corruption Committee, and member of other distinguished boards and committees. Under his direction, Sequor Law has established itself as a leading member of the ICC Commercial Crimes Services FraudNet Network.

Ed frequently lectures on financial fraud and corruption to groups ranging from one of the world’s most prominent banks, to associations of certified public accountants and investigative agencies. He also counsels clients in fraud response crises based on his experience handling high-profile cases, including the second-largest Ponzi scheme in world history. Ed also is noted for filing the first Chapter 15 bankruptcy petition in the state of Florida.

Admitted to practice in Florida and before the United States District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, Ed is a Past Chair of the International Law Section for which he has served as the Chair, Chair-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer as well as on the Executive Council. He is the Founding Chair of its International Litigation and Arbitration Committee; a member of the Bankruptcy Bar of the Southern District of Florida, and a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and the Florida International Bankers Association. 

Favorite Quote:

“At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice, he is the worst.” – Aristotle
Emi is a partner and head of the firm’s Japan Practice. She has over 17 years of experience advising and representing clients throughout Asia on complex commercial litigation and international arbitration proceedings. Her experience includes advising clients across a wide range of industries, including financial institutions, energy corporations and global manufacturers. She has represented clients in arbitrations under the ICC, LCIA, SIAC and TAI rules. Emi’s expertise in dispute matters covers advising on commercial contracts, shareholder and joint venture disputes, employment, investigations (corruption, fraud and corporate governance) and competition law.

Emi is half Japanese and is fluent in both reading and writing in Japanese.

Languages

  • English

  • Japanese



Education

  • LL.B., Bristol University, UK

  • PCLL, Hong Kong University, HK

  • M. Couns., Monash University, Australia



Professional Qualifications

  • Member of HKIAC’s List of Arbitrators, 2023

  • Member of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb), 2022

  • Accredited Civil/Commerical Mediator (ADR ODR International), 2022

  • High Court of Hong Kong, 2001



Seminars/Speaking Engagements

  • Opening remarks at “Interview with SIAC Registrar Kevin Nash, Thai-related International Arbitration at SIAC: Trends and Practical Insights” organized by CIArb Thailand Branch, 6 October 2022

  • Moderator at “Successful Startups – how to avoid common pitfalls and manage disputes in Thailand” hosted by THAC, MDD and Kudun and Partners, 30 November 2022

  • Panelist at THAC Academy Launch Event, 19 December 2022



Recent Awards and Rankings

  • Thailand’s Top 100 lawyers in Asia Business Law Journal, 2021– 2022

Eugene Thuraisingam read law at the National University of Singapore, where he was placed on the Dean’s List in his final year. He was called to the bar in 2001.

In 2003, just two years into practice, Eugene was awarded the prestigious “Young Lawyer’s Award” by the Law Society of Singapore. Eugene rose through the ranks at Allen & Gledhill, one of Singapore’s largest and most storied firms, and was made partner in 2006, aged just 31. He later went on to join Stamford Law Corporation, where he was one of the pioneers in the firm’s dispute resolution practice. Between 2001 and 2012, although Eugene’s practice largely centred around high-value commercial dispute resolution, he was a regular volunteer with the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme. In his first decade of practice, Eugene developed a reputation for being an advocate who was fiery, incisive, and tenacious. Clients often described him as a “fighter”.

After spending more than 12 years in Singapore’s most distinguished law firms and arming himself with a wealth of experience in both commercial and criminal dispute resolution, Eugene decided to take the path less trodden. In 2012, he ventured out on his own and formed Eugene Thuraisingam LLP (“ETLLP”). Eugene embarked on a mission to build a firm that specialises in criminal defence and commercial dispute resolution while upholding the fundamental principles of access to justice.

In a span of less than a decade, ETLLP has blossomed to become a well-recognised boutique firm whose name is synonymous with criminal defence and public interest litigation. Although the firm often makes headlines for capital cases and constitutional challenges, the bulk of the firm’s practice involves commercial litigation and international disputes.

This well-rounded practice has earned Eugene, and the firm, widespread recognition and acclaim. Most notably, in 2020, Benchmark Litigation recognised ETLLP as the “Boutique Firm of the Year” in the Asia-Pacific Region and paid tribute to the firm’s involvement and expertise in complex domestic and cross-border disputes. For two consecutive years from 2020 – 2021, ETLLP was ranked amongst the “Best Law Firms” in Singapore by the Straits Times, and was ranked by the often referred to as ‘the gold-standard’, Chambers and Partners, in its 2022 edition of Chambers Asia-Pacific Guide for Corporate Investigations/Anti-Corruption: Domestic practice area. Eugene was named as one of Asia’s Top 15 Litigators 2022, and Asia Super 50 Disputes Lawyers 2022 by Asian Legal Business. He was recognised in the fields of Litigation and Criminal Defence in the Fourteenth Edition of The Best Lawyers™ in Singapore. Most recently, he has been named as a Litigation Star for White-collar Crime Disputes by Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2022.

In the field of criminal defence, Eugene and ETLLP have become household names. In the Straits Times’ Best Law Firms Survey 2022, ETLLP established itself as the lawyers’ choice for criminal defence as it received the highest number of recommendations from fellow law firms ranked.

Despite the immense growth and numerous successes, Eugene and ETLLP have never strayed away from its unwavering commitment to access of justice. Eugene received the LASCO award in 2016 for his work on capital cases. In 2021, he was appointed Pro Bono Ambassador of the Year for his tireless dedication to access to justice.

For Eugene, this focus on public interest litigation and access to justice is a natural extension of his personal belief in the importance of fundamental liberties and his creed that no cause or person should be denied justice. Over the years, Eugene has litigated many seminal cases involving human rights and fundamental liberties that have since found their way into constitutional textbooks.

These cases cover a wide spectrum of issues including freedom of speech, the constitutional right to counsel, s 377A, the exercise of prosecutorial discretion, and the constitutionality of statutes like POFMA and POHA. In many of these areas, ETLLP has played an instrumental role in advancing novel arguments and the development of the law.

Whether it is a criminal case, or a civil dispute, or a matter of public interest, Eugene and his team at ETLLP are the people you would want to have in your corner. As Eugene himself says “We will fight hard and fight on, because that is what fighters do.”




Having previously spent 20+ years working between Hong Kong, the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands and the UK, Gwynn Hopkins founded Perun Consultants in 2017.


Gwynn has worked as an insolvency practitioner and forensic accountant on a wide range of local and cross-border engagements and has a proven track record in the liquidation and restructuring of international financial services companies, particularly those involving complex litigation or with contentious matters to resolve. Having led teams for many years as a partner in the Caribbean and Hong Kong, Gwynn has a thorough understanding of both the onshore and offshore aspects of appointments.


In addition, Gwynn has extensive experience in forensic accounting assignments including asset-tracing and recovery engagements; due diligence investigations; and the preparation of loss of profits and asset valuation reports. Gwynn also takes roles such as acting as a consultant or an appointed independent director or trustee to assist distressed entities.


Gwynn has been recognised by Who's Who Legal: Consulting Experts in the fields of both forensic accounting and quantum of damages, where he is described as having "a mind like a steel trap according to respondents, who have the utmost confidence in his views on valuation issues and methodologies".


Representative engagements





  • Valuation of a financial services group for breach of contract litigation.




  • Valuation of a medical device manufacturer for shareholders dissenting to a merger under Cayman Islands S238 proceedings.




  • Valuation of an internet company for shareholders dissenting to a merger under Cayman Islands S238 proceedings.




  • Valuation of a medical research company for shareholders dissenting to a merger under Cayman Islands S238 proceedings.




  • Provision of expert opinion on valuation methodology and whether information sought in discovery was relevant to the valuation process.




  • Valuation of joint venture company created to distribute film and television productions, in support of designated expert witness in arbitration.




  • Valuation of joint venture company created to undertake public relations and marketing communications consultancy work, in support of designated expert witness in arbitration.




  • Part of quantum expert defence team in a USD100 million claim against a manufacturer arising from alleged supply of defective goods.




  • Serving as a board member of a private equity business to deal with extensive litigation issues and the sale of an operating asset worth in excess of USD1 billion.




  • Analysis of financial records of a manufacturing company to assist in recovery action against a former director.




  • Liquidator of Parmalat Capital Finance Limited, a Cayman Islands treasury company affected by a multi-billion dollar fraud.




  • Liquidator of Kingate Global Fund and Kingate Euro Fund; two BVI based funds affected by the Madoff fraud.




  • Liquidator of a media investment company.




  • Liquidator of Bank of Antigua.




  • Appointed as Trustee to investigate activities of, and recover assets for, a trust with investments involved in a bank fraud.




  • Liquidator of three connected property holding companies with extensive shareholder dispute issues to be resolved.




  • Receiver of a St. Lucian company which was exposed to the Madoff fraud.




  • Assisting the liquidator of five connected companies with pursuit and recovery of assets in Russia.




  • Advised on the restructuring of a corporate property portfolio involving numerous cross-ownership and cross-guarantee issues.




  • Consultant to US receiver to assist in securing and recovering assets in Hong Kong and mainland China.




Professional qualifications





  • Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants




  • Certified Public Accountant (Hong Kong)




  • Certified Fraud Examiner




  • Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators




  • Specialist Qualification (Insolvency) issued by the HKICPA




  • Diploma in International Financial Reporting Standards




  • Joint Insolvency Examination Board examination




  • Ordre des Experts-Comptables & ACCA joint certificate in business valuations







Henry Chambers is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal Disputes and Investigations in Hong Kong, specialising in fraud, corruption and regulatory matters. He brings over 12 years of experience in investigative accounting and disputes.  His primary areas of concentration are forensic accounting and investigation assignments, fraud, corruption, regulatory matters and litigation support. Mr. Chambers has worked with clients across a range of industries, including digital assets, manufacturing, technology and commodities.


Mr. Chambers leads A&M’s thought leadership group on cryptocurrency in Asia and has collaborated globally on cryptocurrency matters. Mr. Chambers is a founding member of the Crypto Fraud and Asset Recovery network in Hong Kong and is a regular guest lecturer for law firms and Hong Kong public institutions/interest groups (e.g. HKICPA, HKLAWSOC, HKCGI, InvestHK) on cryptocurrency fraud, investigations, disputes and governance issues.


Mr. Chambers is currently advising FTX in the Chapter 11 Bankruptcy proceedings with respect to the Asia based operations of the estate. The role entails oversight of all aspects of the exchange businesses in Japan and Singapore. Mr. Chambers is also leading the global AML/KYC initiative with respect to the estate's claims processing.


Prior to this, Mr. Chambers provided subject matter expertise in the management of the Eqonex crypto exchange  insolvency proceedings in Hong Kong and Singapore. Mr. Chambers also recently provided litigation support in a cryptocurrency-based dispute where one party was alleged to have been concealing digital assets during a court process. In addition, Mr. Chambers recently undertook an investigation into a USD2m cryptocurrency scam where a US citizen had fallen victim to a Sha Zhu Pan fraud. The investigation required the performance of blockchain analytics, preparation of fund flow diagrams and carried out deep web research to identify facts surrounding the fraud.


Prior to relocating to Hong Kong, Mr. Chambers was seconded to the UK’s Serious Fraud Office where he provided accounting and investigation expertise for the inquiry into the high-profile LIBOR rigging matter. Mr. Chambers was also part of the team that undertook an investigation on behalf of the Central Bank of Cyprus to determine the events that led up to a call for state aid from the two largest Cypriot banks.


Mr. Chambers earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Loughborough University and is a Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accounts England and Wales. 

Ian is a partner and head of our highly awarded Restructuring and Insolvency practice. He has been recognised as a leading lawyer in major legal publications including Chambers Asia Pacific, Legal 500 Asia Pacific and Who’s Who Legal for more than a decade. An experienced litigator, Ian advises officeholders, shareholders, large multinationals, high net worth individuals and listed companies on insolvency, restructuring and litigation matters. He was recently selected by Asian Legal Business as one of the Top 50 Disputes Lawyers in the Asia-Pacific region.

Ian and his team have been involved in most of the major restructurings and insolvencies in the region over the past two decades, acting for liquidators, receivers, creditors, bondholders, financial institutions and directors across a wide range of sectors. His experience finding solutions for clients puts him at the forefront of the restructuring and insolvency legal market in Hong Kong. He is seen as a go-to advisor for companies and individuals in distress and works with a wide and established network of professionals in Hong Kong and abroad including in offshore jurisdictions.

Additionally, Ian advises on a wide range of commercial and contractual disputes, partnership and shareholder disputes, high value fraud matters involving debt recovery, asset tracing and the enforcement of judgments, pre-emptive actions such as injunctions, court appointed receivers, and the appointment of provisional liquidators.

Over the years, Ian has acted in respect of investigations, regulatory matters and prosecutions carried out by the Police, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), the Commercial Crime Bureau (CCB), the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and various disciplinary committees.

Ian has been a member of the International Insolvency Institute for several years and sits on the Insolvency Committee for the Law Society, the Technical and Editorial Committee of the Restructuring and Insolvency Faculty of Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Official Receiver’s Office Services Advisory Committee, and was recently reappointed to his role as director of the Company and Insolvency Law Society (COINS). Ian is a member of the Working Party on Taxation in Civil Proceedings of The Law Society of Hong Kong and is also an accredited mediator of HKMAAL.

Ian De Witt was born in Wales and obtained an honours degree in law in London. After qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales, he joined and became a partner in a prominent London law firm where he worked for many years before coming to Hong Kong in 1996. Ian founded Tanner De Witt in 1999 with Richard Tanner with just one member of staff.

Key Cases

  • Advising in respect of various well known and publicised cases, from the collapse of iconic guitar brand Gibson to trademarks related to the iconic Mini Moke car, based on the Mini and originally produced by the British Motor Corporation in the 60s, to acting for the liquidators of STX Pan Ocean (Hong Kong) Co., Limited, a company owned by Korea’s largest drybulk carrier Pan Ocean Korea.

  • Acting in a number of benchmark cases, from the first recognition in Hong Kong of a bankruptcy in Japan to Field v. Barber Asia (the leading Hong Kong case involving negligence against an independent financial advisor.

  • Advising one of the largest seafood conglomerates in the world, China Fishery Group, on its highly publicised and hotly contested allegations of fraud in the sum of USD5.5 billion.

  • Acting for one of the major shareholders of a Hong Kong company in a group (that includes HK-listed companies) that is currently the subject of several complex and cross-border shareholders’ disputes.

  • Acting for independent accounting firm simultaneously as the security agent for bondholders and as the receivers and managers of the security of two Hong Kong Companies.

  • Instructed by multiple financial organisations to advise on and give expert evidence in foreign proceedings relating to a dispute and on whether Hong Kong is the most appropriate forum for dispute resolution.

  • Acting in the opposition of a winding-up petition and in seeking an Order for the presentation to creditors of an opposed scheme of arrangement under the Companies Ordinance, in a billion dollar debt restructuring in Hong Kong, forming part of one of the largest ever debt restructurings in Asia.

  • Acting in a variety of regulatory and professional disciplinary matters, including SFC and CIB.

  • Acting for the liquidators of many high profile administrations, notably Oasis Airlines.

  • Acting as an expert on Hong Kong liquidation procedure in US proceedings (including deposition).


Speaking Experience

Over the last few years, Ian has given many talks and presentations, in Hong Kong and Asia, on the topics of insolvency and commercial litigation. Recently Ian has presented at organisations such as:

  • American Bankruptcy Institute’s Annual International Insolvency Forum

  • INSOL International

  • International Association of Young Lawyers’ (AIJA) Half-Year Conference

  • Young International Mediation Competition

  • Thought Leaders FIRE


Speaking Topics

  • Arms Race: How Effective are Other Practical Weapons in Combatting Fraud

  • Bankruptcy, Individual Voluntary Arrangements and Corporate Rescue

  • Cross-border insolvencies involving Asia, the US and relevant offshore jurisdictions: A practical look at EMAS and China Fishery

  • Current Insolvency Issues in Hong Kong

  • Debt Recovery: How To Do It And Make It Pay

  • Dispute Resolution in China: to litigate or arbitrate?

  • Effects of COVID-19 on restructurings in Hong Kong

  • Enforcement and Recognition — Asian perspectives

  • IVA Practical Application in Hong Kong

  • Litigation in EU vs Litigating in Asia – What should I be aware of?

  • Provisional Liquidation: The Procedure, The Practice, And Its Link With Corporate Rescue In Hong Kong Winding Up Procedures

  • The Intersection of Trans-Pacific Trade and International Insolvency Regimes

  • Winding Up Procedures


 

Chambers and Partners 2023 quotes clients of Ian saying,”He is commercial, approachable and a fountain of knowledge in Hong Kong law and procedure.” Further, “Ian is an excellent problem solver.”

Legal 500 2023 notes, “Deep bench of talented and commercial lawyers led by Ian De Witt and Robin Darton. The firm offers seamless service with pragmatic and strategic advice.” And, “Ian de Witt and Robin Darton provide a very desirable mix of prior international law firm experience and working in a local team that has operated successfully in Hong Kong for many years, combining local knowledge with cross-border expertise.”

Who’s Who Legal recognises Ian as a Thought Leader in Asset Recovery (GIR) 2022 and remarks: ‘Ian De Witt is a star of the Hong Kong market. He is well versed in advising multi-nationals, shareholders and high-net worth individuals on a range of asset recovery, restructuring and insolvency issues.’ Additionally, “Ian De Witt is a prominent name in the asset recovery space, routinely representing key corporates in “heavyweight asset recovery work.” And, “Ian De Witt earns recognition from market commentators as a deeply experienced practitioner who regularly acts for liquidators, receivers, creditors and financial institutions.”

Selected by Asian Legal Business as being in the Top 50 Disputes lawyers in the Asia-Pacific region.

Chambers Asia Pacific 2021 notes: Ian De Witt is widely respected as a market leader with “a really good reputation” for complex insolvency matters. His deep expertise spans both the advisory and contentious aspects of restructuring and insolvency-related work. Ian is listed as a Band 1 Leading Individual.

Asia Pacific Legal 500 2021 notes: Ian is one of the ‘top practitioners in insolvency and restructuring’, ‘user-friendly and cost-conscious’ and ‘easy to work with and very strategic.’ Ian is listed in the Hall of Fame of Restructuring and Insolvency lawyers in Hong Kong.

Asia Pacific Legal 500 2020 notes: ‘Two of the most prominent insolvency/restructuring lawyers in Hong Kong’, co-heads Ian De Witt and Robin Darton have ‘great all-round experience’. It notes that they form ‘One of the top insolvency teams in the market’…highly in demand as a result of its ‘specialised experience combined with practical advice’.

Chambers Asia Pacific 2020 notes: Ian De Witt is described as “one of the bible writers for insolvency law” by one source who adds: ‘He’s a walking dictionary on legal matters relating to insolvency.’ He often advises on contentious matters and counts distressed companies, liquidators and bond trustees among his clients. A market commentator notes: “He’s a safe pair of hands, he’s someone who really thinks of the problems that the cases give rise to and he’s got an almost encyclopaedic understanding of insolvency law.”

Ian won the IFLR Client Choice Award 2020.

Who’s Who Legal recognises Ian as a Thought Leader in GIR 2019, Litigation 2020 & Restructuring & Insolvency 2020 and as a Global Leader in its Asset Recovery, Litigation 2019 & Restructuring & Insolvency 2020 & 2022 rankings.

Asia Pacific Legal 500 2019 notes: The ‘excellent‘ Ian De Witt has been advising ENRE Holdings as a major creditor on the restructuring of Petrocom; notably De Witt recently successfully stayed the winding-up order against Petrocom, enabling the company to recommence its trading operations.

Chambers Asia Pacific 2019 notes: Ian De Witt is a veteran at handling a range of insolvency matters, from debt recovery to pre-emptive actions and the appointment of provisional liquidators. One client enthuses: “Ian’s approach is very personal and reassuring. He has a very casual manner about him which really helps, as these situations are very stressful, taking away a lot of the pain of the process in what was not a very savoury situation.”

Ian has been recognised by Who’s Who Legal 2018 as a leader in his field for Asset Recovery and Restructuring & Insolvency and comes “highly recommended” for “his excellence in asset recovery and tracing matters”.

Ian is listed as a Market-leading Lawyer for Dispute Resolution & Litigation and Restructuring & Insolvency by the 2018 Edition of Asialaw Leading Lawyers.

Asia Pacific Legal 500 2018 notes: An ‘established player in the Hong Kong market’, Tanner De Witt is particularly recommended at the contentious end of the market; the ‘excellent’ Ian De Witt is recommended.

Chambers Asia Pacific 2018 notes: Ian De Witt has close to 30 years of experience in the insolvency practice area in London and Hong Kong. One client says: “Ian De Witt, in my opinion, is the best insolvency lawyer in Hong Kong.”

Chambers Asia Pacific 2017 notes: Ian has 30 years of experience acting for creditors, receivers and liquidators on major, complex insolvencies and restructurings. One client remarks: “He gets into the nitty-gritty, but also sees the big picture.” He advised Asian Bamboo on the replacement of directors of its subsidiaries with a preliminary insolvency administrator.

Asia Pacific Legal 500 2017 notes: ‘An expert in the field of insolvency-related matters’, Tanner De Witt has a well-established practice and enjoys strong relationships with key insolvency practitioners. ‘All-round expert’ Ian De Witt is noted for his ‘practical advice’; he recently assisted a well-known Hong Kong-based company with the winding up of several entities.

Ian is listed in the Legal Media Group Guide to the World’s Leading Insolvency and Restructuring Lawyers.

Ian is consistently ranked as a ‘Leading Lawyer’ for restructuring and insolvency in Hong Kong by various industry publications including Chambers Asia and Asia Pacific Legal 500. Ian is a Leading Lawyer for Restructuring and Insolvency in the 2018 Edition of Asialaw Leading Lawyers and the 2018 Edition of IFLR1000.

Chambers Asia Pacific 2016 notes: “Ian De Witt… ‘very quickly gets the issues, speaks with authority and gives advice with confidence.’ He is held in high esteem by peers who frequently mention him as a leading expert on insolvency matters.”

Asia Pacific Legal 500 2016 notes: “The lawyers ‘go out of their way to maintain ongoing close relationships with clients’ and are ‘extremely good at what they do’. Ian De Witt and Robin Darton are both ‘very competent, practical and commercial’”.

IFLR1000 2016 notes: ‘As an insolvency practitioner, I primarily use Tanner De Witt for advice in the area of insolvency and related litigation,’ one client says. ‘It has a number of partners, namely Ian De Witt, Robin Darton and Anthony Hill, who are very capable and experienced in this area. I would have no hesitation in recommending their services’.

Professional Memberships

  • American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI)

  • British Chamber of Commerce

  • Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA)

  • Fellow of the Hong Kong Credit and Collection Management Association (HKCCMA)

  • Hong Kong International Arbitration Center

  • Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA) Restructuring and Insolvency Faculty Technical Sub-Committee

  • Insolvency Law Committee of The Law Society of Hong Kong

  • Institute of Financial Planners of Hong Kong

  • International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL International)

  • International Bar Association (IBA)

  • International Insolvency Institute (III)

  • International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC)

  • Law Society Insolvency Committee

  • Mediator accredited by the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC)

  • The Law Society of Hong Kong

  • ThoughtLeaders 4 Fraud, Insolvency, Recovery, Enforcement (FIRE)

  • Turnaround Management Association (TMA)

  • Company and Insolvency Law Society (COINS)

  • Working Party on Taxation in Civil Proceedings of The Law Society of Hong Kong


Other Memberships

  • Classic Car Club of Hong Kong

  • Gold Coast Yacht and Country Club

  • Hong Kong Club

  • Hong Kong member of: St David’s Society; The Royal Society of St George; St Patrick’s Society; and St Andrew’s Society

  • Land Rovers Owner Club

  • MG Owners’ Club

  • Oriental Club London

  • Royal Commonwealth Society

  • Royal Geographical Society

Jack specialises in providing investigative support to cross jurisdictional disputes, complex money laundering and fraud matters.  Jack is a member of the Mintz Group’s international asset tracing unit that specialises in tracing assets around the world and has helped his clients enforce judgements in a number of significant cases during his sixteen years living in Southeast Asia.  Jack and the Mintz Group have particular expertise in areas they have found critical to asset tracing and recovery including shipping, real estate, aircraft as well as computer forensics.  Jack has worked extensively looking at money laundering issues in a number of jurisdictions in Asia, with a strong focus on Myanmar, Indonesia and Malaysia as well as a number of offshore jurisdictions in both Asia and the Caribbean.

John Cusack is a leading financial crime fighter with significant industry experience having been twice co-chair of the Wolfsberg Group (2004-2005 and 2017-2019), the global association which develops guidance and principles for managing financial crime risks. John was previously Global MLRO at UBS and Standard Chartered Bank and is currently editor of the Financial Crime News and author of “Red Alert”, “the Global Threat Assessment 2019” and “Sub-Saharan Africa Threat Assessment 2020”. He has also been a founding supporter of public private partnerships, including the UK’s JIMLIT and similar ones in Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as information sharing initiatives in the US.

John Han is a litigator and advocate who helps clients achieve business objectives in matters involving Greater China, other parts of APAC, the U.S. and offshore jurisdictions including the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands.


Mr. Han has acted as lead counsel in a wide range of cross-border disputes involving monetization of bonds, loans, judgments and awards on behalf of investors, states, state-owned enterprises and multinational corporations. He regularly leads large-scale cross-border matters to monetize substantial defaulted offshore bonds, guarantees and loans where assets are concealed through complex offshore structures, trusts and foundations. Mr. Han also represents clients in matters involving simultaneous strategies in multiple jurisdictions—recently Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, India, Channel Islands, England and Wales, offshore jurisdictions and U.S. federal and state courts.


He has been cited on topics involving cross-border bond and loan monetization by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Reuters, Bloomberg, Global Restructuring Review and Global Arbitration Review.


Mr. Han is admitted as a Solicitor Advocate in Hong Kong and admitted in the courts of the Dubai International Financial Centre, the Astana International Financial Centre Court and in the United States.

John Wojcik serves as an Associate Programme Officer with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific based in Bangkok, Thailand. He oversees transnational organized crime research and analysis, covering areas including illicit drug and precursor trafficking, cyberfraud and online scams, and underground banking and money laundering. Prior to joining the Regional Office in 2020, John served as an analyst covering the human trafficking and money laundering portfolios with the UNODC Country Office in Lao PDR. John holds an M.A. in political economy as well as certifications in blockchain analysis and cyber threat intelligence, and is currently completing an M.Sc. in forensic computing and cybercrime investigation.

Joshua has over 17 years’ experience in financial crime compliance consulting at PwC, Deloitte, and Ernst & Young, in addition to having worked at Goldman Sachs, Citibank, and the Bank of America. He is experienced in partnering with bankers on understanding risks and resolving issues around complex investigations, risk mitigation measures, and client exits. He has advised private banks on financial crime related issues, including complete remediations and source of wealth reviews, created and enhanced risk assessment, ‘KYC’, source of wealth, fraud, name-screening, sanctions and transaction monitoring processes, and built and managed multi-year financial crime and fraud mitigation programmes at a number of private banks. He has a wealth of detailed private banking financial crime, fraud and regulatory knowledge in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, the US, and globally, including experience in managing regulatory matters with the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the Securities & Futures Commission of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, and US regulators.


He is a New York State licensed attorney.



Kate is counsel in Carey Olsen's litigation, insolvency and restructuring practice in Singapore. Her main area of practice includes commercial and shareholders’ disputes, trust and estate disputes, and insolvency and restructuring matters. She is qualified to practise in Singapore, England & Wales, Bermuda and the British Virgin Islands.

Kate has extensive experience advising clients across a broad spectrum of cross-border litigation and international arbitration matters. She has been appointed as arbitrator by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and is a member of SIAC’s Reserve Panel of Arbitrators. She is also the first offshore lawyer to be invited to serve on the APAC regional committee of the Young Singapore International Arbitration Centre (YSIAC) Council.

In addition to her work as a disputes practitioner, Kate is part of the core team who is involved in putting together a textbook on "Commercial Litigation and Enforcement" which is published by The Global Legal Post. She is also a contributing author to two editions of Arbitration in Singapore: A Practical Guide (edited by The Honourable the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon), and the first reference guide to investment protection in the ASEAN region – Investment Protection in Southeast Asia: A Country-by-Country Guide on Arbitration Laws and Bilateral Investment Treaties.

Kate is fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese and conversant in basic Bahasa Indonesia and Japanese. She is also an active member of INSOL, IWIRC, YSIAC and Arbitral Women.


Career




Kate started her practice in the litigation department of one of the largest law firms in Southeast Asia, where she advised clients on a broad spectrum of company, commercial and insolvency disputes. She subsequently practised in UK-based international firms where she expanded her portfolio to act for clients in international arbitration, investor-State dispute settlement and public international law matters.

Throughout her career, Kate has acted for and advised States, State entities, financial institutions, funds, private multinational companies as well as high-net-worth individuals on a broad spectrum of litigation, arbitration and insolvency disputes. She has also assisted multinational corporations in investigations relating to the UK Bribery Act and US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Ken Gamble is the co-founder and current Executive Chairman of IFW Global. Ken is a front-line cybercrime investigator with extensive qualifications and experience in investigation, intelligence, surveillance and asset recovery, developed over a 32-year career. Ken has consulted to various foreign governments and law enforcement agencies and presented on cybercrime topics at Interpol events. Ken has received three law enforcement awards from the Philippine National Police, Anti-Cybercrime Group, for his work on uncovering and exposing cybercrime groups in the Philippines.
A former U.S. Department of Justice Special Agent who pioneered an early federal task force focusing exclusively on crypto and dark web crimes.  Has led numerous major crypto-related investigations to include the takedown of Hydra - the largest crypto-powered dark web criminal organization and money laundering platform in the world.

Luke has extensive experience in complex and high-value international commercial transactions. Luke’s practice involves a wide range of operational and financial restructuring and advisory work, with a particular focus on special situations.


Recent assignment highlights:


KrisEnergy Limited: appointed liquidator in Cayman Islands over a Singapore listed oil and gas company with operations throughout Asia.


Agritrade Resources Limited: appointed provisional liquidator in Bermuda over a Hong Kong listed energy company with assets in Indonesia (coal) and India (power).


Project Build: appointed Chief Restructuring Officer to Singapore listed design and construction company with operating businesses in Singapore, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Dubai and Myanmar. The engagement included taking the business through nine (9) parallel scheme of arrangements in Singapore and Malaysia and raising a S$62 million rescue financing facility.


Project Work: appointed Chief Restructuring Officer to one of Singapore’s leading co-working and property development companies, taking the business through a pre-pack scheme of arrangement and securing new funding to facilitate its restructuring.


HyOilPte Limited: appointed liquidator to Singapore holding entities with a 100% ownership interest in a producing Indonesian oil and gas field.

Based in the Singapore office, Marjolein is responsible for the strategic assessment and management of cross-border litigation, arbitration and enforcement activities with a particular focus on South-East Asia.


Before joining Omni Bridgeway, Marjolein worked with Philippines-listed conglomerate Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. in Manila until she moved to Singapore in 2017. Marjolein holds a Master’s degree in Dutch civil and in Dutch criminal law from the Rijksuniversiteit Leiden and a Master of Laws from Columbia University in New York. Marjolein was admitted to the Amsterdam Bar as well as the New York Bar and worked with two major Dutch law firms from 1998 until she moved to the Philippines in 2013. She has extensive experience with cross-border, complex and high-stake litigation with a focus on the insurance, construction, engineering and power sectors. Marjolein has an in-depth knowledge of the markets in the Netherlands, the USA and Asia-Pacific.

Marjolein is recognised in the Lawdragon Global 100 Leaders in Legal Finance 2021-2023 Guides, Who's Who Legal Thought Leaders Third-Party Funding 2022-2023 Guides, and is fluent in Dutch and English, and understands German, French and Tagalog.
Matt Friedman is an international human trafficking expert with more than 30 years’ experience. He is CEO of The Mekong Club, an organization of Hong Kong’s leading businesses which have joined forces to help end all forms of modern slavery. Mr. Friedman previously worked for USAID and the United Nations in over 40 countries. Mr. Friedman offers technical advice to numerous governments, banks and corporations working to eliminate all forms of modern slavery and is the author of twelve books. In 2017, Mr. Friedman won Asia’s prestigious “Communicator of the Year” Gold Award.





Michael Harrington is the principal in charge of Control Risks’ business intelligence practice in South Asia, and the regional disputes intelligence lead for Asia Pacific. An investigator for more than 15 years, Michael specializes in gathering facts and intelligence to help clients make complex business decisions, mitigate risks, and succeed during cross-border disputes.

Recent tasks that Michael has worked on include:




  • Leading a multijurisdictional investigation into supply chains during an intellectual property dispute, culminating in an expert report and Michael’s testimony at an arbitration tribunal.

  • Providing assessments of the intentions, motivations, and influence of public and private sector stakeholders in India, to foreign companies facing regulatory and political headwinds in the country.

  • Mapping global assets of debtors and gathering intelligence to provide clients with sufficient leverage to reach a favourable settlement or outcome in arbitration.

  • Managing due diligence assignments globally, often focused on potential integrity risks associated with acquisition targets, joint venture partners or third parties.

  • Conducting field enquiries in more than a dozen countries in Asia to discreetly gather sensitive information before transactions and during disputes.



Michael previously worked for another global investigations firm, where he set up an office in Mumbai and ran operations for South Asia, managed assignments throughout the Asia Pacific region from Hong Kong, and worked for a U.S.-based global anti-corruption practice. Michael received his Master of Business Administration from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from The George Washington University.




Michael Popkin is a partner in Mourant's litigation practice in Hong Kong. He advises on all aspects of offshore disputes and distressed situations, including applications for urgent injunctive or other relief.  He is particularly experienced in disputes relating to investment funds and significant financial transactions and disputes between stakeholders.  He regularly acts for insolvency practitioners, creditors, directors and directors’ committees, fund managers and administrators, trustees, investors and major shareholders or beneficiaries. Most of the matters he works on are multi-jurisdictional in scope where he coordinates with legal and counsel teams across jurisdictions worldwide.


Before joining Mourant in 2022, Michael worked in another offshore law firm in Hong Kong and the Cayman Islands for six years. Prior to that he practised for 14 years in the litigation and dispute resolution practice of a large onshore Australian firm in Sydney, Australia, and for 10 years with leading law firms in Bangkok, Thailand and Phnom Penh, Cambodia. During the course of his career, he has worked on matters involving transactions in most jurisdictions in Asia.


Michael is registered as a foreign lawyer in Hong Kong and has been admitted to practise in the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, England and Wales, New South Wales, Australia (currently non-practising) and in New York, USA (currently non-practising).


He is recognised in the Legal 500 Caribbean 2024, Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024, and Chambers Asia Pacific 2024 for offshore dispute resolution.

Michelle Gon is a senior attorney with more than three decades of experience in the Greater China markets. She helps multinational clients deal with knotty and challenging legal issues, having developed a highly-regarded practice focused on cross-border compliance and regulatory matters.

Michelle is a partner of Han Kun Law Offices, based in Shanghai. She focuses her practice on representing clients in complicated and challenging compliance and regulatory matters, including anti-corruption, unfair competition, anti-monopoly, anti-fraud, export control and trade sanction areas. Well respected for her ability to provide clients with her personal devotion and offering practical advice on solving complex legal issues.

Most of Michelle’s clients are leading MNCs doing business in China, or large, China-based MNCs doing business globally, across a wide range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, life sciences, healthcare, agriculture, food-related products, wine and spirits, hospitality, cruise lines, manufacturing, IT and high tech. Before joining Han Kun, Michelle held senior roles at other leading international law firms. She also formerly served as the Chief Legal Officer/Vice President of Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (“SMIC”), and an International Attorney for McDonald’s Corporation, headquartered in Illinois.
Cambodian National Police

Join Police Force: 1988


Designation and Position from 1988 Present:




  • 1988-1993     : Office at Phnom Penh Municipal Police

  • 1999-2001.    : Assistant to Director of Central Judicial Department

  • 2001-2005    : Assistant to Commissioner General and Deputy Chief of Staff

  • 2005-2022   : Assistant to Commissioner General and Director of Anti-Cybercrime Department

  • 2022- Present : Deputy Commissioner General


Education Background:




  • Finished FBI LEEDs on 17th August 2023

  • Finished ILVP Cyber Security 16th April 2021

  • B.A Management (National University of Management)

  • Master in Business administration (National University of Management)

  • FBI National Academy

  • Pacific Training Initiative (FBI)

  • Counter Terrorism and Intelligence (Australia Federal Police)

  • Wining with Emotional Case

  • Executive leadership (International Law Enforcement Academy)


Working and Honor Medal:




  • Golden Medal

  • National Guard (Golden Class)

  • Seniority Medal

Robin has been practising as a lawyer in Hong Kong since 1995, and has been a partner and head of our Restructuring and Insolvency team since 2005. Robin is recognised as one of the ‘most prominent’ insolvency and restructuring lawyers in Hong Kong and as having ‘great all-round experience’ by Chambers Asia Pacific. He is also recognised in Legal 500 Asia Pacific’s Hall of Fame for Restructuring and Insolvency in Hong Kong.

Robin has advised on some of Asia’s highest profile insolvencies and restructurings over the past two decades (for example Moulin Eyewear, Akai, Lehman Brothers, MF Global, OW Bunker, Kaisa, projects for China Cinda). Robin advises insolvency practitioners, private equity and distressed funds, asset managers and debtors on a range of issues with an emphasis on restructuring and insolvency matters. His experience includes acting in domestic and cross-border winding-up proceedings; bond restructurings; schemes of arrangement; bankruptcy matters; appointments of provisional liquidators; cross-border recognition proceedings; claims against directors and auditors; fraud and asset tracing; enforcement of security; and debt recovery. Robin advises across a range of sectors including retail, natural resources, construction, real estate and financial services.

Robin also advises in relation to general commercial litigation including shareholders’ disputes and disputes relating to international sales of goods and commodities. Robin has also throughout his career advised on shipping, aviation and marine insurance related disputes.

Robin has extensive experience acting in banking litigation matters with a focus on financial transactions disputes. This includes debt recovery; enforcement of securities; guarantees; and contentious matters relating to trade and securities finance, such as disputes concerning Letters of Credit and Bills of Exchange.

A significant proportion of Robin’s matters involve offshore considerations where he makes regular use of his strong and well established relationships with offshore qualified lawyers, particularly those from Cayman, BVI, Channel Islands and Bermuda. Many of Robin’s matters also involve cross-border elements in Mainland China where he works closely with Mandarin speaking members of the team.

Robin is consistently recognised as a ‘Leading Lawyer’ for restructuring and insolvency in Hong Kong by various industry publications including the Asia Pacific rankings of Chambers and Legal 500, IFLR, Lawdragon, Who’s Who Legal and the Global Restructuring Review. Robin lives with his family in Clearwater Bay, has a keen interest in all sports, in particular football, and enjoys exploring the country parks near his home.

Key Cases

  • Advising the liquidators of Lehman Brothers Europe and the Hong Kong MF Global entities.

  • Advised on Kaisa Group’s debt restructuring (Asian-mena Counsel Deal of the Year 2016).

  • Advising a major PRC-headquartered and State-backed asset manager in connection with its involvement in the financial restructuring of a substantial real estate project concerning a hotel property in the heart of Hong Kong (IFLR Innovative Law Firm of the Year 2020).

  • Advising China Shanshui Cement Group, a listed client in the construction materials industry in a long-running and high value cross-border contentious matter, arising from a hotly contested take-over between three groups all listed on the Hong Kong and other stock exchanges, and a PRC State-Owned Enterprise.

  • Acting for KPMG as the liquidators of China City Construction International Co. Limited, which collapsed following default of the bonds issued by it in the sum of RMB2.5bn (approx. USD385m), and various litigation matters regarding the group’s broad and complex range of commercial deals.

  • Acting for the Provisional Liquidators appointed in the Cayman Islands over Natural Dairy (NZ) Holdings Ltd, a Hong Kong-listed company that appears to have been the victim of a large-scale fraud in relation to a transaction to purchase a number of dairy farms in New Zealand worth hundreds of millions of USD.

  • Advising the Provisional Liquidators of Hong Kong-listed international steel trading group Burwill in its efforts to rescue its business, including preparing Burwill’s scheme of arrangement and various restructuring documentation, including cross border debt restructuring.

  • Acting for a well-known bank in relation to a suspected fraud perpetrated under a trade finance facility, including obtaining injunctions against the individual concerned to freeze his assets worldwide and orders appointing provisional liquidators over the companies concerned; and subsequently advising in relation to investigating the position and attempts to recover monies.


Speaking Experience

Robin speaks on and writes articles relating to various topics related to insolvency and commercial litigation, and has assisted INSOL in respect of its Foundation Certificate course, preparing the module relating to Hong Kong.

Robin was elected President of the Hong Kong chapter of Turnaround Management Association (TMA) in 2016, a position he held for two years.

Robin’s recent speaking and writing experience includes:

  • INSOL Foundation Certificate, Hong Kong module (2019 to present)

  • Offshore Alert (2020), speaking on the panel Offshore/onshore case study on insolvency and global asset recovery (vGLOBAL 2020 conference)

  • INSOL New York (2018), speaking on the panel Offshore restructuring — what’s happening and what’s interesting

  • Chairing the TMA (Turnaround Management Association)’s 2017 Asia Pacific Conference held in Hong Kong

  • Speaking on the panel Cross-border insolvency in practice at the Debtwire Forum in Hong Kong (June 2017)

  • Recording a Debtwire Podcast on Hong Kong’s insolvency regime


Articles Published

  • INSOL’s collection of essays on the implications of Brexit on restructuring regimes

  • “Liquidators do not require Court Approval for Litigation Funding Agreements”

  • “Another obiter judgment, what is the status of the “Lasmos” approach now?”

  • “Obtaining Validation Orders to pay restructuring costs”

  • “Arbitration clauses and insolvency proceedings revisited”

  • “Liquidators in the Labour Tribunal”

  • “The Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Ordinance”

  • “Hong Kong Insolvency Law – in need of its own restructuring?”

  • “Litigation funding for foreign insolvency practitioners — an update”


 

Chambers and Partners 2023 notes, “Robin has buckets of experience, and is technically strong.” Additionally, “He knows very well how things work in the Hong Kong market, and what you need, be it legal advice or strategy.”

Legal 500 2023 comments that the Restructuting and Insolvency practice is a, “Deep bench of talented and commercial lawyers led by Ian De Witt and Robin Darton. The firm offers seamless service with pragmatic and strategic advice.” Additionally, “Ian de Witt and Robin Darton provide a very desirable mix of prior international law firm experience and working in a local team that has operated successfully in Hong Kong for many years, combining local knowledge with cross-border expertise.”

Who’s Who Legal 2022 notes, “Robin Darton adeptly advises leading businesses from the energy, retail and construction sectors on intricate asset tracing matters. Robin Darton sits amongst the foremost practitioners in the market, with peers praising him as a leading independent in the restructuring and insurance field.”

Who’s Who Legal recognises Robin as a Thought Leader in Asset Recovery (GIR) 2022 and states: ‘Robin Darton is identified by commentors as a top-tier restructuring and insolvency specialist, who also brings over 20 years of experience in fraud and asset tracing issues to his clients’ briefs.’

Chambers Asia Pacific 2021 notes: Robin Darton is a highly regarded authority on international insolvency and liquidation matters. One market source describes him as “a good guy who is well respected,” while a second commentator calls him “a really highly regarded insolvency practitioner.” On the Dispute Resolution: Litigation area, Robin is also “praised by a client, who asserts that he is “really good and really knows his work,” while another source notes that he is an “experienced practitioner who has been around a long time and is very solid.” He is well regarded for handling disputes stemming from restructuring and insolvency, as well as shareholder disputes.”

Asia Pacific Legal 500 2021 notes: Robin is one of the ‘top practitioners in insolvency and restructuring’, ‘user-friendly and costs conscious’ and ‘easy to work with and very strategic.’

Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020 notes: ‘Two of the most prominent insolvency/restructuring lawyers in Hong Kong’, co-heads Ian De Witt and Robin Darton have ‘great all-round experience’. It notes that they form ‘One of the top insolvency teams in the market’…highly in demand as a result of its ‘specialised experience combined with practical advice’.

Chambers Asia Pacific 2020 notes: Robin Darton has a strong reputation for his deft handling of contentious restructuring and insolvency cases. He also acts on shareholder and investment disputes and securities enforcement proceedings. Clients praise his practical knowledge, commenting: “He’s a very astute practitioner who knows the courts and the Hong Kong Bar well.”

Robin Darton is listed on The Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers 2020.

Who’s Who Legal recognises Robin as a Thought Leader in GIR 2019 & Restructuring & Insolvency 2020 and as a Global Leader in Asset Recovery & Restructuring & Insolvency 2021.

Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2019 notes: Robin Darton has a strong reputation on both the creditor and the debtor side for his ability to represent the office-holders or directors of troubled companies. Much of Darton’s work includes multi-jurisdictional matters, with a significant proportion flowing from offshore issues.

Chambers Asia Pacific 2019 notes: Robin Darton is a seasoned expert in Hong Kong insolvency disputes, acting for trustees in bankruptcy cases, disputes relating to shareholders’ agreements and applications for the appointment of receivers. A client describes him as “very competent, very practical and commercially oriented.”

Robin is listed as a Leading Lawyer for Banking & Finance, Dispute Resolution & Litigation and Restructuring & Insolvency in the 2018 Edition of Asialaw Leading Lawyers.

Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2018 notes: The ‘very experienced’ Robin Darton is advising the liquidators of the Hong Kong subsidiary of Singaporean conglomerate Dragon Technology Distribution on the validity of and interplay between various receivables financing arrangements and other security arrangements established between the debtor and numerous lenders. Darton also continues to act for the liquidators of the Hong Kong-based subsidiary of OW Bunker in its high-profile collapse.

Chambers Asia Pacific 2018 notes: With over two decades of experience in Hong Kong, Robin Darton is praised for his “skills in managing stakeholders,” as one client explains, adding: “He is an expert at it.” Renowned for his contentious work, he has recently advised numerous liquidators on several insolvency-related disputes.

Chambers Asia Pacific 2017 notes: Robin focuses his practice on contentious insolvency cases, where he acts for both creditors and debtors. He represented the liquidators of OW Bunker China in a dispute with the receivers in connection with the payment of USD150 million in receivables. Clients say: “He is sensible, commercial, astute and technically good too.”

Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2017 notes: “Robin Darton acted for the liquidators of OW Bunker in Hong Kong following the highly publicised collapse of the group….among other headline mandates, Darton represented Kaisa Group during the complex restructuring of its offshore debt amounting to over $2.5bn“.

Asialaw Leading Lawyers 2017 notes that: ‘”Robin Darton [is] very knowledgeable in the area of insolvency,” says a client. Darton advised PRC real estate developer Kaisa Group on the restructuring of its offshore debt of more than $2.5 billion. Darton is also advising the liquidators of the Hong Kong arm of marine fuel supplier OW Bunker China on issues regarding security, cross-border insolvency and maritime law.’

Robin is recommended by Asia Law & Practice as a ‘Leading Lawyer’ for Insolvency and Restructuring (2016, 2015 and 2014) and by IFLR1000 in its 2017 Edition.

Robin has been recognised by Who’s Who Legal as a leader in his field for Asset Recovery 2018, 2016, 2014, 2013 and Restructuring and Insolvency 2016.

Robin is listed in Legal Media Group Guide to the World’s Leading Insolvency and Restructuring Lawyers.

 

Professional Memberships

  • American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI)

  • Banking Litigation Network

  • Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants Restructuring and Insolvency Faculty (RIF)

  • International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL International)

  • International Insolvency Institute

  • International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC)

  • Turnaround Management Association (TMA) of Hong Kong (past President)

  • The Law Society of England and Wales

  • Law Society of Hong Kong

  • The Company and Insolvency Law Society (COINS)

  • ThoughtLeaders 4 Fraud, Insolvency, Recovery, Enforcement (FIRE)


Other Memberships

  • Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong (FCC)

  • The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC)




Simon Hui leads the Firm's Investigations, Compliance & Ethics and Dispute Resolution team in Shanghai. With more than 25 years of practice experience, he has in-depth experience in handling dispute resolution as well as compliance/regulatory matters including anti-bribery/anti-corruption, unfair competition and supply chain management related risks and issues.

Simon is a skilled investigator and has conducted complex internal investigations for a large number of multinational companies across a range of industries. He also has experience in dealing with PRC judiciary bodies and regulators such as SPC, SAIC and SAFE. He assists various multinational companies with conducting due diligence, risk assessment and compliance system structuring, and provides training to their management and business teams on anti-corruption, anti-bribery and cybersecurity related issues.

He has been interviewed by leading business media such as the Financial Times for his work on assisting the SOE in the establishment of compliance system as the country pushes for its SOEs to participate in the Belt & Road Initiatives.

From 2016 to 2023, Simon was recognized as the "Tier 1 Leading Individual" in the field of Regulatory & Compliance and Dispute Resolution in China by Legal 500 for eight consecutive years. In 2022 and 2023, Simon earned the recognition of the "Leading Individual" in Corporation Investigations/Anti-Corruption by Chambers Greater China. In 2022, He was awarded "Regulatory & Compliance Lawyer of the Year" by China Law & Practice (CLP) and "A-List: China's Elite Lawyers" by China Business Law Journal (CBLJ). Simon is also an arbitrator of the Shanghai Arbitration Commission and an arbitrator of the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (formerly known as the "South China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission" the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area International Arbitration Center" and the "Shenzhen Arbitration Commission").




Practice Focus


Simon's practice focuses on commercial and insurance litigation, international arbitration, and regulatory and compliance.



Representative Legal Matters




  • Acted as the lead regulatory compliance counsel for Volkswagen in relation to two major investments in China's electric vehicle market. He led the team to develop an effective compliance management program for the client.

  • Assisted a major multinational pharmaceutical company to conduct a large-scale anti-bribery/corruption internal investigation in respect of its business activities in China. Conducted interviews with employees, reviewed evidence and provide recommendations.

  • Assisted a US-based aircraft leasing company to repossess an aircraft against a delinquent Chinese freight carrier. Assisted the US leasing company to participate in a bankruptcy proceedings in the PRC to recover the outstanding rental hire and repossession costs and expenses totaling USD 20 million.

  • Assisted a Lloyds Syndicate in the handling of a multimillion pounds product liability claim against several animal feeds manufacturers in Hunan Province.

  • Assisted a Swiss manufacturer of fuel injection machinery in a CIETAC arbitration proceeding against a local purchaser.

  • Assisted an Italian glass manufacturing company in a CIETAC arbitration against a US supplier in respect of disputes arising out of a gas supplying agreement.

  • Assisted a US-based aircraft leasing company to repossess an aircraft against a delinquent Chinese freight carrier. Assisted the US leasing company to participate in a bankruptcy proceedings in the PRC to recover the outstanding rental hire and repossession costs and expenses totaling USD 20 million.

  • Represented an Egyptian travel company in a contract dispute with one leading Chinese travel agency which subsequently entered bankruptcy proceeding during the litigation proceeding; acted for this client (as the creditor) in the bankruptcy proceeding against the same Chinese company.

  • Advising a top UK-based insurance company on the acquisition of a top four P&C insurance company in China.

  • Advising a Europe-based Fortune 500 company on establishing a joint venture fund management company in China.



Tiffany Wong is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal’s Restructuring Practice in Hong Kong, China. She brings more than 20 years of experience in restructuring, insolvency and dispute resolution. Ms. Wong advises borrowers and lenders in consensual restructuring and acts as a court-appointed officer in insolvency situations and disputes.



With experience spanning international and Chinese restructuring regimes, Ms. Wong advises clients in challenging cross-border projects involving complex structures across multiple jurisdictions. Her recent engagements include advising on the multi-jurisdictional enforcement action involving the LYCRA Group, a manufacturer of fibre and technology solutions for apparel, where she assisted the mezzanine lenders in formulating and successfully implementing a restructuring and enforcement strategy.

Ms. Wong is also a Joint & Several Provisional Liquidator (JPL) of Genting Hong Kong Ltd., a cruise and entertainment operator headquartered in Asia. She participated in the restructuring of Luckin Coffee Inc., as one of the JPLs following its admission of accounting fraud. After multiple regulatory investigations in the U.S. and the PRC and a loss of investor confidence, Ms. Wong and her team helped the company’s management reinforce internal systems and supported an operational turnaround and negotiations with creditors. The scheme of arrangement was approved unanimously by the voting creditors, marking a successful restructuring in less than two years.

Ms. Wong has led numerous restructuring cases in the Chinese mainland, including Shanghai Chaori Solar’s, and advised 34 Chinese banks on preserving their interests in a real-estate borrower with $2.5 billion offshore bonds and $7.6 billion in onshore debts. Ms. Wong has also acted as a trustee of the estates of bankrupt individuals and as court-appointed administrator of the estates of high-net-worth deceased or mentally incapacitated individuals.

Prior to joining A&M, Ms. Wong was a Partner and Head of Insolvency at KPMG China.

Ms. Wong earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in business management and professional accounting from Queensland University of Technology in Australia.

Prior to Setia Law LLC, Victoria was a Deputy Public Prosecutor with the Financial and Technology Crime Division of the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).  While at the AGC, she successfully prosecuted and tried many significant fraud, bribery, money-laundering, and sanctions cases and acted for the state in asset forfeiture cases.  She has also overseen complex fraud and fraudulent trading investigations and prosecutions, working in close collaboration with other law enforcement and governmental agencies such as the Commercial Affairs Department, the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau.  Victoria brings an in-depth understanding of law enforcement, policy-making and regulatory agenda-setting in Singapore.  She has represented Singapore as a delegate at financial regulation forums such as the G7’s Financial Action Task Force.


She holds a First Class degree from the University of Cambridge, and an LL.M. from Columbia Law School. At Columbia, she was awarded the Walter Gellhorn prize, for graduating with the highest academic average.

Warren E. Gluck is a New York litigation attorney, trial lawyer, and a member of Holland & Knight's Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice. Mr. Gluck focuses his practice on litigation, fraud investigation, insolvency, asset recovery and judgment enforcement, as well as admiralty law. He has experience in all aspects of the litigation process and routinely acts as lead counsel on litigation, judgment enforcement, fraud, cross-border insolvency, asset tracing and shipping matters. Who's Who Legal says "Warren Gluck is a 'strong litigator' who is always 'two steps ahead' in high-stakes, multijurisdictional asset recovery proceedings." The guide also notes that he "has an intimate understanding of the nuances of the laws of multiple jurisdictions," "is very practical and pragmatic" and "implements practical solutions and workarounds that allow [clients] to remain on course."

He has developed an extensive practice representing domestic and foreign officeholders in connection with parallel civil and criminal proceedings brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and has extensive experience negotiating resolutions amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.
William has over 12 years of experience in his trade, starting with a career in the US army. His educational background includes a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Purdue University and a Master’s degree in Global Intelligence from Arizona State University.

In William's professional career, he has specialized in Human Intelligence (HUMINT) and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT). He has worked with high-net-worth clients and government officials across the globe to provide them with e intelligence they need to conduct business in high-threat environments.



Biography




Wynn Pakdeejit is the Managing Partner and Head of the Dispute Resolution Practice Group of the Bangkok Office. Previously, he has served and acted as the Head of the Asia Pacific Dispute Resolution Group. In addition, he has also performed the role of lead counsel in multiple significant litigations, as well as handled various complex disputes. He is well recognized as a market-leader in Thailand, as evident from his continuous acknowledgement in the global market, the Asia Pacific region and Thailand.




Practice Focus


With almost 30 years' experience in both domestic and international litigation, Wynn has been involved in numerous matters related to commercial and construction litigation and arbitration, tax and customs matters, compliance and anti-corruption cases and insolvency and debt restructuring proceedings.



Representative Legal Matters




  • Representing the national carrier of Thailand in its business rehabilitation proceedings following financial difficulties due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and acting as legal advisor for all matters, covering day-to-day operations to the overall plan, in what is deemed to be the largest and most significant case in the history of Thailand.

  • Represented a client in a lawsuit to revoke a USD 620 million customs assessment on goods imported under the ASEAN Industrial Cooperation Scheme.

  • Represented one of the largest global ship-building and oil-platform manufacturers in the defense of a USD 150 million claim involving damage to off-shore pipelines in the Gulf of Thailand.

  • Represented a group of property development companies in four civil litigation claims relating to a byzantine investment structure against Lehman Brothers Commercial Corporation Asia Limited involving a combined claim amount of USD 330 million.

  • Advised a trustee in the bankruptcy of the parent company and ultimate owner of one of the largest steel pipe manufacturers in the world in a USD 650 million business rehabilitation.

  • Represented an asset leasing company in investigating and pursuing a number of potential civil and criminal fraud actions. The fraudulent activity has resulted in non-performing loans valued at USD 93 million.

  • Representing a major regional construction firm in criminal bribery allegations investigated by the Thai Parliament, the National Counter-Corruption Commission, and the Department of Special Investigation, relating to violations of Thai law, including the Thai Penal Code, the Act on Offenses in Relation to Submission of Bids, and the Money Laundering Act.





Professional Honors




  • Highly Regarded in Tax Controversy, ITR World Tax, 2019–2022, 2024

  • Highly Regarded in Restructuring and Insolvency, IFLR1000, 2018–2023

  • The Legal 500 Hall of Fame in Dispute Resolution, Legal 500, 2020–2023

  • Leading Individual in Restructuring & Insolvency, Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, 2009–2011, 2018–2023

  • Leading Individual in Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration, Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, 2017–2023

  • Band 1 in Restructuring/Insolvency, Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific,  2011–2018, 2021–2023

  • Band 1 in Dispute Resolution, Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific, 2009–2023

  • Thailand's Top 100 Lawyers in Dispute Resolution, Construction, Tax & Customs, Compliance & Anti-Corruption, Insolvency & Debt Restructuring, Asia Business Law Journal,  2018–2022

  • Leading Individual in Dispute Resolution, Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, 2010–2021

  • Band 2 in Restructuring/Insolvency, Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific, 2012, 2019–2020

  • Tax Controversy Leaders in Tax, ITR - Tax Controversy Leaders Guide, 2016–2018

  • Leading Lawyer in Restructuring & Insolvency, IFLR1000, 2008–2017

  • Recommended Individual in Dispute Resolution, Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2015–2016

  • Recommended Individual in Restructuring/Insolvency, Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, 2014–2016

  • Band 1 in Mergers & Acquisitions, Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific, 2014

  • Band 1 in Banking & Finance, Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific, 2013–2014





Professional Associations and Memberships




  • Law Society of Thailand

  • Barrister at Law, Thai Bar Association

  • Litigation Attorney, Lawyers Council of Thailand





Admissions



  • Thailand (1996)




Education



  • National Defence College (2023)

  • The Executive Program in Energy Literacy for a Sustainable Future (2020)

  • Institute of Business and Industrial Development (2018)

  • Top Executive Program in Commerce and Trade (2018)

  • Capital Market Academy (Stock Exchange of Thailand) (2015)

  • Southern Methodist University (LL.M.) (1995)

  • Thammasat University (LL.B.) (1993)




Languages



  • English

  • Thai




Yvette Chan is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal Transaction Advisory Group in Hong Kong. With over 15 years of experience in advising on tax and regulatory issues, she has managed all aspects of domestic and cross-border transactions in Greater China and Southeast Asia.


Ms. Chan’s notable engagements include advising on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and divestitures; assisting high net-worth individuals with international tax issues; and co-authoring articles on Chinese taxation for various publications. Her clients span a range of industries including real estate, private equity and venture capital, digital assets, financial services, technology, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and consumer and industrial markets.


Throughout her career, Ms. Chan has advised clients on the tax and financial impact of transactional deal structuring, the design and implementation of fund management structure, and on investment holding and financing structures. In addition, she has assisted on tax due diligence review, tax modeling review, and transaction review and negotiations. She has also helped clients negotiate with tax authorities in China and Hong Kong.


Prior to joining A&M, Ms. Chan worked with KPMG in London for five years and then nine years in Hong Kong in their tax function, where she most recently served as a Partner in the Deal Advisory M&A Tax team.


Ms. Chan earned a master’s degree in mathematical science from the University of Oxford. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, a member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Chartered Institute of Taxation in the United Kingdom, and the Taxation Institute of Hong Kong.

Agenda

“I’m excited to be bringing our unique combination of expertise, experience, originality, contacts, and fearlessness to a new group of people.”
– David Marchant, OffshoreAlert founder, owner and editor
All Days
Wed Feb 28
Thu Feb 29
Dates are displayed in the event time zone (Asia/Bangkok): Switch to my time zone
Wed Feb 28
8:00 AM

Networking Breakfast sponsored by Perun Consultants

Chadra Ballroom 3
8:45 AM

Opening Remarks

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2
David Marchant

David Marchant

Founder, Owner & Editor

OffshoreAlert

9:00 AM

Hindenburg Research vs. Asia's Richest Person (Gautam Adani)

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2

This session will look at an investigation by a small U.S. short-seller, Hindenburg Research, into Indian industrialist Gautam Adani, who at the time was considered to be Asia's richest person (and the third richest person in the world), a position he lost when his estimated net worth plummeted from $120 billion to $46 billion within three weeks of Hindenburg's allegations of accounting fraud and stock manipulation, while his Adani Group's market value fell by $134 billion during the same period.

Anand Mangnale

Anand Mangnale

Regional Editor, South Asia

OCCRP

Chris Scott

Chris Scott

Founder

Slateford

Michael Harrington

Michael Harrington

Principal

Control Risks

9:45 AM

The Rise of 'Sha Zhu Pan' Scams ('Pig Butchering')

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2

This session will look at the proliferation in Southeast Asia of 'Sha Zhu Pan' scams, a.k.a. 'Pig Butchering', by Chinese organized crime groups, which swindle billions of dollars annually from victims around the world.

Our session will look at:


  • Where did online scam syndicates come from?;

  • How, when and why did they become so endemic in Southeast Asia?;

  • How do the scams work and how have they evolved?;

  • Who are the kingpins?;

  • How do the perpetrators protect themselves?;

  • How big are the profits and the scale of trafficking?;

  • How and where do perpetrators clean their money?;

  • Where are the fraud and trafficking victims from?;

  • What action has been taken to stop this?; and

  • What action needs to be taken?

David Boyle

David Boyle

Producer

Al Jazeera

John Wojcik

John Wojcik

Associate Programme Officer for Transnational Organized Crime

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Matthew Friedman

Matthew Friedman

CEO

Mekong Club

Pol. L.G. Peou Chea

Pol. L.G. Peou Chea

Deputy Commissioner General

Cambodian National Police

10:45 AM

Networking Break sponsored by Perun Consultants

Chadra Ballroom 3
11:15 AM

Malaysia's 'Operation Tropicana': The Takedown of a Billion Dollar Boiler Room Gang

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2

This session will look at how 'Operation Tropicana', a joint operation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and IFW Global, an Australian intelligence, investigation, and asset recovery firm, that brought down a billion dollar boiler room gang without a single police officer being involved.

The presentation will identify the key players, how they laundered billions through Hong Kong banks, went undetected for 15 years, and millions of dollars in cash was seized by the MACC Anti-Money Laundering unit.

Twenty bank employees were also arrested and questioned about allegedly turning a blind eye to suspicious transactions.

Ken Gamble

Ken Gamble

Co-Founder & Executive Chairman

IFW Global

12:00 PM

Is the Party Over? Hong Kong SAR's Future as an International Business Centre

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2

In a survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong in 2021, more than 40% of expats indicated they were planning to leave Hong Kong or were considering it.

This session will discuss Hong Kong's future as a global financial centre, and whether regional rivals like Singapore have benefited from its problems.

Ian De Witt

Ian De Witt

Partner

Tanner De Witt

Tiffany Wong

Tiffany Wong

Managing Director

Alvarez & Marsal

1:00 PM

Networking Lunch sponsored by Raedas

Niche Restaurant
2:00 PM

Offshore Financial Centers Demystified

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2

This session will look at the use of offshore structures in the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, and others by Asian High Net Worth Individuals and large corporations, as well as what goes on in regional Offshore Financial Centers like the Cook Islands, Labuan, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, and Vanuatu.

Andrew Wordsworth

Andrew Wordsworth

Partner

Raedas

Michael Popkin

Michael Popkin

Partner

Mourant Ozannes

Yvette Chan

Yvette Chan

Managing Director

Alvarez & Marsal

3:00 PM

Enforcing Awards & Judgments in Asia

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2

This session will cover:


  • Global Enforcement Strategies, as well as common pitfalls that practitioners/clients sometimes overlook;

  • Identifying and Executing on a counterparty’s assets: The “What, Where and How”;

  • Case Studies; and

  • How Third Party Funding can help to unlock the value of a claim/judgment/award.

Anthony Ellwood-Russell

Anthony Ellwood-Russell

Associate Investment Manager - Asset Tracing and Intelligence

Omni Bridgeway

Brendan McGloin

Brendan McGloin

Partner

Templeton Research

Chee Chong Lau

Chee Chong Lau

Investment Manager, Senior Legal Counsel

Omni Bridgeway

Emi Rowse

Emi Rowse

Partner & Head of Japan Practice

Kudun & Partners

Kate Lan

Kate Lan

Counsel

Carey Olsen

4:00 PM

Networking Break sponsored by Mourant

Chadra Ballroom 3
4:30 PM

A Practical Guide to Investigations in Asia

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2

This session will offer a practical guide to conducting investigations in Asia, including China, Hong Kong, and Singapore, including looking at data privacy laws, regional sensitivities, risks, and best practices.

Davin Teo

Davin Teo

Managing Director

Alvarez & Marsal

Eugene Thuraisingam

Eugene Thuraisingam

Managing Partner

Eugene Thuraisingam LLP

Mei Yong

Mei Yong

Senior Business Development Manager

Alvarez & Marsal

Michelle Gon

Michelle Gon

Partner

Han Kun Law Offices

5:30 PM

Cocktail Party sponsored by Setia Law, Sequor Law, and Tanner De Witt

Niche Restaurant
Thu Feb 29
8:30 AM

Networking Breakfast sponsored by Eugene Thuraisingam LLP

Chadra Ballroom 3
9:15 AM

Crypto Investigations & Recovery

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2

Leading experts in crypto investigations and recovery will offer tips and guidance on investigating and recovering crypto - an emerging industry that is awash with fraud.

Henry Chambers

Henry Chambers

Managing Director

Alvarez & Marsal

Lili Infante

Lili Infante

CEO

CAT Labs

William Ruzich

William Ruzich

Chairman/Intelligence Officer

The Aracari Project

10:30 AM

Networking Break sponsored by Eugene Thuraisingam LLP

Chadra Ballroom 3
11:00 AM

Using AI & OSINT to Enhance Your Investigations

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2

A demonstration of Internet-based and Artificial Intelligence tools to help you find, monitor, and understand information on targets.

Basem Ayash

Basem Ayash

Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer

aiNTEL

Kevin Weekes

Kevin Weekes

Founder & Director, Operations

ZENRS

11:45 AM

High-Value International Recovery: Ask Me Anything (Part One)

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2

Leading international fraud and value recovery specialists discuss emerging and dominant issues that impact your ability to be successful and effective. This session is intended to be informal and interactive and represents an opportunity for you to have your questions answered by experts who have 'been there, seen it, done it'.

Edward H. Davis, Jr.

Edward H. Davis, Jr.

Founding Shareholder

Sequor Law

Luke Furler

Luke Furler

Managing Director & Head of Asia-Pacific

Quantuma

Robin Darton

Robin Darton

Partner

Tanner De Witt

Warren Gluck

Warren Gluck

Partner

Holland & Knight

12:45 PM

Networking Lunch sponsored by Kobre & Kim

Niche Restaurant
1:45 PM

High-Value International Recovery: Ask Me Anything (Part Two)

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2

Leading international fraud and value recovery specialists discuss emerging and dominant issues that impact your ability to be successful and effective. This session is intended to be informal and interactive and represents an opportunity for you to have your questions answered by experts who have 'been there, seen it, done it'.

Danny Ong

Danny Ong

Managing Director

Setia Law

Gwynn Hopkins

Gwynn Hopkins

Founder & Managing Director

Perun Consultants

John Han

John Han

Partner

Kobre & Kim

Marjolein van den Bosch-Broeren

Marjolein van den Bosch-Broeren

Investment Manager, Head of Enforcement (APAC)

Omni Bridgeway

2:45 PM

China Disputes in a Changing Landscape

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2
Carmen Liu

Carmen Liu

Principal

Control Risks

Simon Hui

Simon Hui

Partner

Baker & McKenzie

Wynn Pakdeejit

Wynn Pakdeejit

Managing Partner

Baker & McKenzie

3:30 PM

Networking Break sponsored by Mourant

Chadra Ballroom 3
4:00 PM

The Dark Side of the Economy: An Ever-Growing Global Launderette

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2

Just as the 1MDB debacle, which claimed the licenses of two banks and culminated in multiple prosecutions and sanctions, appeared to be in its rear view, Southeast Asia has had to come to terms with a massive $3 billion money laundering investigation and the crackdown of multiple sophisticated scam operations across the region.

This session will look at the modern face of international money laundering – the sophisticated techniques by which proceeds are disguised and moved even through the most tightly-regulated of economies, the multi-jurisdictional crimes which are involved, the emergent risks faced by institutions and individuals alike, and perhaps most importantly, the trailblazing methods and tools by which practitioners uncover culprits and recover assets.

Danny Ong

Danny Ong

Managing Director

Setia Law

Jack Mullan

Jack Mullan

Partner

Mintz Group

John Cusack

John Cusack

Chair

Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime

Joshua Heiliczer

Joshua Heiliczer

Consultant

Victoria Ting

Victoria Ting

Associate Director

Setia Law

5:00 PM

Closing Remarks

Chadra Ballroom 1 & 2
David Marchant

David Marchant

Founder, Owner & Editor

OffshoreAlert

5:15 PM

Closing Happy Hour sponsored by Alvarez & Marsal, Control Risks, and Holland & Knight

OffshoreAlert Bangkok 2024
February 28-29, 2024 | Bangkok, Thailand
To register for OffshoreAlert Bangkok, select your desired ticket by clicking the '+' icon next to it and then click the 'Get Tickets' button. If you encounter any difficulties or have questions, you can seek assistance by emailing events@offshorealert.com for further guidance.

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Who Should Attend

Whatever your role in the industry, you need to know what’s going on at any given time to mitigate risk and maximize opportunity.

Senior Stakeholders, Intelligence & Investigative Elite

Fraud Investigators
Asset Recovery Specialists
Insolvency Practitioners
Intelligence Gatherers
Litigators
Claimants
Funders
Investors
Regulators
Law Enforcement
Risk Managers
Financial & Professional Service Providers
Fact-Finders
Researchers
Journalists

An international event with attendees from Asia-Pacific

Australia
Cyprus
India
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Taiwan
United Arab Emirates
China
Hong Kong SAR
Indonesia
Korea
New Zealand
Singapore
Thailand
Our conference is also ideal for anyone outside Asia-Pacific who has business interests there, is contemplating expansion, or just wants to attend a high-quality event in a fantastic city.

Hotel & Venue

Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok

991/9 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
The Siam Kempinski is a family-friendly hotel oasis of some 400 splendid rooms grouped around a relaxing garden area with four distinct free-form pools. It sits right in the heart of downtown Bangkok, as close to the shopping as it gets, and houses excellent Michelin-starred Thai restaurant Sra Bua to boot. A limited number of rooms are reserved at a discounted group rate for this occasion through February 4th, 2024. 
"It's like that famous bar in 'Star Wars', where they all come together - the good guys, the bad guys, the seriously guilty - and they all exchange information on neutral territory."
Jack Blum, financial crime lawyer, Washington, D.C., describing our event in The Wall Street Journal in 2009.