Harneys to open Singapore office specializing in offshore transactional services

HK veterans to lead Singapore practice.

Harneys has announced that it will expand its global footprint with the opening of its seventh office, in Singapore, on 7 April 2014.

Colin Riegels, head of Harneys’ banking and finance practice group, will relocate from Hong Kong to Singapore as the Managing Partner of the new office, and he will be joined by Hong Kong funds Partner Lisa Pearce.

The office will open with six lawyers, including Allen & Overy Singapore alumni corporate Counsel Shari Hawke and finance Senior Associate Richard Griffiths, and it will offer the full complement of offshore transactional services.

Peter Tarn, Chairman of the Executive Committee, said: “Singapore is a key jurisdiction in terms of cross-border capital flows and private wealth in South East Asia. Harneys’ Asia practice has experienced explosive growth over the last couple of years, and I have every confidence that Colin and Lisa will be able to build upon that success story in Singapore.”

Asia Managing Partner, Jonathan Culshaw, added: “Colin and Lisa are extremely well regarded offshore practitioners and they have been a key part of our recent success in Asia. Colin’s knowledge of British Virgin Islands (BVI) law, developed over more than a decade’s practice in the jurisdiction, is unmatched in Asia whereas Lisa is one of the region’s most commercial and experienced offshore funds experts. Singapore is a market which makes extensive use of both offshore holding company and fund structures, and naturally complements their strengths.”

Colin added: “Some of our oldest client relationships are with key law firms and financial institutions in Singapore. We look forward to strengthening and deepening those relationships as we establish a physical presence in one of Asia’s most exciting and dynamic cities.”

Harneys is a leading international offshore firm with offices in the BVI, Cayman Islands, Montevideo, London, Cyprus and Hong Kong, and representatives in Brazil, Eastern Europe and Africa. The firm specialises in BVI, Cayman, Anguilla and Cyprus law.