About

Robert specialises in M&A, private equity and corporate finance work. For more than 10 years, Robert has been recognised as a leading individual by legal directories (including Chambers Asia, Asia Pacific Legal 500 and IFLR Asia) for his groundbreaking work in corporate M&A (private and public) and private equity.

He has been the lead lawyer on many of Asia’s high-profile public M&A transactions, including Coca-Cola/Huiyuan Juice; Anheuser-Busch/Harbin Brewery – China's first contested takeover; Gome/China Paradise; Hutchison/Vodafone; Caterpillar/ERA Mining Machinery; Eaton/Senyuan, and Yum Brands/Little Sheep.

Robert was named Dealmaker of the Year 2012 at the Asian Legal Business Hong Kong Law Awards and is one of only a handful of individuals ranked by Who’s Who Legal as a leading lawyer for corporate governance and M&A work in Hong Kong.

He is the co-ordinating editor of the Freshfields Guide to Mergers and Acquisitions in Asia.

Recent deals/Highlights

• TPG Capital on its US$150m acquisition of a stake in Comtec Solar Systems Group;
• Ruentex Group, as the leading member of a consortium of investors, on the US$2.16bn acquisition of Taiwan’s third biggest insurer, Nan Shan Life Insurance Co from American International Group;
• Hutchison Telecom on the sale of its 67 per cent interest in Hutchison Essar, India's fourth largest mobile phone operator, to Vodafone. The transaction had an enterprise value of approximately US$19bn;
• Danone on the US$239m sale of its Hong Kong subsidiary, Amoy Foods, to Ajinomoto.

Career to date

He joined the firm in 1985 and he has lived and worked in the US and England. 

Qualifications and education

Robert is admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong and England & Wales.