IFLR Asia Future Leaders 2021

IFLR Asia Future Leaders 2021 recognises the next generation of influential lawyers working within corporate finance throughout the continent. Following the pandemic, the Asia Future Leaders will be at the forefront of transformational change in the Asian legal industry.

The IFLR Asia Future Leaders 2021 were identified from a long list using 2,000+ submissions to the IFLR1000 research team. The chosen lawyers had a large impact in their local markets in 2020- with influential, precedent-setting transactions across the practice areas covered by IFLR1000. They also received high praise from their peers and clients, indicating they are ready to step up to leadership positions within their markets.

Offshore lawyer Danielle Roman is recognised as an IFLR Asia Future Leader for her banking work in Hong Kong SAR. Roman handles an array of cross-border financing mandates including asset finance, fund financing, conventional lending, debt restructuring, acquisition and leveraged finance. She is particularly strong in aviation and shipping, and in 2019, led the team from Hong Kong SAR advising Orix Corporation in its $2.21 billion acquisition of a 30% stake in aircraft lessor Avolon Holdings from HNA Group's Bohai Capital Holding. Additionally, as non-traditional financiers such as investment firms become more involved in structured financings in the Asian maritime markets, Roman acted for Credit Agricole Asia Shipfinance as facility agent on a $91 million term loan facility to a subsidiary of Sole Shipping Group for the financing of two Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) and its scrubber installations.

Interview 

A partner in the projects practice at Weerawong Chinnavat & Partners in Thailand, Jirapat Thammavaranucupt is exclusively the only lawyer from Thailand to be featured in IFLR Asia Future Leaders 2021. Thammavaranucupt has significant expertise in advising on PPP and project financing mandates, including advising the Government of Thailand in drafting the new Public-Private Partnership Act and in setting up a framework for PPPs in the Eastern Economic Corridor.

One of the founding partners and directors at well-known Singaporean boutique BlackOak, Darius Tay specialises in advising on corporate restructuring and insolvency mandates. Tay is one of the only four lawyers for restructuring and insolvency in Singapore to be featured in IFLR Asia Future Leaders 2021. Recent work highlights include advising a private equity fund on a high-value loan refinancing. Prior to joining BlackOak, Tay served as a senior associate at TSMP Law Corporation in Singapore.

Client feedback

“BlackOak's approach is always bespoke and solution-driven. In particular, I work very closely with Darius Tay (a Director of the firm). He is a lawyer who is truly a partner of his clients. The quality of advice given by him is fantastic as it takes into account both legal and commercial factors, which is exactly what we need from our advisors. We can always count on him to be by our side in "the trenches", providing us great advice and solutions in difficult and fluid situations.”

Sinha is one of the only four lawyers for banking in India to be featured in IFLR Asia Future Leaders 2021. Sinha often acts for lenders in domestic and cross border financing transactions involving acquisition financing and receivables purchase facilities.

Ranked as also a Rising Star by IFLR1000 in banking and restructuring and insolvency, Ankit Sinha serves as a partner at Juris Corp’s New Delhi office.

His recent high profile work includes advising the creditors in the debt restructuring of Jindal Steel & Power (Mauritius).

Client feedback

“Knowledgeable- impressive depth and speed of delivery.”

“Very strong commercial acumen in supporting transaction execution and structuring. Extremely good understanding of the legal and regulatory framework and also a strong awareness of industry practices.”

One of only two Asia Future Leaders recognised for equity capital markets work in China, Jinen Zhang also has expertise in M&A, foreign direct investment and corporate governance for clients in the new economy, banking and private equity industries. In December 2019, Jinen was involved in the $5 billion Easyhome A-share backdoor listing. Advising Wuhan Zhongshang Commercial Group, the deal was the largest backdoor listing in the A-share market for the previous two years.

As an international partner based in the Hong Kong office of Haiwen & Partners, Qingjian Wang is recognised exclusively as an Asia Future Leader for China-related investment funds and private equity matters. Wang’s forte is on offshore fund formation and private equity investment work, often advising sponsors and private equity investors. In 2019, he kept busy advising Pagoda Investment on setting up its third offshore private equity investment fund, and advising CX Capital on setting up its first offshore private equity investment fund. Wang also advised Alibaba as an institutional and industrial investor in its participation in a Rmb-denominated fund sponsored by Yunfeng focused on the internet, culture and media, sports, high-tech, healthcare and financial sectors.

One of only two Asia Future Leaders recognised for debt capital markets work in Japan, Minoru Kobayashi is an expert in Japanese REITs often acting as issuer and underwriter counsel in their global offerings. For example, he acted for the international managers in Mitsui Fudosan Logistics Park’s (MFLP-REIT)—a major logistics REIT in Japan—first global offering of investment units totaling ¥35 billion. The aim of this offering was to secure funding to acquire high-quality logistics facilities and this was an important step for MFLP-REIT in achieving its target asset size of ¥200 billion.

Sung Woon Kang is recognised exclusively as an Asia Future Leader for his equity and debt capital markets work alongside banking in South Korea. Kang is an expert in overseas and domestic listings and also in M&As involving financial institutions. He is also known for his funds, regulatory and electronic financial transactions work. Of late, he has been particularly busy with foreign companies’—for example from the US, Vietnam, Denmark and Indonesia—listings on the Korea exchange. To this end, he advised Avellino Lab USA, Contera Pharma, Cammsys VINA and PT. Putra Pile Indah/PT. Kary Indomas Elok on their IPOs in Korea.