DBS Bank law firm news

A subsidiary of the second largest coal producer of Indonesia, Adaro Energy has inked a US$400m senior loan facility from a syndicate of 12 banks to refinance existing debts and capital expenditures. The loan secured has a maturity period of seven years – the longest tenor of any major financing to date in the Indonesian market.

PT Indosat Tbk – one of Indonesia’s largest mobile phone companies – has retained Assegaf Hamzah & Partners and Sidley Austin as the issuer’s Indonesian and lead counsels respectively on the US$650m high yield bond offer.

Many in-house counsels speak of longevity with their employers - but few can assert that they have truly evolved with their companies' business agendas. Janet Lin, legal manager of DBS China, is one such accomplished in-house counsel

If Joseph Bevash of Latham & Watkins is to be believed, the complexity and multi-currency nature of his recent Senoko Power finance deal could become more commonplace in the future.

The more in-house budgets are cut, the more firms need to be innovative in the way they bill.

The natural resources sector in Indonesia is heating up. Leading coal mining company, PT Adaro Indonesia, has attracted significant interest from international financiers resulting in oversubscription in both an offer of senior guaranteed notes and a bank facility.

ALB identifies 25 of the most outstanding in-house legal counsel in Asia.

Legal departments are increasingly asking for alternative fee arrangements, causing a “fundamental” change in the relationship between legal departments and their external legal counsel.

The heads of some of Asia’s biggest corporations feel that economic recovery may be on the way and see investment potential in certain Asian countries.

Hong Kong law firms prepare for M&A wave

Law firms in Hong Kong are preparing themselves for a series of family owned bank acquisitions from mainland banks, following the recent and unexpected acquisition of Wing Lung Bank from China Merchants Bank.

In a lively discussion at the ALB In-house Legal Summit in Hong Kong in September, a panel of senior in-house lawyers discussed how to manage their image internally.

Economic growth in Asia has boosted the region's number of millionaires. Singapore is on its way to becoming the leading player in the Asian wealth management industry, overtaking Hong Kong, and a trend towards globalisation in wealth management is only speeding the rise of this star. ALB reports

ALB is proud to announce the finalists for this year's SE Asia Deals of the Year Awards, which will be held at the Marina Mandarin in Singapore on 2 June

Lovells has advised Lehman Brothers, DBS Bank and CLSA Asia-Pacific markets on a US$90m bond offering by  India's Videocon International.

Watson, Farley & Williams has acted in the purchase of a US$160m jack-up rig for offshore oilfield service provider, Aban Loyd Chiles Offshore Ltd.

The London terrorist bombings have reduced the expected IPO value of the STX Pan Ocean IPO, but it is still the largest public offering in Singapore this year.

A multitude of local and international firms from around the Asia-Pacific have come together to advise on one of the largest leveraged buy-outs in the region in recent history.

Suntec Real Estate Investment Trust has closed Singapore's largest IPO of 2004 in December.

Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP has acted for the underwriters in a US$250m bond offering for Indonesian telecom operator PT Mitra Global Telekomunikasi Indonesia (MGTI).