Former Ashurst head of energy and resources for the Asia-Pacific, Richard Guit, opens the Singapore office of Baker Botts, marking the American law firm’s return to the region.
Baker Botts’ global projects partner Lewis Jones, who moved from London, will support Guit, who relocated from Perth to the city-state in October last year to open the new office.
Other Ashurst energy projects lawyers in Singapore will man the new Baker Botts office, including former partners Daniel Reinbott and Michael Harrison, who joined in April 2023, as well as former counsel Jessica Ham and Giles Ashman, who joined in January 2023. All four are retaining their positions at the new firm.
At the end of 2021, Baker Botts closed its Hong Kong office, leading to the end of its 16-year physical presence in Greater China and Asia as a whole, which occurred just over a year after the firm shut down its Beijing premises.
Jason Bennett, Baker Botts’ chair of global projects practice and co-head of its energy sector in Houston, said the new Singapore office will act as the Asia-Pacific hub for the firm’s energy, infrastructure projects, project finance and dispute resolution capabilities, working closely with the firm’s US, London and Middle East branches.
“With significant changes taking place in the energy market, and the dominance of Asia as a critical driver of global energy consumption and decarbonisation developments, Singapore is a critical office for the firm’s support of our global client base,” said Bennett.
Baker Botts Singapore office specialises in energy transactional services, especially project development and M&A for the natural gas, liquified natural gas, power, renewables and fuel sectors, as well as offering comprehensive support for the decarbonisation of these sectors.
The office will also provide consultancy services on projects and transactions in Australia and Papua New Guinea, as well as Southeast and South Asian countries.
Apart from their services in project and infrastructure development, the new Singapore team possesses deep experience in joint ventures and M&A. The firm has plans to broaden its services by helping clients with private equity affairs and catering to its worldwide client base in the technology, life sciences, and venture capital sectors, while the new office continues to expand.
