Corporate partner Valerie Kong’s career at Clifford Chance will come full circle when she takes up her appointment as the Singapore office managing partner effective from 1 October, succeeding Kai-Niklas Schneider who had been at the helm since 2016.
Kong began her legal career as an intern at the Singapore office in 1999 and will step into Schneider’s role in the firm’s top strategic decision-making body, the executive leadership group.
Having been in the firm at every stage of her legal career, Kong moved up the ranks from her humble beginnings as an intern at Clifford Chance in her second year at university to her promotion into partnership in 2014.
She specialises in M&A, advising financial investors and multinational corporations on their minority investments and majority acquisitions in the Southeast Asia region, as well as portfolio divestments and strategic joint ventures.
Kong has held many positions within the firm globally, bringing exemplary leadership experience to each role. She is a member of the partner selection group responsible for making recommendations on worldwide partner promotions and hires since 2019. She also previously served on the Asia-Pacific and the Singapore leadership groups.
