Ince & Co has beefed up its capabilities in aviation, energy, insurance, international trade and shipping with the hire of banking and finance attorney Balbir Bindra as partner and corporate specialist Yeon Jin Seong as Of Counsel at its Hong Kong office.

Bindra, who joined the firm earlier this year, was the executive director for legal affairs at Canada-based oil and gas company CEC North Star Energy. He also previously worked as a partner at the Hong Kong offices of two law firms, Locke Lord and Sidley Austin, where he headed the international finance group.

In addition, Bindra has held senior roles in the asset-based finance and investment sectors, handling structured debt capital markets and investment fund transactions as well as assisting underwriters, issuers and investors on convertibles, repackaging, asset-backed products and corporate and exchangeable bonds.

A U.S.-qualified lawyer, Seong was appointed to his post in November and was formerly with Dechert. He has also done stints with Paul Hastings, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Linklaters. One of the driving forces behind the development of Ince & Co’s Korea practice, Seong specialises in corporate/M&A, private equity, project finance, and banking and capital markets.