Offshore law firm Mourant will set up an office in Singapore, its ninth globally and second in Asia. It will be led by funds expert Craig Luton, who joins the firm as a partner from rival Maples and Calder.

Luton, previously a partner in Maples’ funds and investment management team, specialises in setting up Cayman Island and British Virgin Island private equity funds, venture capital funds and hedge funds.

At Mourant, Luton will work closely with the firm’s litigation, banking and finance and governance services groups across Asia and will assist the firm in developing these practices in Singapore.

With the addition of this office, Mourant aims to capitalise on “the rising significance of Singapore as a global finance centre, as well as the growing importance of the Southeast Asia financial services market,” the firm said in a statement. Its other Asian outpost in Hong Kong was established in 2012.

Earlier this year, Mourant completed its expansion into Luxembourg, with law firm LexField and governance services business FideField joining Mourant's global network. 

The expansion into Singapore takes the firm’s overall headcount to 700.