20 ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS – OCTOBER 2023 WWW.LEGALBUSINESSONLINE.COM COVER STORY legal skills. Hasan regularly gives law students lectures and webinars in the Faculty of Law in Pelita Harapan University. “His knowledge and professional experience were valuable and played a significant part in accomplishing our assignment,” said one of his clients Daniel Tumpal Nico, head of Investment and Advisory at financial service company PPA Kapital. Hasan “has been the rising star of our firm since he joined IABF Law Firm eight year ago as an intern. He is a hardworking man and very attentive to his clients,” noted Ivan F. Baely, Managing Partner of IABF, “He always produces excellent quality of works to the satisfaction of the clients. He is the future of IABF Law Firm that we hope can take IABF Law Firm to the next level.” Andrew Heng 39, director, Eng and Co. Andrew Heng, a director at Eng and Co, specialises in M&A, venture capital and technology matters. He joined the firm in mid-2020 against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic which was then in full swing. “I joined with a clear focus on building up our corporate/M&A practice and delivering great service to clients on complex transactions in Singapore and regionally,” Heng said. A year later in 2021 he was promoted from associate director to a director of the firm. Eng and Co is a relatively young firm, celebrating its fifth anniversary in October this year, but it has already made name by undertaking complex and innovative transactions across borders in the ASEAN region. Heng advised Singapore Trade Data Exchange (SGTraDex) on its innovative national-level data sharing project which launched in June 2022. Other examples of recent notable transactions include advising Proxtera on an equity investment by investors including Ant Group, EDB Investments and CerraCap, and advising Singaporeheadquartered tech company Avanseus Holdings on its business combination agreement with a NASDAQ-listed SPAC, Fat Projects Acquisition Corp. Heng has strong and diverse client base, advising international and local clients, listed companies, technology start-ups, high-net-worth individuals and family offices. “We value his ability to mix technical legal expertise with a deeply clientfocused and commercial approach,” said Rachel Eng, managing director of Eng and Co. Clients have given the feedback that they appreciate his commitment and ability to find solutions to the challenges that one inevitably encounters in the course of transactions.” Jeremiah Huang 35, director, Icon Law Jeremiah Huang is a director of Icon Law, the Singapore member of the ASEAN-wide ZICO Law network (currently being integrated into KPMG). He is an award-winning specialist in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate transactions/ matters, and holds numerous accreditations in related fields. Huang is no stranger to Asian Legal Business, having previously won the Singapore Rising Star award. Since then, he has acted for Malaysian unicorn, Carsome, in its much talked-about financing round, SGXlisted Hyphens Pharma and its digital healthtech unit DocMed Technology in various corporate actions (most notably, DocMed’s expansion into Vietnam via joint venture with the equity owners of Hoang Duc, one of the country’s leading pharmaceutical and medical supplies distributors), the shareholders of Brylchem Group in their sale to global chemicals giant, IMCD, and the Chairman of SGX-listed Sakae Holdings in his proposed sale of shares thereof. Other longstanding clients of his include Singapore unicorn, NinjaVan, leading data centre builder, ACME Associates, and KPMG and its various offices globally. “I have worked with many lawyers and can confidently say that Jeremiah is amongst the best … his intelligence, dynamism and attention to detail is breathtaking”, says Timothy Chen, CEO of DocMed Technology. KC Ching, Carsome’s Head of Legal, noted Jeremiah’s “exceptional legal expertise and unparalleled dedication”, while KPMG’s Global Head of Legal, Stuart Fuller says, “he brings excellence, creative problem solving and enthusiasm to all that he does, with a laser-like focus on client service”. Charanya Lakshmikumaran 37, partner, Lakshmikumaran and Sridharan In the intricate world of taxation and commercial disputes, Charanya Lakshmikumaran stands as a paragon of legal acumen. A Partner at Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (LKS), Charanya boasts a career spanning over 15 years, navigating high stakes battles in tax, arbitration, regulatory, and anti-trust domains. Her expertise in customs, goods and services tax, and pre-GST tax laws is unparalleled, regularly advocating for her diverse clientele in India’s highest courts. Lakshmikumaran in her journey in law has been mentored by luminaries, including the former Attorney General of India, K K Venugopal. Her contributions to landmark cases, such as the right to privacy as a fundamental right to resisting challenges to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, showcase her legal prowess. Beyond her courtroom victories, Lakshmikumaran is a guiding light in regulatory compliance, steering businesses through the complexities of data protection laws. Notably, she is also a gifted Indian Classical vocalist, gracing audiences with her melodious tunes. Her accolades, including recognition as an Asian Legal Business Top 15 Southeast Asia Litigator 2023 and India Rising Star 2022, underscore her exceptional abilities. Charanya Lakshmikumaran isn’t just a lawyer; she’s a strategist, a litigator, and a virtuoso harmonising the complexities of law with finesse and grace.
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