Clyde & Co to open Bangkok office

Clyde & Co is to open an office in Bangkok, Thailand and has hired two lawyers from Kennedys. The law firm said the planned opening will further strengthen Clyde & Co’s foothold in Asia and the expanding ASEAN region.

Clyde & Co said it plans to provide insurance advice to local and international insurers and reinsurers through its Bangkok office, as well as litigation services on Thai disputes, and arbitration services on international and Thai disputes.

Ian Johnston will become a partner at Clyde & Co and the office will open subject to regulatory approval. Sorawat Wongkaweepairot will join as legal director. Both join Clyde & Co from Kennedys.

Johnston is an international arbitration specialist with extensive dispute resolution experience and has worked in Asian markets for more than two decades. He is dual-qualified in England and Wales, and Hong Kong. Clyde & Co said he has strong expertise representing insurers, energy companies, developers, construction professionals and contractors in disputes in Asia and beyond the region.

Simon McConnell, partner, and chair of Clyde & Co’s APAC board, Hong Kong, said: “The Bangkok market is a vital one for our regional and global insurer clients as well as many energy, construction and transportation clients. The team has two decades of experience operating in the Asian market. Joining Clyde & Co as part of our bold growth strategy will enable them to work together with our leading practitioners across ASEAN, for the benefit of their practices and our clients.”

Matthew Kelsall, Clyde & Co’s chief executive officer, added: “Bangkok is a key hub in the region. Not only will opening here support the growth of our global insurance practice but [it will also] provide a platform for growth in our other core sectors, which are central to the fast-growth ASEAN economies. We are excited about the opportunities this move will provide us with.”

Clyde & Co said the office will complement its regional offering of more than 350 legal professionals who advise clients in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, mainland China, and across the ASEAN region and south Asia. Clyde & Co first opened in Asia-Pacific in Hong Kong more than 40 years ago, as one of the first international market entrants, and the firm has had a presence in Singapore for more than 30 years.

Johnston said: “All of us are hugely excited to join Clyde & Co. We know the firm as a premium brand for insurance not just in Asia but globally, and we hope to be able to take full advantage of the opportunities of this global dimension for our clients.”