Jake Robson
Singapore
Summary
Ambitious Partner handles multiple cases and maintains compliance with regulatory bodies. Offers strengths in partnership development and mentoring staff.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Partner
King & Wood Mallesons
03.2020 - Current
- Focuses on cross-border acquisitions, disposals, and joint venture arrangements
- Advises on equity capital markets transactions
- Acts for issuers and underwriters on IPOs and secondary fundraisings across various Asian Stock Exchanges
- Advises on late-stage venture capital investment rounds in Southeast Asia
- Works with leading banks, insurers, and wealth management firms on strategic partnerships for FinTech and digital financial services
- Works across a wide range of industries and sectors, with a focus on technology, telecommunications, digital infrastructure, FinTech, financial institutions, and resources.
Partner
Morrison & Foerster
12.2013 - 03.2020
- Worked on various cross-border corporate transactions across the Asia-Pacific region
- Expanded the firm''s clientele through strategic networking and relationship building initiatives.
- Focused on the financial services, technology, and fintech sectors.
Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright
01.2002 - 11.2013
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Legal Practice
The College of Law
1997
Bachelor of Arts - Diploma in Law
The College of Law
1996
Bachelor of Arts - French And Italian
University of Exeter
07.1995
Skills
- Strategic Planning
- Talent Recruitment
- Marketing
- Knowledgeable in [Software]
- Client relationship management
- Leadership abilities
Accomplishments
- Supervised team of [Number] staff members.
Languages
English
French
Italian
Personal Information
Title: Partner
Projects
EBOS Group Limited, on its acquisition of healthcare products distributor LifeHealthcare Group Ltd. (valued at A$1.17b). KWM also advised on the ~A$642m placement, up to A$100m share purchase plan and A$540m new term debt facilities. This strategic transaction supports EBOS expansion into Southeast Asia. This required significant legal due diligence and structuring work across 6 jurisdictions in Southeast Asia plus Hong Kong, which was led by KWM Singapore MUFG and its affiliated group companies, on its ~US$700m investment into Grab and associated regional distribution JV as well as the proposed landmark de-SPAC of Grab with a US$40b valuation for Grab, which set a record for the largest de-SPAC merger in history
on its US$200m investment in and strategic collaboration with Southeast Asia FinTech unicorn Akulaku REA Group, divestment of stake in 99.Co and divestment of iProperty Malaysia and thinkofliving Thailand to PropertyGuru in consideration for the issue to REA of new shares in PropertyGuru and
its participation as a cornerstone investor in PropertyGuru’s proposed de-SPAC merger and listing on the New York Stock Exchange, with an estimated market value of US$1.78b International PE backed data centre platform, on the US$300m+ acquisition of four data centres from Indosat-Ooredoo-Hutchison in Indonesia Confidential client, on a US$1b digital infrastructure development in North Asia International PE backed data centre platform, on the proposed acquisition of data centres in Southeast Asia including Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore Confidential bidders, bid for a portfolio of data centres in Thailand and Malaysia
bid for a portfolio of data centres in the Philippines Princeton Digital Group, on its first acquisition of a data centre in Singapore from Innovation Holdings International LLC, which was one of the largest data centre operators in the world
on its acquisition of 5 data centres from XL Axiata and related shareholder agreement and long-term cornerstone customer arrangements with XL Axiata in respect of the various data centres
on its proposed acquisition of a Chinese data centre. This deal supports PDG’s objective of becoming one of the major data centres operators in Asia supporting hyperscalers such as Amazon and Alibaba
on the acquisition of data centres and property in Southeast Asia including Indonesia Confidential client, on a greenfield digital infrastructure development in Vietnam A leading Fintech company, advised on the sale of its stake in an international payments company and acquisition of a minority stake in a peer-to-peer currency exchange Softbank Vision Fund, on several rounds of its investment into Grab, and its businesses in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam and Myanmar, amounting to over US$2b in total [comprehensive credential covering the three below]
in its US$1.46b investment into the Series H financing round of Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing platform
on its US$848m investment in Indonesian e-commerce unicorn, Tokopedia
on its investment into the Series H financing round of Grab, including carrying out a detailed due diligence into Grab’s operations across 7 Asian jurisdictions Standard Chartered Bank and Standard Chartered Ventures, on their venture capital investments involving numerous strategic investments in companies in Singapore, the UK and the U.S. including:
Series E Investment in Symphony Communication’s US$165m funding round
Series Seed lead investor in 24 Exchange, a new trading platform
Series B potential investment in a UK trading platform
Series B investment in Instabase, Inc.
Series D investment in Digital Reasoning Systems, Inc.
Series B investment in SoCash. Pte. Ltd.
Series A investment in Silent Eight Pte. Ltd. Chubb, on M&A transactions and strategic joint ventures in South East Asia and China including:
its acquisition of a 60.8% stake in Siam Commercial Samaggi Insurance Plc, a leading Thai non-life insurer from Siam Commercial Bank and associated bancassurance arrangements as well as the subsequent delisting of Samaggi
on its non-life bancassurance arrangements with Siam Commercial Bank in Thailand
the acquisition of business assets from DUAL Asia, as part of DUAL’s divestment of its Financial Lines and Cyber portfolio in Singapore and Hong Kong
a regional contractual-distribution joint venture with Grab Taxi. The partnership enables Chubb to market and sell general insurance products through Grab’s IT platform to both end-customers of Grab and Grab drivers
Confidential client: on a 15-year bancassurance distribution agreement for non-life insurance products with a large bank in Southeast Asia
Leading multinational insurer: on the proposed acquisition of a general insurance business in Australia AXA SA, on its acquisition of certain Asian businesses (valued at A$9.8b) in connection with AMP Limited’s takeover of AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited. This transaction involved structuring advice and the coordination of complex regulatory advice in 10 jurisdictions. This transaction was shortlisted for Asian Legal Business’s Southeast Asia M&A Deal of the year
on the restructuring of its life and general insurance businesses (and bancassurance arrangements) across Asia, involving multiple jurisdictions and, in many cases, multiple businesses in each jurisdiction. The restructuring was implemented in several phases and involved considerable coordination of regulatory advice and regulatory authorities and often required new and innovative approaches
on the potential restructuring of its life insurance joint venture and bancassurance arrangement with Bank Mandiri in Indonesia
on the sale of its 60% equity interest in P.T. Asuransi Winterthur Life Indonesia (WLI), a life insurance joint venture company in Indonesia, to its joint venture partner in WLI (the Wanandi group)
on its joint (aborted) bid with National Australia Bank (NAB) for AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (AXA APH), valued at approximately A$13.3b, which would have resulted in AXA acquiring the Asian businesses of AXAAPH for A$9.4b
on the acquisition of BH Insurance (M) Bhd, a general insurance business in Malaysia, by its Malaysian subsidiary, AXA AFFIN General Insurance Berhad, for an aggregate consideration of RM453.2m (approx. IJS$135m), as well as the new shareholder arrangements in relation to AXAAFFIN General Insurance following completion of the acquisition
on its general insurance joint venture in India with Bharti Enterprises
on its life insurance joint venture with AFFIN Holdings Berhad in Malaysia
on its life insurance joint venture with Bharti Enterprises in India
Proposed acquisition of a 15% equity stake in Bao Viet Insurance Company as part of Bao Viet’s equitisation process
Acquisition of 15% equity stake in Bao Minh Insurance Company following Bao Minh’s equitization Generali, on the proposed restructuring of its non-life insurance business in India, including the replacement of its existing Indian partner with a new Indian partner and a subsequent merger of the new partner’s non-life insurance business with the multinational insurer’s business
on the acquisition of PT Asuransi Jiwa Arta Mandiri Prima, a joint venture life insurance company in Indonesia, which marked Generali's entry into the Indonesian insurance market ING Asia/Pacific Ltd, on the establishment of its family Takaful joint venture with the Public Bank Group in Malaysia, ING Public Takaful Ehsan Bhd HSBC, on its acquisition of PT Bank Ekonomi Raharja Tbk, one of the 20 largest banks in Indonesia determined by assets, for a consideration of US$607.5m
on its proposed acquisition of RBS’s retail businesses across various Asian jurisdictions including Singapore, India and the Philippines Axiata Group Berhad, Advising on the proposed acquisition of a minority equity stake in a Vietnamese telecoms operator through the latter’s equitization Oriente, on the funding, development launch and rollout of a cutting-edge financial services infrastructure for people and small businesses across Southeast Asia in:
the Philippines in partnership with JG Summit in relation to Cashalo; and
Indonesia in partnership with Sinar Mas in relation to Finmas DHL, Proposed acquisition of a freight forwarding company in Vietnam. Rankings, 2023
Chambers Asia Pacific and Global – Band 2 - Corporate/M&A: International – Singapore
“Jake Robson is deeply experienced in handling cross-border corporate transactions across the Asia-Pacific region, working from Singapore. He is particularly focused on the financial services, technology and fintech sectors.”
Client “Jake shows great sophistication and commercial astuteness in the advice he provides, and in drafting. He is also considered in approaching negotiations.”
Client “Jake brings great professionalism with a wide range of industry expertise and a mindset of legal soundness and fairness as well as a strong ability in relationship management.”
Legal 500 – Leading Individual – Corporate and M&A: Foreign Firms
Client “Jake Robson is a very experienced partner who joins us in the trenches and partners with us. Always available and good turn-around.”
Client “The best M&A team that I worked with so far, attentive to details and commercial points, work beyond normal hours., all rounded.”
Client “Jake Robson – he knows almost everything”
2022
Chambers Asia Pacific and Global – Band 2 - Corporate/M&A: International – Singapore
“Jake Robson is deeply experienced in handling cross-border corporate transactions across the Asia-Pacific region, working from Singapore. He is particularly focused on the financial services, technology and fintech sectors.
One impressed client notes: "You want Jake on your side of the negotiation table when the going gets tough." – Chambers Asia Pacific, 2022.
Legal 500 – Leading Individual – Corporate and M&A: Foreign Firms
Jake Robson, is hailed as ‘very knowledgeable when it comes to alternative structures and options’
‘Jake Robson. Expertly breaks down issues in layman-speak for easier understanding by management. Quick turnaround & always accessible. Very knowledgeable on structures and options and what are typical alternatives and have been done in the different markets and industries, including new digital businesses, startups etc.’
2021
Chambers Asia Pacific and Global – Band 2 - Corporate/M&A: International – Singapore
Jake Robson is "commercially minded and very good with opposing counsel," according to a client. He is deeply experienced in cross-border corporate transactions across the Asia-Pacific region and is particularly focused on the financial services, technology and fintech sectors.
Legal 500 – Leading Individual – Corporate and M&A: Foreign Firms
2020
Chambers Asia Pacific and Global – Band 2 - Corporate/M&A: International – Singapore
Legal 500 – Leading Individual – Corporate and M&A: Foreign Firms
Clients of Jake Robson appreciate his "tremendous expertise in South-East Asian-related M&A, ability to handle complex and fast-moving transactions and problem-solving attitude." – Chambers APAC
Pre-2020
IFLR1000 – Highly Regarded in M&A
Client Choice Award by Lexology – M&A Singapore
“Particularly noted for his negotiating skills. He really inspires confidence in his clients.” – Chambers APAC
“Someone who will ‘go above and beyond the call of duty,’ and who ‘has the right balance between protecting the interests of the client from a technical, legal perspective and understanding the commercial agenda.’” – Chambers APAC
“He understands the commercial drivers for the deal and works out various ways to achieve results.” – Chambers APAC
Awards
Corporate INTL – FinTech Sector Lawyer of the Year in Singapore - 2022
Corporate INTL – Mergers & Acquisitions Lawyer of the Year in Singapore – 2022
Global Law Experts – FinTech Sector Lawyer of the Year in Singapore – 2022
Global Law Experts – Mergers & Acquisitions Lawyer of the Year in Singapore – 2022
Global Law Experts – Venture Capital Lawyer of the Year in Singapore – 2022
Global Law Experts – FinTech Sector Expert of the Year in Singapore – 2021
Global Law Experts – Mergers & Acquisitions Expert of the Year in Singapore – 2021
Global Law Experts – Venture Capital Fundraising Advisory Expert of the Year in Singapore – 2021
Best Lawyers – Corporate Law in Singapore – 2021
Best Lawyers – Mergers & Acquisitions Law in Singapore – 2021
Lawyer Network Annual Award – FinTech Sector Expert of the Year in Singapore – 2021
Lawyer of the Year in Singapore for Mergers & Acquisitions, FinTech and Venture Capital at the 2022 Lawyer Network Annual Awards
Certification
- Consistently ranked as a leading practitioner in his field by various legal directories, including Chambers Asia Pacific, IFLR, Legal 500, Global Law Experts and Best Lawyers Singapore. One impressed client notes: "You want Jake on your side of the negotiation table when the going gets tough." – Chambers Asia Pacific, 2022.
Additional Information
Additional Information
Timeline
Partner
King & Wood Mallesons
03.2020 - Current
Partner
Morrison & Foerster
12.2013 - 03.2020
Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright
01.2002 - 11.2013
Bachelor of Arts - Legal Practice
The College of Law
Bachelor of Arts - Diploma in Law
The College of Law
Bachelor of Arts - French And Italian
University of Exeter
- Consistently ranked as a leading practitioner in his field by various legal directories, including Chambers Asia Pacific, IFLR, Legal 500, Global Law Experts and Best Lawyers Singapore. One impressed client notes: "You want Jake on your side of the negotiation table when the going gets tough." – Chambers Asia Pacific, 2022.
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