Ashurst consolidates Asia India presence with AO hire

Former Allen & Overy partner, Keith McGuire has been appointed as a corporate partner in Ashurst’s Singapore offices. Sources inform us that McGuire’s appointment is to firm up Ashurst’s Asia and India practice..Former Allen & Overy partner, Keith McGuire has been appointed as a corporate partner in Ashurst’s Singapore offices. McGuire previously worked as the Asia-Pacific Counsel for the TI Group Plc before starting his stint with Allen & Overy, Singapore, in 1996. He moved to the London office in 2005 to head the firm’s corporate practice. Ashurst’s team in Singapore is over 20 lawyers strong and is now led by 6 Partners, including McGuire..Sources inform us that McGuire’s appointment is to firm up Ashurst’s Asia and India practice. Ashurst has been increasingly active in the Asian market in recent times. In December ’09, Ashurst expanded their Hong Kong offices by hiring Securities and Structured Finance specialist, Peter Kwon and his team of 3 lawyers from DLA Piper. Earlier last year, they had also relocated corporate Partner Susan Roy to consolidate their presence in Singapore..An active figure in the M&A, joint ventures, corporate finance and investment fund sectors in Asia, including India, McGuire’s experience also covers a number of industry sectors, including financial institutions, energy and infrastructure. A media release reveals that he has been active in the Indian investment market since 1999..Geoffrey Green, Ashurst’s Head of Asia, said, “Keith’s appointment and the recent hire of Peter Kwon in Hong Kong show that we are committed to growing our presence in Asia by making strategic investments in response both to client demand and market opportunities. There is a strong synergy between Keith’s expertise, particularly in the energy, infrastructure and financial services sectors, and the focus of our practice in the region. I am very pleased to welcome him to the firm.”.Matthew Bubb, the Managing Partner of Ashurst, Singapore added, “Keith is a highly regarded corporate practitioner with a strong reputation in Singapore and the wider Asia-Pacific market.”.While Ashurst is still preparing to file an appeal before the Supreme Court to reverse the Bombay High Court judgement on foreign law firms, McGuire’s hire is expected to strengthen the corporate practice in the India region.