The firm has nabbed a property law specialist from Kennedys Singapore to lead the new office
Wotton + Kearney (W+K) has announced its intent to expand to Singapore – the first major Australian insurance and risk specialist firm to do so, the firm said.
The firm’s Singapore branch is set to open its doors in June. W+K said that the decision reflects Singapore's value as an APAC hub for the London and European insurance and reinsurance markets.
“Singapore would become Wotton + Kearney’s 10th office across the Asia Pacific region and its first in mainland Asia. Our growth has always been client driven and we know that an expanded Asian offering will make us a better business partner for our insurer clients which provide insurance to businesses across the region”, CEP David Kearney said.
Property, energy and infrastructure head Adam Chylek described Singapore as a major jurisdiction in the global insurance network that is “turning out to be the glue between the London/European insurance markets and Australia".
“All of the significant international insurers and reinsurers have a base in Singapore, and many of them are our established clients, so it makes sense for us to invest heavily in the region. I think we’re the first major Australian insurance law firm to head from Australia and invest in Asia, the traffic is normally the other way around, with London insurance firms heading south”, he said.
Kennedys Singapore lawyer Ben Nicholson will head up the new branch alongside partner Tom Morrison. Nicholson focuses on property, energy, engineering, and infrastructure risks; his experience spans the APAC region, and he has provided guidance on disputes taking place in the UK, the Middle East, and North Africa.
