Kennedy Chen

Chen Jianhao Kennedy is regarded in Singapore as a complete professional possessing an immaculate track record consisting actual in-person footprint spanning ASEAN, APAC, the Americas, European Union, and Greater China/PRC, embodying actual, on-the-ground experience involving cross-border and Singapore law, corporate, securities, transactional, financial, IPO, regulatory compliance, branding and intellectual property (IP), risks/disputes management, private wealth and business strategy. Kennedy is named and ranked throughout reputable international and domestic legal publications that undertake rigorous independent research and verification – accolades which are impossible without objective peer and client recognition. Amongst others, AsiaLaw Profiles praises Kennedy to be “efficient, responsive and creative”.

A leading Singapore lawyer, Kennedy Chen’s focused multi-disciplinary legal, business and commercial practice covers: (1) domestic and cross-jurisdiction mergers and acquisitions (or M&A)/company business establishment (private, public, including distressed or leveraged buyouts and debt work-outs), shareholder relationships, pre-M&A/post-merger integration and reorganisation; (2) private equity/venture capital; (3) IPO, equity/debt capital markets, securities financing (listing, post-listing obligations, fund-raising work-outs); (4) funds formation/regulation including VCC (variable capital company) work; (5) FDI (Foreign Direct Investments) and ODI (Outward Direct Investments) and transnational cross-border inbound/outbound joint ventures and expansion; (6) insolvent/solvent restructuring; (7) internal and external regulatory/compliance and corporate/personal risk-management requirements including data protection laws, supplier/customer/sales and employment contracts and general corporate contractual laws; (8) projects/deals management; (9) crisis or dispute prevention/control and related strategies; (10) commercial/business strategy structures (including legal and branding IP); and (11) negotiation methodologies.

Kennedy equates and derives success from your success. He’s grateful, and proud, to be objectively regarded in recognised business and legal circles as an astute problem-solver consistently creating practical, commerce-centric, complete options and solutions beyond only the law to address practical challenges – a reliable and hands-on trusted partner taking full ownership to add value to your goals where they matter and to ultimately be your apex asset.

Across sectors, industries, Kennedy feels fortunate to always be requested to advise stakeholders/clients keen to partake in, and benefit from, their desired personal, business, investment and commercial endeavours, concurrently anticipating regulatory, compliance and organisational risks. Kennedy speaks English, Mandarin, Min-Chinese, Cantonese and Bahasa, bringing to the table unique cultural, social awareness and mindfulness that further sets him apart as your trusted go-to adviser.

Football, golf, yoga, and social community volunteering causes count amongst Kennedy’s other interests second to his foremost legal, professional passion.

• ASEAN FDI/ODI and cross-border joint ventures – Advised various Japanese conglomerates in ASEAN foreign direct investment projects including, amongst others, Mitsubishi Corporation's ventures into Myanmar under the Myanmar Investment Committee regulations.
• M&A and PPP – Represented and negotiated on behalf of Darussalam Assets in a PPP (public-private partnership) with foreign engineering partners for the construction, management and maintenance of a Bruneian naval base.
• Initial Public Offering/IPO on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) and internationally (including HKEX, PRC, Nasdaq and ASX) – Sponsor's counsel in the HKEX listing of K Group Holdings, and Singapore counsel to the issuer in VS Media Holdings Limited’s Nasdaq IPO (ticker: VSME), further advising on pre-IPO corporate structuring matters.
• Equity/debt capital markets – Singapore counsel to a Shenzhen Stock Exchange listed technology company in two separate applications to the China Securities Regulatory Commission to issue additional stock respectively raising approximately US$60M and US$470M, and Singapore counsel to the issuer, a PRC listed engineering, precision engineering, prototyping and design manufacturing company, in a fund-raise exercise of RMB$600M.
• Private equity and venture capital – Led PE and VC deals, including advising Gulf Islamic Investments in its S$100M co-investment with its other investment partners into Encube Ethicals, and representing a leading Singapore-based private education group in a private equity injection by a government-linked agency.
• Domestic and cross-border M&A – Singapore sell-side and buy-side mandates in various sectors, including hotel and hospitality M&As, notably one involving the sale and purchase of a hospitality and hotel group located in Southeast Asia and parts of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap