Law Asia. International Lawyers

International Advisory
Council
(IAC)

Law Asia has an independent International Advisory Council “IAC” of senior figures from industry, finance, government agencies and the professions. The IAC provides wisdom, perspective, feedback, advice, guidance, direction and added focus to Law Asia.

Law Asia International Advisory Council Members:-

Göran Seifert (Swedish) (Chairman of IAC) - MD of advisory consultancy, Andapacific. Previously Asia Pac Head of Italcementi / Ciments Francais Group (Milan and Paris listed) with investments exceeding US$1 Bn in India, Thailand and China. Also previously Head of Regional Operations (Asia Pacific) for Philips. Sits on numerous boards in Asia and Europe.
Prof. Simon Chesterman (Australian) - Dean NUS College, Former Dean Law Faculty, National University of Singapore and Global Professor and Director of the New York University School of Law Singapore Programme. An acknowledged academic and former Rhodes Scholar, with particular expertise in International Law and Editor of the Asian Journal of International Law. Previously United Nations' coordination office for Yugoslavia and International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Also a published author.
Maureen DeRooij (Singaporean) - Former CEO Asia-Pacific for ABN AMRO Bank and is based in Singapore where she also is Country Executive. Previously, the Regional Head South-East Asia for Small and Medium Enterprises, Global Head of Natural Resources and Commodity Trading as well as Group Chief Operating Officer at Standard Chartered Bank. Frequent speaker and chairman of industry events organised by institutes such as the Financial Times, Dow Jones, Euromoney, Reuters, the American and European Chambers of Commerce, and occasionally provides commentary on Bloomberg and CNBC's Worldwide Exchange business news programme. She is also on the Board of the Europe-Asean Business Alliance.
Ray Ferguson (Singaporean) - CEO/Founder of Caber Partners, a CMS Licensed Fund advisory firm in Singapore; as well as Chairman of Singapore Life (Insurance), the first independent life insurance company licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore since 1970 and Singapore’s fastest growing life insurer following its successful acquisition of Zurich Life Singapore’s business portfolio and achieving SGD 6.6 billion in life insurance coverage to date. Prior to that he was Chief Banking Officer to Arab Banking Corporation. Former Chief Executive, Singapore and Regional Chief Executive, Southeast Asia at Standard Chartered Bank. Before that, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Americas and before that CEO of Standard Chartered Bank UAE.
Dr Bill Foo (Singaporean) - Senior Adviser at Lazard Asia who has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. Previously served as the CEO/General Manager of Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZ) from 1999 to 2011 Vice Chairman, South and South East Asia from 2011 – 2015. Also served on the Council of the Association of Banks in Singapore and was Deputy Chairman of the Singapore Investment Banking Association. Currently hold various board memberships in several listed and private companies, including Tung Lok Restaurants (2000) Ltd, CDL Hospitality Trusts, Mewah International Inc., IC Power Pte. Ltd., Tower Capital Asia Pte. Ltd. and Unigestion Asia Pte. Ltd.
Damian Hills (British) - Mathematician and FCA Managing Director at Alpha Advisory. Corporate Financier with over 25 years of experience in Asia. His career has encompassed mergers, acquisitions, disposals, fundraising and equity capital markets transactions in many countries and many sectors. Has in-house acquisition and integration experience as Associate Director of Corporate Finance at the multi-national conglomerate Williams plc and advisory experience ultimately as Managing Director at Société Générale in Asia. Has current board roles in a number of Asian companies. Mr Hills is also the President of The British Club in Singapore.
Girija Pande (Singaporean) - Chairman, Chain IQ APAC, Chairman Apex Avalon Consulting, Singapore. Board member National Heathcare Group, Chairman Institute of Mental Health, Former President of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) APAC. Vice Chairman of TCS’ Chinese JV with the Chinese Government and former Executive Chairman of ANZ Grindlays Asset Management Company in India. Former Chairman Singapore India Business Forum. Thought leader who is widely consulted and interviewed.
Piers Willis (British) - Senior Advisor to Rothschild Group. Formerly Rothschild Group Executive Vice-Chairman and CEO of South East Asia. Mr Willis was also formerly Asia Pacific (ex-Japan) Head of Corporate Advisory for Dresdner Kleinwort and a Board member of ASEAN Bankers for 10 years. One of the most experienced corporate financiers in South East Asia. Now based back in the UK.
Professor Walter Woon (Singaporean) - Former Attorney-General of Singapore; and before that Solicitor-General of Singapore. Now the first Dean of the Singapore Institute of Legal Education and also the Centre for International Law. Also previously Singapore’s Ambassador to Brussels, the European Union, Germany, Greece and Luxembourg; and before that a Nominated Member of Parliament.
Michael Walters (British) Former Managing Partner (South East Asia) of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP (HSF), Singapore since 2012. Prior to that he was a Partner at the London office of HSF, one of the City of London's pre-eminent law firms, which subsequently merged in 2012 with the number one firm in Australia, Freehills, and became what was (at the time of the merger) the 8th largest law firm in the world and the largest fully integrated law firm in the Asia-Pacific Region. Michael’s 36-year career as a corporate lawyer in private practice involved him in numerous high profile and landmark transactions across a broad range of company and commercial work and he has worked with many companies, public and private, listed and unlisted, financial institutions, government bodies and a wide variety of businesses across a range of industries and sectors in the United Kingdom, Asia and globally.

Pro-Business Ethos, Leveraging on the Wisdom, Experience, Credibility, Brand and Personal Standing of IAC Members