Baker McKenzie is pleased to announce new leadership appointments for seven Asia Pacific practice and industry groups, with changes coming into effect on July 1, 2020.

Among the new practice group leaders is Hong Kong-based Isabella Liu, who is taking over as Asia Pacific chair of the IP and technology practice, a role that had been held by Bangkok-based Say Sujintaya.

For the firm’s transactional practice groups, Singapore-based Emmanuel Hadjidakis is replacing Tokyo-based Gavin Raftery as Asia Pacific chair of the banking and finance practice. Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur-based Brian Chia is taking over as Asia Pacific chair of the M&A practice from Hideo Norikoshi in Tokyo.

Other advisory practice groups changes include Singapore-based Nandakumar Ponniya taking over as Asia Pacific chair of the dispute resolution practice, replacing Yoshiaki Muto in Tokyo and Sydney-based Anne Petterd replacing Kana Itabashi in Tokyo as Asia Pacific chair of the international commercial and trade practice.

For its industry groups, Sydney-based Elisabeth White is taking over as Asia Pacific chair of the healthcare and life science industry group from Isabella Liu. Cherrie Shi of FenXun Partners, the firm’s joint operation partner in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, will co-chair the firm’s industrials, manufacturing and transportation industry group in Asia Pacific with Yaeko Hodaka in Tokyo.

The seven new appointees will join the other 12 leaders who continue to lead the various practice and industry groups in Asia Pacific. They are:

Practice Groups:

• Ivy Wong, Asia Pacific chair of the capital markets practice, based in Hong Kong
• Kelvin Poa, Asia Pacific chair of the private equity practice, based in Singapore
• Martin David, Asia Pacific chair of the projects practice, based in Singapore
• Stephen Crosswell, Asia Pacific chair of the antitrust and competition practice, based in Hong Kong
• Michael Michalandos, Asia Pacific chair of the employment practice, based in Sydney
• Bruce Webb, Asia Pacific chair of the real estate practice, based in Melbourne
• Brendan Kelly, Asia Pacific chair of the tax practice, based in Shanghai

Industry Groups:

• LokeKhoon Tan, Asia Pacific chair of the consumer goods and retail industry group, based in Hong Kong
• Bee Chun Boo, Asia Pacific chair of the energy, mining and infrastructure industry group, based in Beijing
• Adrian Lawrence, Asia Pacific chair of the technology, media and telecoms industry group, based in Sydney
• Stephanie Magnus, Asia Pacific chair of the financial institutions industry group, based in Singapore
• Yaeko Hodaka, Asia Pacific co-chair of the industrials, manufacturing and transportation industry group, based in Tokyo

“I am delighted to welcome our new practice and industry group leaders to the leadership team,” said Baker McKenzie’s Asia Pacific chair Ai Ai Wong. “What is particularly exciting is that among the seven new Asia Pacific leaders, four are women. As a firm that values diversity in the workplace, these appointments mark a step forward towards achieving our firm’s global aspirational targets of having 40% women at the partnership and leadership level.”