Baker McKenzie has appointed Hong Kong-based partner Shih Yann Loo to the role of Asia Pacific chair, in addition to his continuing role as global executive committee member. Loo, who took up the new position on October 21 at the conclusion of the firm’s annual meeting in Singapore, succeeds Michael Wong, who has returned to practice and is based in Taipei.

Loo has a long-standing career with Baker McKenzie, having joined the Hong Kong office in 1993. He has served in several leadership positions in the firm, including being a part of the management team that led the establishment of Baker McKenzie FenXun (FTZ) Joint Operation Office in Shanghai. He also served on the committee that oversees Baker McKenzie’s offices and businesses across eight jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region.

Moreover, he has led the firm’s intellectual property group in cross-border litigation and enforcement in Hong Kong and mainland China. He is consistently recognized as a leading intellectual property lawyer by legal directories and trade publications.

“I am delighted to welcome Shih Yann to his new role as Asia Pacific chair,” said Milton Cheng, the firm’s Hong Kong-based global chair. “Over the past two years, Shih Yann has contributed significantly towards advancing our firm’s strategy as a global executive committee member. I am confident that Shih Yann will continue to drive our firm’s growth in Asia Pacific and collaborate with other executive committee members to address the needs of our clients and our people around the world.”

“As businesses ride through this period of economic uncertainty, they will be re-evaluating their plans in strategic areas such as digital transformation, supply chains, energy transition, sustainability, workforce redesign, and strategic investments to ensure they can adapt to the new macroeconomic landscape,” Loo says. “Having served our clients in the region for 60 years since we opened our first office in Manila, Baker McKenzie has supported our clients through many economic cycles and supported them in capitalizing on the opportunities that this region offers. We understand our clients’ business needs and are ready to assist them to address short- to medium-term challenges while meeting long-term goals.”

The firm has more than 4,500 lawyers and business professionals covering multiple practices across 17 offices in the Asia Pacific region.