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Desmond Wee

Head, General Corporate Commercial, Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP
Partner, Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP
Director, Rajah & Tann (Laos) Co., Ltd.

Practice Area:

Employment & Benefits
General Corporate Commercial
Mergers & Acquisitions

LLB (Hons), University of Nottingham
Barrister-at-Law, Middle Temple (non-practising)
Advocate & Solicitor, Supreme Court of Singapore

T +65 6232 0474
E desmond.wee@rajahtann.com

Desmond is an Equity Partner of the Firm and also a member of the Executive Committee. He is also the Head of the General Corporate Commercial Practice Group and the non-contentious side of our Employment and Benefits practice which is recognised as a top ranked practice in Chambers and Partners and Asia Pacific Legal 500.

He started his professional legal practice as a commercial litigation lawyer and that was followed by his appointment as group regional legal counsel of a Hong Kong publicly listed corporation which had business interests in both publicly listed and private corporations throughout Asia. This uniqueness of experience has enabled Desmond to appreciate and deal with issues from very different perspectives.

In his current practice, Desmond has acted for both publicly listed and private companies in their acquisitions, disposals and joint ventures and continues to advise Singapore public listed companies in their corporate transactions and compliance obligations. Desmond also oversees the Firm’s regional practices in Cambodia and Laos and is very much involved in the management and development of its Indo-China practice.

Experience

Desmond's current areas of practice comprise:

  • Corporate restructurings
  • Mergers and Acquisitions (Singapore and cross border)
  • General Corporate and Commercial law
  • Employment and Benefits
  • Aviation and Aerospace
Transactions Examples
  • Acting as legal counsel to numerous Singapore public listed corporations in their corporate transactions (including acquisitions, disposals, share buyback compliance, interested party transactions, continuing listing obligations);
  • Advising a Singapore listed entity in their joint venture and investment into Laos PRD;
  • Advised Encompass Digital Media Inc. on Due Diligence Exercise and Acquisition of the content distribution division of Ascent Media (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Ascent Media Holdings Ltd. and Ascent Media Pte. Ltd.;
  • Advising a UK based group in the acquisition of assets in the bio-medical industry;
  • Advised on the sale of Janus Corporate Solutions;
  • Advised China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corporation Ltd in their corporate restructuring exercise;
  • Advised Westech Electronics Limited on a Reverse Take-over transaction.
Memberships / Directorships
  • Member, Singapore Academy of Law
  • Member, Law Society of Singapore
  • The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple
  • The Bar Council of England and Wales
Publications
  • Article on the fundamental considerations to consider in when formulating a ‘Mergers and Acquisitions Strategy’ published in the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited publication.
  • Article on the duties and responsibilities of Employers and Employers in the context of Employment Law in connection with the disasters.
  • Employment Law articles (for e.g. on the applicability of gardening leave under Singapore law, law relating to restraint of trade covenants, etc).