2 June, 2016
Leading global law firm Hogan Lovells has announced today that it will enter into an association with Indonesian law firm, Dewi Negara Fachri & Partners (DNFP). The association becomes effective from 1 June 2016. Hogan Lovells has also recruited a new corporate partner in Singapore – Noor Meurling – who is the lead partner responsible for building the relationship between the two firms.
Hogan Lovells has over 30 years’ experience in Asia and a strong reputation for advising on award-winning transactions in Indonesia. DNFP was established by founding partners Dewi Djarot and Fachri Fachrul. Dewi has more than 30 years' experience in the legal industry in Indonesia and Fachri has 20 years' experience. In addition, a third partner has recently joined the firm, Chalid Heyder, who has 16 years' of legal experience.
The association between Hogan Lovells and DNFP brings together many years of combined local and international legal expertise and allows both firms to significantly expand their offering.
Hogan Lovells corporate partner Noor Meurling was formerly a partner at Ashurst, resident in their associated firm in Jakarta where she led the corporate M&A practice. Noor is one of Asia's leading mergers and acquisitions practitioners, having advised on joint ventures and acquisitions within the region, and internationally, since 1989.
Patrick Sherrington, regional managing partner for Asia Pacific and the Middle East at Hogan Lovells, said: "We warmly welcome DNFP to the Hogan Lovells family. This association and the hire of Noor Meurling are a significant milestone for us. It allows us to shape our strategy and expand our client offering in an entirely new way. Indonesia continues to be an attractive growth market with rising interest from global investors. Companies looking to grow in Asia need to be able to navigate complex jurisdictions and stringent regulations. Our deep sector expertise and knowledge in this region and the ability to offer a truly global network of experts ensures that clients always have the right team in place to help them meet their commercial objectives."
Dewi Djarot, one of the founding partners of DNFP, said: “There are many demands and challenges facing Indonesia across energy, infrastructure, telecommunications and healthcare but, despite this, the region is poised to continue to grow. As the largest economy in ASEAN, Indonesia offers businesses abundant long-term opportunities. DNFP was set up to support Indonesian business and industry as the country enters a new and exciting stage in its economic and social development. We offer strong local knowledge and a full range of high quality commercial legal services to help domestic and international businesses navigate the challenges that come with being part of Indonesia’s growth.”
Stephanie Keen, office managing partner, Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee in Singapore, commented: “Singapore, as the hub for ASEAN, has seen rising interest and client demand for expertise in Indonesia. We are excited to add an important tier of local expertise to our advisory services, based on a closer and more focused association than before, allowing us to deliver a truly integrated high quality Southeast Asia service to clients."
Chalid Heyder, partner at DNFP, added: "It is exciting to see the continued growth of Indonesia, which has fuelled domestic and global investor interest. In recent months we have seen a rising number of new companies and re-structuring of loans, which is driving demand for experienced corporate lawyers. Demand for dispute resolution and litigation services also remains robust among existing companies, due to an increasing number of them preparing for restructuring amid the global economic gloom.”
Noor Meurling, partner at Hogan Lovells, added: "Today Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous nation and, as identified by the World Bank, the world's 10th largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity. The appetite for growth in Indonesia from multinationals continues to grow and build. This is an exciting time to be part of a global and innovative firm in the region offering expertise on acquisitions and projects taking place in this part of the world."
