January 29, 2024

Mayer Brown strengthens global trade and structured finance capabilities with addition of partner Janelene Chen in Singapore

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Janelene C. Y. Chen

Mayer Brown announced today that Janelene Chen has joined the firm's Banking & Finance practice as a partner in Singapore, where she will focus on trade and other structured finance transactions. She joins from Norton Rose Fulbright where she was a partner.

Janelene has extensive experience advising financial institutions and corporate borrowers on a wide range of cross-border financings, notably trade finance (including receivables finance, payables finance and commodities finance), event driven financing, structured lending (such as asset-based lending), and general banking. Most of her cross-border transactions have involved Singapore, Indonesia, Indochina, Hong Kong and Mainland China. She is dual qualified in English and Singapore law, giving the firm the flexibility to assist clients in the Southeast Asia region, where transactions are governed by either English or Singapore law.

"Janelene is a seasoned banking and finance lawyer, having advised the world's largest banks and corporate borrowers on the full spectrum of issues affecting trade and structured finance products. She is a valuable addition to our growing practice globally," said Alex Dell, co-head of Mayer Brown's Global Banking & Finance Practice and co-chair of the Global Trade Finance Group. "The multi-trillion dollar global trade finance market is complex and risky to navigate for lenders and borrowers alike. Having Janelene on the ground in Singapore, an increasingly important financial and trading hub, advising on structured finance and risk management solutions to multi-jurisdictional clients significantly deepens our leading global finance platform," he added.

Yu-Jin Tay, managing partner of Mayer Brown's Singapore office, said: "We are delighted to build on the success and growth of our Singapore office by bringing on board more talented and dynamic partners like Janelene. I look forward to working closely with Janelene and welcome her warmly to the firm.”

Commenting on her move, Janelene said: "I am excited to join Mayer Brown for the opportunity to plug into a highly successful global team, working closely with global practice leaders, Alex Dell, Massimo Capretta, and others to expand the global trade finance business in Asia. I am inspired by the energy of Mayer Brown's Singapore office and look forward to contributing to its evolution and success."

Commenting on recent market trends in Asia, Janelene said: "Singapore is the main financial center for Southeast Asian lending activity and the originator of the vast majority of Southeast Asia-focused cross-border financings. Indonesia and Vietnam in particular are key markets that offer long-term growth opportunities. Singapore is also becoming increasingly important to Hong Kong and China, with many large Chinese companies setting up regional headquarters in Singapore as the base for their non-PRC operations. As most regional cross-border transactions are governed by Singapore or English law, we can expect dual-qualified Singapore-based banking and finance lawyers to have constant deal flow in the coming years."