Reading Time: 4 minutesSpecial Purpose Acquisition Companies (“SPACs“) are companies, at the point of their proposed listing on the Singapore Exchange (“SGX“), without an operating history, business or assets generating revenues. The listing is undertaken primarily to raise capital to acquire a business or businesses, as the case may be, and complete a business combination. In this article, […]
A Guide to Listing a SPAC on the SGX (Part 1)
Reading Time: 4 minutesSpecial Purpose Acquisition Companies (“SPACs“) are companies, at the point of their proposed listing on the Singapore Exchange (“SGX“), without an operating history, business or assets generating revenues. The listing is undertaken primarily to raise capital to acquire a business or businesses, as the case may be, and complete a business combination. In this article, […]
Know Your Lawyer: Joshua Tan, Partner at Aquinas Law Alliance, Believes That Law Is A Business
Reading Time: 6 minutesLaw is a business. This is one of the first things Joshua shares with me, just three minutes into our interview. Two or three decades earlier, this matter-of-fact utterance would have raised eyebrows and blood pressures, and sent senior lawyers within earshot spewing diatribes in defence of the sanctity of the legal profession. But to […]
Lawyer Feature: Viviene Sandhu, Partner in Clifford Law, shares how she admires the Obamas, and how she takes pride in mentoring aspiring lawyers.
Reading Time: 5 minutesViviene is an experienced advocate of more than 21 years who has represented clients in all areas of civil litigation, with a primary focus on insurance and family law. Viviene has handled a broad spectrum of cases ranging from simple cases to complex and contentious matters at all levels of the Singapore Court hierarchy. From […]
Harassment Complaints: What Companies Should Know & Do
Reading Time: 7 minutesIn early March 2019, Parliament announced that the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) would provide more resources to help both employees and employers tackle workplace harassment[1]. Although not widely discussed, harassment does take place in Singaporean workplaces. It is important to understand that workplace harassment can affect anyone; whether male or […]
Myanmar Legal Update: Foreign Companies Allowed to Export Certain Local Products
Reading Time: 2 minutesOn 6 June 2019, the Ministry of Commerce (“MOC”) issued Notification No.24/2019 (the “Notification”) that allows foreign companies to export certain local products by exercising powers under Section 13 (b) of the Export and Import Law. In order to raise the quality of Myanmar exports, boost international demand for local goods and raise earnings for […]
Myanmar Legal Update: New Set of Interest Rates for Microfinance Institutions
Reading Time: 2 minutesAmong recent developments happening in the banking and finance sector, the Microfinance Business Supervisory Committee (“MBSC”) issued Directive 1/2019 (the “Directive”). This Directive lays down a new set of interest rates which shall be followed by all microfinance institutions operating in Myanmar. Under the new Directive, the interest rate for microfinance loans shall be charged […]
HONG KONG: The Competition Tribunal handed down a judgment on market sharing and price fixing for the first time
Reading Time: 6 minutesIntroduction On 17 May 2019, the Competition Tribunal (the “Tribunal”) handed down two decisions for the enforcements actions initiated by the Competition Commission (the “Commission”), comprising Competition Commission v Nutanix Hong Kong Limited and Others [2019] HKCT 2 and Competition Commission v W. Hing Construction Company Limited and Others [2019] HKCT 3. Both cases involved breach of the first […]
HONG KONG: CFA clarifies the proper approach for interpreting “Red Flag” Reports
Reading Time: 5 minutesIntroduction In Moody’s Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd v Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) [2018] HKCFA 42, the Court of Final Appeal (“CFA”) dismissed an appeal brought by Moody’s Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd (“Moody’s”) in relation to SFC’s disciplinary action concerning a report entitled “Red Flags for Emerging-Market Companies: A Focus on China” (the “Report”). We […]
Myanmar Tax Update: Annual Tax Compliance Reminder for FY 2018-2019
Reading Time: 2 minutesOur Tax Team wishes to remind you of the fast-approaching deadline for submission of your annual Corporate Income Tax (“CIT”) return, annual Commercial Tax (“CT”) return, and annual Personal Income Tax (“PIT”) Salary Statement. For Myanmar taxpayers who follow the financial year ending 31 March 2019 (“FY 18-19”), all annual tax returns must be submitted […]
Insider Guide to Legal in Singapore: Roundtable #3
Reading Time: 2 minutesAsia Law Network together with the Law Society of Singapore, the Singapore Corporate Counsel Association and our Australian Counterparts, AlphaCreates and ASEAN Legal Tech Association, co-hosted the 2-day event which saw lawyers from Singapore and within the region visiting some of Singapore‘s companies and law firms to exchange ideas, share progress and fostered relationships between countries. The third roundtable […]
Myanmar Legal Alert: The MOC Mandates Wholesale/Retail Registration for Previously Exempted Commodities
Reading Time: 2 minutesIn the most recent development in wholesale and retail, the Ministry of Commerce (“MoC”) issued Notification No. 23/2019 (“Notification”) in relation to the registration of companies involved in importing and trading the following commodities: Chemical Fertilizers, Seeds, Insecticides, Medical Instruments, Construction Materials and Agricultural Machinery (“Commodities”). In relation to wholesale and retail activities in Myanmar, […]