Legal Business Blogs

Asia expansion: Hogan Lovells hires Gide Vietnam chief as it targets SE Asia

In keeping with its continued expansion in Asia, Hogan Lovells has today (16 January) announced the hire of Gide Loyrette Nouel‘s Vietnam head, Samantha Campbell, to its Southeast Asia practice where she will lead the firm’s offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Set to join the firm in March, Campbell headed Gide’s banking and finance group in Vietnam and South-East Asia. Her experience includes advising on a broad range of international finance matters, including mainstream bank lending work (secured and unsecured), asset-based financings, acquisition financings, real estate finance transactions, debt restructurings and derivatives transactions. She moved to Gide in 2009 from US firm Sullivan & Cromwell, and was made up to partner in 2010.

Her hire follows that of Hogan Lovells’ first Vietnam-based corporate partner Jeff Olson who joined its Ho Chi Minh City office from Allen & Overy in October last year, constituting the firm’s ninth partner hire in Asia in 2014.

The firm has made continuous efforts to enhance its Asia presence, which makes up 7% of overall firm revenues, in recent months through lateral hiring. Paul Hastings project finance head Joseph Kim joined its Tokyo finance practice, while Kirkland & Ellis corporate partner Steven Tran was brought into Hogan’s Hong Kong corporate practice in September.

The firm’s regional managing partner for Asia and the Middle East, Patrick Sherrington, said: ‘Vietnam is a very significant and growing market for our international clients and is a gateway to ASEAN international trade. As one of the first international law firms in Vietnam, with a historical presence spanning 20 years, we view this jurisdiction as a key component of our regional strategy and are strongly committed to responding to our clients’ requirements for consistent high quality international legal services and local law advice across the zone.’

sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk