Jake M. Robson

Jake Robson is a corporate finance partner based in Singapore. He has extensive experience in cross-border acquisitions, disposals and joint venture arrangements as well as cross-border regulatory advice, both in South and Southeast Asia and in Europe. He is also experienced in advising on equity capital markets work, including acting for both issuers and underwriters on IPOs and secondary fundraisings across various Asian Stock Exchanges.

Mr. Robson has a particular focus on the financial institutions, FinTech, technology and telecommunications, resources and commodities sectors. He has worked on numerous high profile and high value transactions for multinational clients such as AXA, Axiata Group Berhad, BTMU, Chubb (formerly known as ACE), Generali, HSBC, Louis Dreyfus Commodities and Mizuho Bank.

Mr. Robson is acknowledged by Chambers Global 2018, Chamber Asia-Pacific 2018, the International Financial Law Review's Guide to the World’s Leading Law Firms 2018 and the Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2018, as a leader in his field for international Corporate/M&A work. Mr. Robson is also a recognized practitioner for Insurance in Singapore.

Clients report being impressed by his deal-making abilities, and that “he's the kind you would love to have in your corner and dread if he's playing for the away team.” He is commended for his “technical strength and amazing stamina”, and is “particularly noted for his negotiating skills. He really inspires confidence in his clients.” Clients have described him as someone who will “go above and beyond the call of duty,” and who “has the right balance between protecting the interests of the client from a technical, legal perspective and understanding the commercial agenda.”

Mr. Robson heads the firm’s financial institutions and FinTech practices in Asia and the TMT practice in Singapore. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and is often asked to provide commentary on regional trends and acquisitions in the financial, technology and telecommunications sectors.

Mr. Robson has resided in Singapore since 2005. In addition to English, he speaks and writes fluent French and Italian.

Representative Matters

Financial Institutions

• Chubb, the world’s largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company, on a regional contractual-distribution joint venture with Grab Taxi, the leading on-demand transportation and Fintech platform in Southeast Asia. The partnership enables Chubb to market and sell general insurance products through Grab’s IT platform to both end-customers of Grab and Grab drivers.
• A large Japanese multinational bank on its proposed acquisition of a 40% stake in an Indonesian bank.
• A confidential client on the establishment of a new and innovative life insurance company in Singapore by way of joint venture arrangement.
• A leading U.S. non-life insurer on various anti-corruption related issues in the context of a proposed commercial transaction with a Thai counterparty.
• AXA SA on its acquisition of certain Asian businesses (valued at A$9.8 billion) in connection with AMP Limited’s takeover of AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited. This transaction was shortlisted for Asian Legal Business’s “Southeast Asia M&A Deal of the Year.”
• AXA SA on the ongoing restructuring of its life and general insurance businesses across Asia, involving more than ten jurisdictions and, in many cases, multiple businesses in each jurisdiction. The restructuring is being implemented in various phases, the first phase having been completed at the end of 2011 following receipt of the relevant regulatory approvals.
• A confidential client on its bid for AM Life and AM Takaful, two of the largest domestic insurance companies in Malaysia.
• A confidential client on the proposed disposal of a wealth management and financial services advisory business operating in various countries in Asia.
• A confidential client on its bid for Kurnia Insurans (Malaysia) Berhad, a leading general insurer in Malaysia.
• HSBC on its acquisition of FT Bank Ekonomi Raharja Tbk, one of the 20 largest banks in Indonesia determined by assets, for a consideration of US$607.5 million.
• HSBC on its acquisition of RBS’s retail businesses across various Asian jurisdictions.
• A multinational bank on its bid for the corporate and retail business of ING Bank across numerous Asian jurisdictions.
• A Middle Eastern bank on its proposed acquisition of an Indonesian conventional bank and the proposed conversion of that bank to become Sharia compliant.
• ING Asia/Pacific Ltd. on the establishment of its family Takaful joint venture with the Public Bank Group in Malaysia, ING Public Takaful Ehsan Bhd.
• AXA SA on its joint (aborted) bid with National Australia Bank (NAB) for AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (AXA APH), valued at approximately A$13.3 billion, which would have resulted in AXA acquiring the Asian businesses of AXA APH for A$9.4 billion.
• A multinational insurer on the proposed restructuring of its non-life insurance business in India, which will include the replacement of its existing Indian partner with a new Indian partner and a subsequent merger of the new partner’s non-life insurance business with the multinational insurer’s business.
• AXA SA on the acquisition of BH Insurance (M) Bhd, a general insurance business in Malaysia, by its Malaysian subsidiary, AXA AFFIN General Insurance Berhad, for an aggregate consideration of RM453.2 million (approx. US$135 million), as well as the new shareholder arrangements in relation to AXA AFFIN General Insurance following completion of the acquisition.
• AXA SA on the sale of its 60% equity interest in P.T. Asuransi Winterthur Life Indonesia (WLI), a life insurance joint venture company in Indonesia, to its joint venture partner in WLI (the Wanandi group).
• A Middle Eastern company proposing to introduce a Sharia compliant investment product involving a prize draw in Indonesia.
• A bidder on the possible acquisition of Malaysian Assurance Alliance Bhd.
• AXA SA on its general insurance joint venture in India with Bharti Enterprises.
• The sellers on the sale of Captive Finance Limited to Fortis Lease Group S.A. for a consideration of approximately US$42 million.
• AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited on its acquisition of the life insurance businesses, MLC Hong Kong and MLC Indonesia, from Australian banking group, National Australia Bank (NAB) for A$575 million.
• AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited on its life insurance joint venture with AFFIN Holdings Berhad in Malaysia.
• Generali on the acquisition of PT Asuransi Jiwa Arta Mandiri Prima, a joint venture life insurance company in Indonesia, which marks Generali’s entry into the Indonesian insurance market.
• AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited on its life insurance joint venture with Bharti Enterprises in India.
• Chubb (formerly known as ACE), one of the largest U.S. insurers, on its acquisition of a 60.8% stake in Samaggi, a leading Thai non-life insurer from SCB.
• Generali, one of the largest insurers in Europe, on the restructuring of its Indian life joint venture and proposed three way merger involving its non-life joint venture in India.
• E-shipment insurer on its potential diversification into other non-life product categories.

Telecommunications, Technology and FinTech

• SoftBank, the largest shareholder in ride-hailing companies Grab and Uber, in Grab’s acquisition of Uber’s Southeast Asia operations. This deal is the largest-ever of its kind in Southeast Asia.
• Axiata Digital Services
  • on its strategic investment and distribution arrangements for South East Asia, with Milvik AB, a provider of micro-insurance products (principally life insurance and health insurance), currently operating in Africa and South America.
  • on its investment into Yonder Music, Inc., which provides a mobile-only, “on demand” download service that provides users access to songs to download and play, commercial free.
  • on its joint venture in the U.S. with WS02, Inc which will be engaged in the distribution and exploitation of mobile internet and fulfilment exchange (MIFE) technology.
  • on its investment in STS Media, Inc., a telecom company based in the U.S.
  • on its investment into Etobee, an Indonesia based technology-driven urban logistics provider for SME and corporates.
  • on its investment into a Europe-based leading global micro-insurance provider.
  • on its investment into an Australian mobile advertising company.
• Regional key client Axiata Group Berhad, the largest mobile operator in Malaysia, on numerous transactions across Asia, including:
  • its US$1.365 billion acquisition of Nepal’s leading mobile operator, Ncell. This deal was nominated M&A Deal of the Year: South Asia by the prestigious The Asian Lawyer Asia Legal Awards 2016;
  • one of the largest recent telecoms deals in India involving the buyout by Idea Cellular of Dr BK Modi’s stake in Spice Communications, the merger of Spice into Idea and the preferential placement of shares by Idea to Axiata. This deal was awarded the Indian Business Law Journal’s deal of the year award for 2008 (and had a value in excess of US$3 billion);
  • the restructuring of its shareholding in Idea, including the cancellation of various option arrangements;
  • its acquisition of a majority stake in Multinet Limited, a large Pakistani mobile operator;
  • its acquisition of a mobile operator in Sri Lanka;
  • its proposed disposal of its stake in Multinet in Pakistan; and
  • its proposed acquisitions of mobile operators in Vietnam and Cambodia.
• Sampoerna Strategic, a large Indonesian family-owned private equity house on:
  • its acquisition of an Indonesian telecoms operator subsequently renamed Sampoerna Telekomunikasi Indonesia (STI);
  • the restructuring of its investment in STI; and
  • the proposed highly structured sale of its investment in STI to Bakrie Telekom.
• Blockchain-based crowdsurance platform with its plans for an initial coin offering and licensing requirements.

Consumer Products, Logistics, Resources and Commodities

• JT International SA on its acquisition of the assets related to the tobacco business of Mighty Corporation for a total of PHP 46.8 billion (approximately USD 936 million). This is one of the largest M&A deals by value in the Philippines in 2017.
• A large logistics multinational on its proposed acquisition of logistics companies in Vietnam and Korea.
• PT Renaissance Capital Asia on:
  • its proposed US$3.25 billion acquisition and financing of Bumi Resources’ KPC and Arutmin mines, which are among the largest thermal coal mines in Indonesia; 
  • its acquisition of a greenfield thermal coal mining operation in Kalimantan, Indonesia; and 
  • its proposed acquisition of the Dipasena shrimp farming operation, the largest such operation in Indonesia.
• Louis Dreyfus Commodities (Asia) on its multi-billion dollar investment into Felda Global Ventures Holdings Berhad as part of its IPO and on trading and downstream joint ventures in the palm oil sector with one of its subsidiaries.
• Louis Dreyfus Commodities (Asia) on its upstream and midstream palm oil joint venture with the Rajawali Group in Indonesia.
• Louis Dreyfus Commodities (Asia) on its acquisition of the second largest producer of apple juice concentrate in China.
• Louis Dreyfus Commodities (Asia) on its acquisition of a sugar refining business in Indonesia.
• BNP Paribas as global coordinator on the IPO on the Indonesia Stock Exchange of BW Plantation Tbk, one of the larger palm oil producers listed in Indonesia.
• A U.S. coal miner on various coal trading arrangements in Indonesia and its proposed equity investment in a large operational thermal coal mine in Kalimantan, Indonesia.
• The shareholders on the US$250 million disposal of PT Berau Coal, one of Indonesia’s major coal mining assets.
• A Hong Kong listed company on its proposed acquisition of a large laterite mine in the Philippines.
• A clean energy fund on its acquisition of:
  • a wind farm in the Philippines and
  • a geothermal project in Indonesia.
• A private equity fund on its equity investment by way of warrants into a large copper mining business in the Philippines.
• PT Permata Resources, a boutique Indonesian PE house, on its acquisition of a distressed mining operation and subsequent restructuring of that asset.