HFW has bolstered its commodities and climate finance team with the hire of Reed Smith’s Singapore managing partner, Peter Zaman 

Zaman brings with him more than two decades of experience in international derivatives, structured products and financial regulation, as well as commodities and energy transactions. He spent more than eight years at Reed Smith, and 12 years at Clifford Chance (CC) in London before that.

This year marks HFW’s 30th anniversary in Singapore, and with Zaman’s arrival the office numbers 17 partners and more than 40 lawyers. 

Mert Hifzi, HFW’s Singapore office head, said: “Peter is a genuine market leader and has a unique skillset in climate finance and sustainability – he is the region's go-to lawyer for organisations looking to manage environmental risk.”

HFW has added more than 20 transactional partners around the world since 2018. They include Reed Smith’s Middle East managing partner Vince Gordon, who also joined from Reed Smith, along with partner Tania de Swart, to launch its Abu Dhabi office in October 2018, and Locke Lord’s former Hong Kong managing partner Wing Cheung, who joined in November 2019 along with his nine-lawyer corporate finance team.

HFW is the latest firm to bolster its commodities capability in Singapore following ex-CC partner Kate Sherrard’s move to Squire Patton Boggs earlier this month as the US firm continued to strengthen the commodities and shipping practice it launched in November 2019 with the hire of Reed Smith Singapore partners Barry Stimpson and Jessica Kenworthy.

Last summer, Squire followed up on the launch of its practice with the hire of a six-strong commodities and shipping disputes team from HFW in London.

Meanwhile, growing demand for climate and ESG-related advice in the region saw Rajah & Tann Singapore open a sustainability practice earlier this month, led by banking and finance partner Lee Weilin. 

Reed Smith hires in Athens

Also today, Reed Smith announced the appointment of Dimitris Assimakis as a corporate partner in Athens from Norton Rose Fulbright, where he was partner and head of the Greek energy practice.

Assimakis, who previously also worked for the European Parliament and the European Commission, is the 11th partner to join the firm’s global corporate group across Europe and the Middle East in the last 12 month, according to Reed Smith. His practice focuses on power and gas; energy infrastructure; clean technologies; and renewable energy. He advises clients on regulatory matters, M&A, project financing, and capital markets and privatisation transactions.