Emmanuel Chua
Biography
Emmanuel is an Asia-focused senior dispute resolution lawyer with expertise acting for clients in complex, cross-border disputes and situations. He has been recognised by Asian Legal Business as one of Asia's Super 50 Disputes Lawyers, and by the Global Restructuring Review as one of the top "40 under 40" rising stars in the international restructuring and insolvency space.
Emmanuel acts in, coordinates and manages international arbitration and litigation processes across Asia, regularly appearing as lead counsel in these proceedings. He has particular expertise in distress situations, financial restructurings and formal insolvency processes (including schemes of arrangement, judicial management and liquidation). Within the Firm, Emmanuel also sits on the Global Restructuring and Insolvency Steering Committee.
Emmanuel previously co-led the international disputes function in a US oil & gas supermajor, where he managed litigation and situations across Asia, Middle East, Europe and Africa.
Practice Focus
Emmanuel works extensively on cross-border disputes and situations. His experience focusses on the Asia Pacific region where he has worked on some of the most prominent cross-border litigation and restructurings in recent years, collaborating with local counsel as necessary to achieve the client's commercial objectives. Leveraging off this depth of experience, Emmanuel also regularly advises on risk avoidance and mitigation strategies, including contingency planning and strategic advice, often from a cross-jurisdictional perspective.
Emmanuel has also been appointed as arbitrator in international arbitration proceedings, and sits on the panel of arbitrators of a number of prominent arbitral institutions.
Representative Legal Matters
Restructuring and Insolvency
- Acting for PT Pan Brothers Tbk in the ongoing restructuring of its syndicated, bilateral and bond debt in Singapore.
- Acted for an ad-hoc committee in the USD 390 million debt restructuring of the PT Modernland Realty group in Singapore.
- Advised a North Asian bank on its exposure under a USD 450 million syndicated facility in relation to the restructuring of PT Royal Industries by way of an Indonesian PKPU proceeding.
- Advised PT Pertamina Persero in the high profile winding up of its trading arm, PETRAL, in Singapore and Hong Kong.
- Advised one of Taiwan's largest private banks on its potential exposures in Triyards Marine Services.
- Acted for two leading global banks in a series of Indonesian court proceedings arising out of a high profile default of a USD 70.7 million bond by a Dutch issuer.
International Arbitration and Litigation
- Advising Universal Terminal (S) Pte. Ltd. and UT Singapore Services Pte. Ltd. in relation to the highly complex and high-profile proceedings relating to the Hin Leong Trading Pte Ltd bankruptcy - one of the largest workouts currently ongoing in Singapore and the region, valued at SGD 1.76 billion.
- Acted for a Philippines conglomerate in a high value SIAC arbitration in a JV dispute relating to a national tollways projects in the Philippines.
- Acted for a US-listed pharma company in an SIAC arbitration (valued at over USD 300 million) relating to the development and commercialization of a new drug under a master research and licensing agreement.
- Acted for a foreign public listed company in an Malaysia seated arbitration (valued at over USD 2 billion) against a Malaysian state government for breach of a development agreement.
- Acted for the administrator of an estate in a complex series of litigation involving family arrangements and oral trust, involving trust assets in excess of SGD 60 million (Khoh Chen Yeh Shane v Seng Realty & Development and anor [2012] SGHC 79).
Professional Honors
- Asia Super 50 Disputes Lawyers, 2021 and 2022, Asian Legal Business
- Global Restructuring Review "40 of the world's leading restructuring specialists, aged 40 and under", 2022
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Turnaround Management Association - Member
- INSOL - Member
- Panel Arbitrator, Asian International Arbitration Centre
- Panel Arbitrators (Reserve), Singapore International Arbitration Centre
- Trainer, Trial Advocacy and Insolvency modules, Singapore Institute of Legal Education (for the Singapore Bar Examinations) Education and admission
Admissions
- Singapore (2009)
Education
- National University of Singapore (LLB, Honours) (2008)
Languages
- Bahasa
- English
- Mandarin