Presentation Overview

Speaker: Frank Bi, Practice Head Corporate Transactions (Asia), Ashurst Hong Kong
Speaker: Alexander Dmitrenko, Partner, Ashurst Tokyo
Speaker: Rob Palmer, Partner, Ashurst Singapore
Speaker: Vicki Tang, Senior Associate, Ashurst Tokyo

Date: Thursday, May 23rd, 2024

Time: 10:30 – 12:00 JST

Venue: MS Teams

This presentation will cover:

• Trends and Trajectory of Sanctions
• Overview of US Sanctions
• International Sanctions Targeting China, Conflict of Laws and Chinese Countermeasures
• Practical Considerations - Risks and Risk Management
• International Sanctions and Arbitration

Speaker Biographies

Frank Bi, Practice Head Corporate Transactions (Asia), Ashurst Hong Kong
Frank Bi is the head of our corporate transactions practice in Asia and advises on international capital markets, M&A transactions and compliance matters. Frank has more than 20 years of experience of acting for corporates and investment banks on public and private offerings of equity and debt securities, including initial public offerings, private placements, follow-on offerings and debt programmes, as well as on public and private M&A, privatization, joint ventures, spin-offs and other corporate restructurings. He has worked on matters throughout Asia Pacific, Europe and US, including for companies listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Japan and the United Kingdom. His recent experience includes transactions for companies in the technology, health care, consumer & retail, education, financial services, as well as for investment funds. Frank is admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong, England and Wales, being also qualified in Ireland. He passed the PRC bar exam in 2010.

Alexander Dmitrenko, Partner, Ashurst Tokyo

Alexander is a partner in Ashurst's dispute resolution practice and is based in Tokyo. Through his practice in both New York and Tokyo over the last 15 years, Alexander has gained unique expertise in sanctions and export controls, anti-bribery and corruption, anti-money laundering, human rights, ESG and forced labour, cyber and other compliance-related matters. In recent years, Alexander advised numerous financial institutions and other companies on measures related to US-China regulatory tensions around sanctions and export controls. A significant part of this practice is involved in corporate transactions and projects through conducting due diligence and advising on risk mitigation and compliance system enhancements. Given his unique skillset and expertise, he advises on major projects related to the CIS region, @articularly addressing sanctions concerns and providing strategies for risk mitigation. Alexander frequently writes and conducts media interviews related to sanctions developments. He teaches International Compliance at Temple University Law School Japan, where he is also the Chair of the Compliance Advisory Committee.

Rob Palmer, Palmer, Ashurst Singapore

Rob Palmer is a Partner in Ashurst’s dispute resolution practice group. He has a particular focus on dispute resolution in international energy, construction, and infrastructure projects. He is consistently praised by the clients and in legal directories for his advocacy skills and the quality of his legal advice, including the strategic, commercial way in which it is delivered. Rob has been based in Southeast Asia since 2003. His longstanding presence in - and understanding of - the region, and the repeat mandates he receives from blue-chip clients set him apart from others in the market. He is consistently praised by clients and in legal directories for his advocacy skills and the quality of his legal advice, including the strategic, commercial way in which it is delivered. Rob is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators and Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration. He is qualified in New Zealand, New South Wales and England; a member of the panel of arbitrators of (among others) the KCAB, the AIAC, the ACICA, the BANI and the TAC; and a member of The Training Faculty of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Vicki Tang, Senior Associate, Ashurst Tokyo

Vicki is a senior associate in Ashurst’s dispute resolution practice and is based in Tokyo. Trained in New York, Vicki has experience working in major law firms in New York and Tokyo. Her practice areas span across sanctions and export controls, anti-bribery and corruption, anti-money laundering, and other compliance-related matters. Vicki communicates in fluent English, Mandarin and Japanese. Utilizing her language skills and legal expertise, Vicki has assisted numerous financial institutions and other international corporate clients in investigations, arbitrations, litigations and transactional matters. Since joining Ashurst Tokyo, Vicki has advised clients on sanctions/export controls due diligence, risk mitigation and compliance system enhancements, especially on US sanctions and export control measures against Russia and China. Vicki has also prepared client alerts on sanctions/export control compliance and supported various training sessions on sanctions/export control, cybersecurity and other compliance issues conducted by Ashurst for various Japanese universities and Japanese client organizations.