Philip Lee
SocioRegional Head of Financial Services, Asia
Regional Lead for India Practice, Asia
Philip Lee is an English and New York law qualified corporate partner based in DLA Piper's Singapore office. He has over two decades of experience in public and private mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, capital markets (both debt and equity), complex restructuring, structured financing and private equity across the globe with a particular focus on the Asia Pacific region. He focuses on financial services, sustainability and ESG, projects, energy and resources (both traditional and renewables), consumer and healthcare, technology (including fintech and biotech), real estate, infrastructure and construction sectors. He uses his multidisciplinary expertise to provide clients with valuable insight into complex transactions involving public and private elements, ensuring effective transaction planning, execution and compliance, whilst delivering commercial outcomes. He also assist international clients on various regulatory and compliance issues in Asia.
Philip is also particularly active in advising technology companies from start-ups to fast growing and mid-market businesses to mature global enterprises, as well as technology focused venture capital funds.
Philip has been based in Singapore since 2006 and has advised clients in every major jurisdiction in Asia. In the capital markets space, he represents issuers, sponsors and investment banks in a variety of debt, equity and equity-linked capital markets transactions, including high-yield, investment grade, regulatory capital, corporate hybrids, Rule 144A/Regulation S transactions, SPACs, DeSPACs, SEC-registered offerings, Islamic financing, GMTN and EMTN programmes, privatizations, rights issues, initial public offerings and liability management exercises. He also has extensive experience advising on structured investments, repos, ISDA negotiation and documentation, and has a strong client following among the global and regional securities houses in this space.
In addition, Philip has extensive experience advising on secured and unsecured bank financing transactions including leverage and acquisition financing, pre-IPO financing, mezzanine financing, project financing, refinancings and special situations transactions. Philip’s clients include corporates, leading banks, NBFIs and other financial institutions, private equity funds, hedge funds, sovereign and quasi-sovereign entities including sovereign wealth funds in their various transactions globally and in particular throughout Asia. Philip is ranked in Chambers Global, Chambers Asia Pacific, IFLR 1000 and Legal 500 as one of the world’s leading capital markets lawyers and has advised on some of the most significant, award winning, innovative and first-of-kind deals in the Asia Pacific region. Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2023 notes that "I continue to be impressed with Philip. He is one of the most experienced and capable capital markets lawyers I have worked with. He knows his stuff inside out and his technical capabilities are first rate. He brings extensive knowledge and experience to the table and has never failed to make sure our best interests are always represented", and has been highlighted for his India and Indonesia expertise.
EXPERIENCE
Capital markets – debt and equity
- Ping An Insurance: Advised Ping An Insurance in connection with a USD3.5bn 0.875% convertible bond due 2029 listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This deal was the largest Reg-S-only convertible bond, the largest convertible bond in the insurance sector, and the first offshore convertible bond ever by a Chinese insurance company.
- Aperion Bioenergy in respect of a green bond issue which was guaranteed by CGIF, a trust fund of the Asian Development Bank. This bond was the first ever SGD green bond issue from the bioenergy industry sector in Asia.
- Muthoot Finance: advised on the update of its USD3bn GMTN programme and a first drawdown of USD600m 7.125% Senior Notes.
- Avation PLC: advised in connection with a modified Dutch auction tender offer to buy back Avation’s 9.00%/8.25% senior PIK toggle notes maturing October 31, 2026.
Mergers & Acquisition
- Advised Indian promoters dispose of 100% of their stake in a leading BPO provider of customer management solutions headquartered in Noida, India with subsidiaries located globally including in the United States and Mauritius.
- Advised a global investment company in respect of its acquisition of a minority stake in technology company providing parking management technology to help employees of businesses in Australia and North America obtain access to their office parking.
- Advised global investment company in respect of the acquisition of a minority stake in a funds management company based in Australia.
- Advised a global investment company in its acquisition of the entire interests in fintech financial services company based in Australia.
Venture capital
- Renesas Electronics Corporation: advising Renesas in respect of a Series A offering by Edgecortix Pte. Ltd.
- HouseCanary Inc.: Advising global investment company in connection with venture capital financing by HouseCanary Inc.
- Rivva Pty Ltd: Advised global investment company in respect of a series A funding by Rivva Pty Ltd (an Australian fintech company providing payment services for online shopping).
- Inglés
- Chinese (Mandarin)
- Vietnamese
- University of Western Australia, Australia, Bachelor of Laws
- University of Western Australia, Australia, Bachelor of Commerce (Double majors in Accounting and Finance)
- Securities Institute of Australia, Australia, Graduate Diploma In Applied Finance And Investment
Awards
- Leading lawyer – Capital markets, International, Chambers Asia-Pacific, Chambers Global 2013 - 2024
- Leading individual – Capital markets (Foreign Firms), Singapore, Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2013 – 2024, IFLR1000 2013, 2019-2024
- "He is highly responsive and readily available to discuss and clarify any questions. The documents produced exhibited an advanced level of legal knowledge and expertise in bond transactions.“ Chambers 2024
- "I continue to be impressed with Philip. He is one of the most experienced and capable capital markets lawyers I have worked with. He knows his stuff inside out and his technical capabilities are first rate. He brings extensive knowledge and experience to the table and has never failed to make sure our best interests are always represented." Chambers Asia-Pacific 2023
- "He is highly responsive and willing to go the extra mile to support us." Chambers Asia-Pacific 2023
- ‘Philip Lee has guided us through a number of delicate transactions with a deft hand, holding his own when up against firms/partners of more fearsome reputations.’ Legal500, 2023
- ‘Philip Lee impressed with his commercial handling of files with a sound grasp of legal principles working across the nuances of various different legal jurisdictions.’ Legal500, 2023
- ‘Philip Lee offers a great service – very responsive and able to give clear and useful advice even in high pressure situations.” Legal500, 2022
- Philip Lee is noted for his debt capital markets expertise and extensive experience in corporate financing. One client remarks: "He is a true subject matter expert when it comes to capital markets work, particularly high-yield bonds and US offerings. He is extremely helpful and is always available when we need him.” Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2021
- ‘Philip Lee’s contributions have been tremendous in our field of work. His expertise in this area has helped us on many transactions. Apart from his knowledge, Philip has an amazing work ethic and professionalism.’ Legal500, 2021
- Clients say he is "highly knowledgeable in the area of US debt capital markets," adding that he "brings an astute commercial mindset to the project at hand, is always responsive and is a genuine problem solver." Chambers Global and Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2020
- "Philip Lee has a long track record and is highly experienced. He consistently provides best in class service. He is trustworthy, exceptionally reliable and regularly goes above and beyond the call of duty." Legal 500
- "One client appreciates that he is 'always very helpful and very responsive. In addition he has a very good sense of the commercial elements on the deal'." Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2019
- "He frequently assists prominent global financiers on bond issuances by Indian corporates, especially handling deals in the transportation, energy and infrastructure sectors." Chambers Global, 2019
- "Philip Lee is praised for his work on MTN programmes and high-yield issuances." Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2018
- "He is lauded for his 'rich experience, professional approach and understanding of the client's needs', and also highlighted for his India and Indonesia expertise." Chambers Asia-Pacific, 2017
Publications
- Developments in the ESG Bond Marekt, September 2022
- Gambling laws of the world, 1 September 2022
- Doing Business in Singapore, 22 April 2022
- Esports Laws of the World, 26 July 2021
- The SPAC boom: using special purpose acquisition companies as an alternative means of listing in the us, 23 November 2020
- Sustainability-linked bonds – the next big thing to hit the bond markets, 23 October 2020
- COVID-19: DLA Piper’s global industry guide to resuming production post-pandemic, 5 October 2020
- “Singapore incentivises issuers to list bonds on the SGX”
- “Masala Bonds: Still attractive?”
- “Indonesia Debt Capital Markets: Key Indonesian law considerations for international DCM issues”
- “Masala Bonds: Tweaking them into success”
- “ABS Issues New Listings Due Diligence Guidelines”
- “Reserve Bank of India allows Indian corporates to issue Rupee denominated ‘Masala’ bonds overseas”
- “Accessing the International Debt Capital Markets”
- “Singapore Covered Bonds: Rules, Structures and Issues”
- “Guide to the Indonesian Equity Capital Markets”
- “Singapore Business Trusts - Client Briefing”
- “Structures and considerations for Indonesian international corporate bond offerings”
Memberships And Affiliations
- Registered foreign lawyer in Singapore
