UK-headquartered law firm, Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) announced this week (October 23) the appointment of Lachlan Clancy as energy partner within the firm’s Tokyo practice. The move marks the company’s continued push to explore opportunities in emerging sectors, such as energy transition.
A spokesperson for HSF confirmed with FinanceAsia that Clancy will report to Andrew Blacoe, Tokyo-based regional leader of its corporate practice. He will also work closely with M&A-focussed energy advisor, Anthony Patten, who joined HSF’s Singapore base last month as a senior hire.
“Lachlan will be supporting North Asia clients and growing relationships with others, like Japanese trading houses who are investing heavily in energy transition,” the spokesperson told FA.
Clancy and Patten have worked together for over a decade, HSF managing director for Asia, Graeme Preston, noted in the release, adding, “[They] boast top-level client relationships in the energy and mining industries.”
According to their LinkedIn profiles, both partners’ career paths crossed most recently for a three-year period at the Singapore base of King & Spalding. They first collaborated at Allens in Australia, where Melbourne-based Clancy worked as counsel and Perth-based Patten was partner and sector leader across Oil and Gas. Following relocation to Singapore in summer 2014, Clancy ascended to partner at Shearman & Sterling, working alongside Patten, who moved to the city-state in January the same year.
Given its limited onshore natural resources, Japan is recognised for making pioneering strides into sourcing renewable energy and building resilient supply chains. In 2017, it became the first market globally to devise a national hydrogen strategy, as part of its effort to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In 2020, Tokyo-headquartered Nissan, became the first car manufacturer to bring to market a mass-produced vehicle run solely on batteries.
"Our Japanese clients are active investors in this sector, and his hire strengthens our ability to advise on their investments into Asia, the Middle East, Australia and Europe," Blacoe said in the announcement.
