Image of Kingston James

James Kingston

Senior Associate

Email

james.kingston@aoshearman.com

Phone

+6622637628

Offices

Bangkok

V-CARD
James has experience in a wide range of corporate and commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate restructurings, as well as commercial contracts.

James originally trained and qualified in London and previously spent six months on secondment to Goldman Sachs, where he worked on a number of capital markets transactions. James has been located in Bangkok and has been supporting strategic investors and private equity clients in financial institutions, energy & infrastructure and consumer products transactions equity across South-East Asia since 2019.

He regularly advises clients who are making their first inbound investment in the region and need help navigating the landscape, as well as clients who are already active in the region and need the support of a practical international counsel on their cross-border investments. James is an active member of the firm’s Social Impact Group and is the pro bono champion for the Bangkok office. He regularly advises charities and social enterprises across South-East Asia.

Experience

Representative matters

  • Bank of Ayudhya Public Company Limited on its acquisition of the whole of the consumer finance business of Home Credit Group in Indonesia and the Philippines, alongside other members of Bank of Ayudhya’s financial group, Adira Dinamika Multi Finance TBK and MUFG Bank, Ltd., in a transaction that will mark a material addition to Bank of Ayudhya’s consumer finance business in line with its ASEAN expansion strategy.
  • TMB Bank Public Company Limited on its approximate USD5.5bn merger with Thanachart Bank Public Company Limited, and TMB Bank’s related equity fundraising process through the issue of transferable subscription rights, which raised in excess of approximately USD1.2bn. The deal marked the largest bank merger in Thailand, positioning the merged ‘TTB’ entity as the sixth largest bank in the country by assets.
  • Northstar private equity in its $1 billion refinancing of an Indonesian retail company.
  • Lone Star private equity on the disposal of its interest in a Thai non-performing loan portfolio, involving the simultaneous sale of an asset management company in Thailand and related joint venture entities in multiple jurisdictions to an Asian private equity house.
  • Navis Capital Partners on its acquisition of a majority interest in N.P. Medical Co., Ltd. and related companies that operate a specialist spinal hospital and medical and therapy services in Thailand under the 'S-Spine and Nerve Hospital' name.
  • Navis Capital Partners on its disposal of a minority stake in bubble tea brand Kamu Kamu, which trades as KAMU Tea, to Modulus Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PTT Oil and Retail Business. This followed on from Navis Capital Partners' initial acquisition of their majority interest in Kamu Kamu, on which A&O also advised. Engie Global Developments B.V. on multiple transactions worth in aggregate more than USD 300m, which together constituted its complete exit from its Indonesian geothermal business.
  • Thai Solar Energy PCL on the simultaneous disposal of its interests in multiple Japanese solar sites, structured by way of sale of land holding companies and interests in profit sharing arrangements via a series of competitive auctions.

Pro bono

  • Advised the Financial Inclusion Forum, a UK not-for-profit organization on a pro bono basis regarding their constitutional model, legal medium, and their eligibility to register as a UK charity.
  • Co-ordinated and lead on the production of a report for the Aspen Network for Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) and Thompson Reuters Foundation regarding the legal frameworks and regulatory regime for impact investing across South-East Asia, including Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
  • Advised the Asia Pacific Transgender Network on compliance issues, including updates to their website terms and conditions, whistleblowing policies, and personal data protection policies.
  • Advised Alliance Anti-Trafic on issues related to the protection of their reports and original ideas regarding models for the reduction and prevention of harm to victims of human trafficking.

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

Admitted as a Solicitor (England and Wales) 2018

Qualifications

Admissions

England and Wales, 2018

Academic

LLB, University College London, 2015

Languages

English
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.