James Mythen
Image of James Mythen

James Mythen

Partner

Email

james.mythen@aoshearman.com

Phone

+65 6671 6077

Offices

Singapore

V-CARD
James is an experienced corporate partner with over two decades of advising on high-profile M&A, Private Equity and Infrastructure transactions throughout Southeast Asia, with a particular emphasis on transactions involving Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

He regularly advises an array of Corporates, PE Houses, Sovereign Funds and Financial Institutions on public and private acquisitions, strategic portfolio investments and exits and complex joint ventures.

James possesses deep experience in highly regulated industries, with a core focus on infrastructure (primarily spanning digital, social and transportation assets), telecommunications, banking, insurance and life sciences.

James is particularly valued by clients for his extensive regional cross-border knowledge and experience, having lived and worked in London, Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore. James leads A&O Shearman’s Malaysia, Brunei and Myanmar Foreign Desks and is ranked in all of the major directories as an outstanding lawyer.

Expertise

Industries

Experience

Representative matters

  • Telenor on the USD15 billion merger of Celcom and Digi, one of Malaysia’s largest ever M&A deal creating the largest telecoms business in the country.
  • EQT and Temasek on the sale of O2 Power to JSW Neo Energy for USD 1.5 billion.
  • Telenor on the USD8.6 billion merger of Thailand’s Total Access Communication Public Company Limited and True Corporation Public Company Limited to create a leading telecoms operator in Thailand.
  • Macquarie Capital on its acquisition of a majority stake in Excel Telesonic India Private Limited (CloudExtel), a leading Indian digital infrastructure operator.
  • EQT Partners on its acquisition of a significant minority interest in EC-Council, the global leader in cybersecurity training and certification.
  • IHH Healthcare on its USD900 million acquisition of Island Hospital, Penang.
  • A leading Asian sovereign wealth fund and Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) on their USD1 billion acquisition of a 35% interest in toll-road operator PT Jasa Marga Transjawa Tol (JTT) which operates a network of 13 toll roads across the island of Java, Indonesia.
  • Investcorp on its acquisition of a 51% stake in PT Multitrend Indo (MTI) from PT Kanmo Retailindo (KRI).
  • Actis Capital on the divestment by way of auction of private-education company Singapore Intercultural School Group of Schools (SIS) to Adivira.
  • Allianz on its pre-conditional offer for a 51% stake in leading Singapore insurer, Income Insurance Limited for approximately SGD2.2 billion.
  • A European Insurer on their regional life and non-life bancassurance arrangements, including agreement of local agreements in the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, PRC and Taiwan (among others).
  • FWD Group on its acquisition of PT Commonwealth Life, the Indonesian life insurer, and entry into a 15 year bancassurance arrangement with PT Commonwealth Bank.
  • CVC DIF on its acquisition of a 49.9% interest in ECO Industrial Environmental Engineering (ECO), Singapore’s leading hazardous waste management business from Séché Environnement (Groupe Séché).
  • QBE Insurance Group Limited on the disposal of its insurance operations in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands to Alpha Insurance.
  • Khazanah and Malaysia Airlines on the USD1.6bn global restructuring of Malaysia Airlines.
     

Recognition

“Especially enjoy working with James Mythen and team – always practical and commercially savvy.”
Asia Pacific Legal 500 2023 (Singapore – Corporate and M&A: Foreign Firms)
“James is very pragmatic and supportive in his approach. He is thoughtful in his advice and guiding process.”
Chambers Asia Pacific 2023 (Corporate/M&A: Singapore – International)

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as solicitor, Hong Kong, 2012

Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 2006

Academic

Postgraduate Diploma in law and Diploma in Legal Practice, BPP Law School, London, 2004

MPhil (Historical Studies) - Distinction, Cambridge University, 2001

BA (History) - First Class Honors, London School of Economics, 2000

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.