Ashurst has added a new finance partner in Singapore and Beijing to help craft itself a broader strategy in the Chinese market.

Chin Chuan Chen joins the Silver Circle firm from Clifford Chance. He specialises in finance and debt restructuring transactions in Asia, and is known to act for Chinese banks on energy, mining and infrastructure projects.

Patrick Phua, head of Ashurst in Beijing, said: “Chin Chuan has an impressive track record in advising Chinese bank syndicates providing very significant levels of outbound financing into Latin America, Central Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia and other parts of the world. He adds significant depth and expertise to our China practice.”

In boosting its finance practice, Ashurst is looking to exploit China’s growing reputation as a key global lender and source of capital for projects and borrowers.

Recently the firm’s finance practice has been busy and hired Jennifer Schlosser to its Sydney office, and Anna-Maria Slot and Nigel Pridmore to its Hong Kong office.