Thai firms Chandler Thong Ek and LS Horizon, Vietnamese firm DFDL and international firms Milbank and Latham & Watkins have advised on a US$2.7bn project financing deal for the Lao People’s Democratic Republic that involved a syndicated, multi-tranched, multi-currency facility from nine Thai banks – in Thailand’s largest ever project financing syndication and Lao’s first thermal power project.

PT Indosat Tbk – one of Indonesia’s largest mobile phone companies – has retained Assegaf Hamzah & Partners and Sidley Austin as the issuer’s Indonesian and lead counsels respectively on the US$650m high yield bond offer.

Zul Rafique& partners, Clifford Chance and Allen & Overy have advised on the US$244m initial public offering of CapitaMalls Trust (CMMT) – CapitaMalls Asia’s real estate investment trust on Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad – the securities exchange arm of Bersa Malaysia.

Latham & Watkins is set to boost its Middle East corporate practice with the appointment of Ahmed Anani – the Qatar head of prominent regional law firm Al Tamimi & Co – in a move that strengthens Latham’s presence in the Middle East, in particular Saudi Arabia.

Indonesian law firm Soewito Suhardiman Eddymurthy Kardono (SSEK), Herbert Smith and Norwegian law firm Wikborg Rein have advised on a US$875m project financing deal – Kangean Energy Indonesia’s (KEI) investment into BW Offshore for a floating gas production unit lease in Indonesia.

Mumbai-based boutique law firm ARA Law has added a new partner, Ashish Bhakta, to strengthen and develop its infrastructure practice.

Japanese firm Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, international firm Davis Polk and the Tokyo office of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have all landed mandates on the US$2bn Singapore offering of senior bonds by Japan's second largest bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC).

Magic Circle duo Clifford Chance and Allen & Overy have advised the United Arab of Emirates's largest bank by asset – Emirates NBD (ENBD) – on the first every securitisation of auto loan receivables in the Middle East, the first securitisation by ENBD, as well as the first public securitisation in the UAE in the last two years.

Shearman & Sterling has added another partner to its Hong Kong office, its third partner this year – further bolstering the firm's capabilities in Greater China.

Paul Hastings is acting for Acument Global Technologies – on of the world's largest producers of engineered mechanical fasteners – on the sale of its Avdel and Global Electronics & Commercial businesses to funds advised by CVC Asia Pacific and Standard Chartered Private Equity Limited (SCPEL).