Norton Rose Fulbright has hired corporate and commercial specialist Benny Bernarto as a partner from Indonesian firm Makarim & Taira S. Bernarto joins as a partner of Norton Rose Fulbright in Australia, and will be based in Jakarta with the firm’s associate office, Susandarini & Partners.

With a focus on foreign investment, mergers and acquisitions, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, Bernarto has experience in infrastructure and power projects and the associated project financing, advising on coal-fired power plants as well as geothermal and hydropower projects.

“No global legal business that professes to have close links to Asia can afford to ignore the real and growing potential of Indonesia,” said Wayne Spanner, Norton Rose Fulbright’s Australia managing partner, in a statement. “The appointment of Benny is a further boost to our corporate team in Jakarta, particularly in growing our energy, infrastructure, mining and commodities capability in the Indonesian market.”