8 ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS – JUNE 2024 WWW.LEGALBUSINESSONLINE.COM BRI EFS APPOINTMENTS GLADI FEBRI ARGO LEAVING WilberForce Argo JOINING FKNK Law Firm PRACTICE M&A LOCATION Jakarta CELIA CHEAH CHIEW LAN LEAVING LAW Partnership JOINING Christopher & Lee Ong PRACTICE Intellectual Property LOCATION Kuala Lumpur MARINA CHUA LEAVING Amazon Web Services JOINING Bih Li & Lee PRACTICE Energy LOCATION Singapore JANNEY CHONG LEAVING RPC JOINING Robertsons PRACTICE Corporate Finance LOCATION Hong Kong AIK HUI CHUA LEAVING Squire Patton Boggs JOINING Campbell Johnston Clark PRACTICE M&A LOCATION Singapore TIARA KATRINA FUAD LEAVING Gobind Sing Deo & Co JOINING Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill PRACTICE White-collar crime LOCATION Kuala Lumpur RICHARD CHENG LI LEAVING I-Mab Biopharma JOINING Simmons & Simmons PRACTICE Healthcare, Life Sciences LOCATION Hong Kong (Reuters) Malaysia’s scandal-hit state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) has filed a lawsuit against a top PetroSaudi International executive seeking the return of $1.83 billion invested in a joint venture, state news agency Bernama reported. The fund entered what would ultimately become a failed joint venture with PetroSaudi to develop oil fields in 2009. In a May 7 court filing to the Kuala Lumpur High Court, 1MDB alleged that PetroSaudi Chief Investment Officer Patrick Mahony aided several individuals, including former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and fugitive financier Jho Low, to misappropriate its funds. 1MDB also named law firm White & Case as a defendant in the suit, claiming that it acted on Mahony’s instructions to prepare purchase and loan agreements on behalf of PetroSaudi to deceive 1MDB, Bernama reported. Reuters was unable to reach Mahony for comment. White & Case did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The state fund is seeking for Mahony and White & Case to repay the $1.83 billion to it, among other damages. Lim Chee Wee Partnership, the Malaysian law firm representing 1MDB, confirmed the filing to Reuters. Malaysian and U.S. investigators estimate $4.5 billion was siphoned away, opens new tab from 1MDB following its inception in 2009, implicating Najib Razak, Goldman Sachs staff, and high-level officials elsewhere. AKIRA IRIE LEAVING Morrison & Foerster JOINING Isshiki & Partners PRACTICE Disputes LOCATION Tokyo SUNYOUNG KIM LEAVING Lee & Ko JOINING Baker McKenzie KLP JV PRACTICE Arbitration LOCATION Seoul MALAYSIA’S 1MDB SUES PETROSAUDI EXECUTIVE REUTERS/Olivia Harris
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