The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is due to be established by the end of the year, which should encourage trade and attract investment into the region. The liberalisation and integration of ASEAN members’ capital markets has been a key focus area in the lead up to the AEC. Some analysts have claimed that the success of the AEC’s capital markets will be heavily dependent on the participation of Indonesia, ASEAN’s largest economy and most populous nation. But how ready is Indonesia? Meanwhile, Indonesia’s legal market has been busy, with a number of local firms looking to forge alliances with regional and international players in preparation for the new AEC era. Kanishk Verghese reports

Milbank and Melli Darsa have acted as international and domestic counsel to PT Blue Bird on its $200 million IPO, with Clifford Chance and Hiswara Bunjamin representing the joint global coordinators and bookrunners.

DLA Piper’s Asia operations have been rocked by yet another big-name departure, with Biswajit Chatterjee, head of the firm’s Singapore corporate finance practice and global co-head of its India practice, leaving to join Squire Patton Boggs.

Squire Sanders and Indonesian law firm Melli Darsa & Co (MDC) have entered into a formal strategic alliance, making the American firm the latest international outfit to enter Indonesia with a local tie-up.

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.

Law firms from around the globe have pieced together the acquisitions and financings that has launched Indonesian listed company, Delta, into the coal mining industry through its purchase of Indonesian coal mining contractor, Buma.