LOW Kah Keong is the Head of the Asset Management & Funds Practice and is a Partner in the Mergers & Acquisitions Practice. His main areas of practice are mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, asset management and collective investment schemes.
In the arena of asset management, Kah Keong has acted for sponsors and fund managers of private equity funds, real estate funds, venture capital funds, hedge funds and regulated collective investment schemes. He has advised on the Singapore Tax Resident Fund Scheme and licensing considerations under the Securities and Futures Act of Singapore and the Financial Advisers Act of Singapore. In his practice, Kah Keong has also advised sovereign wealth funds and insurance companies in their capacity as limited partners.
Kah Keong is recommended as a leading practitioner in Investment Funds and M&A by various legal publications such as The Legal 500: Asia Pacific – The Client's Guide to the Asia Pacific Legal Profession; IFLR1000 - The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms; asialaw Leading Lawyers; Expert Guides – Guide to the World's Leading Investment Funds Lawyers; Chambers Asia-Pacific – Asia- Pacific's Leading Lawyers for Business since 2010.
Clients have praised Kah Keong for "not merely rehashing the law, but providing commercial guidance in his advice". They described him as "very commercial" with "innovative ideas for when parties are stuck". He is also "a superb practitioner" and is "a go-to adviser to sponsors, fund managers and sovereign wealth funds".
Kah Keong graduated from the National University of Singapore. He is admitted to the Singapore Bar and to the Roll of Solicitors of England & Wales.
Significant transactions that Kah Keong has been involved in include advising / acting for the following:
Asset Management & Funds
- The general partner and investment manager of Titan Dining II LP, a private equity fund investing in Asia which raised S$100 million on 3 April 2024 with the support of anchor investor, Jollibee Worldwide Pte. Ltd., which is part of the Jollibee Group from the Philippines.
- Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited, Temasek Trust and Pavilion Capital in establishing ABC World Asia Fund I, a new Asia-focused private equity fund dedicated to impact investing.
- OCBC Bank and Lion Global Investors in setting up Lion-OCBC Capital Asia Fund I, a S$550-million fund launched in 2015 that is targeted at high-growth small and medium enterprises in Asia.
- City Developments Limited in the divestment of its entire interest in Summervale Properties Pte. Ltd. which owns the Nouvel 18 luxury condominium in Singapore via a profit participation securities scheme valued at S$977.6 million.
Mergers & Acquisitions
- Eu Yan Sang International Ltd (“EYSI”) in the sale by Righteous Crane Holding Pte. Ltd. (“RCH”) of 86% of the share capital of EYSI to Soar R2M Pte. Ltd., a special purpose vehicle jointly held by Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. This transaction valued EYSI at S$808 million and yielded divestment proceeds of S$698 million for RCH.
- Transaction counsel to Lendlease Corporation Ltd in relation to the transfer by Lendlease of its life sciences construction and development capabilities and its life sciences investments in Asia to a new joint venture entity that will be held equally by the Lendlease Groupand Warburg Pincus LLC. The transaction, valued at A$147 million, involves the establishment of Asia Pacific’s largest dedicated life sciences, research and development and innovation platform, which is expected to allow Lendlease to realise A$66 million in net cash proceeds.
- City Developments Limited in the divestment of its entire interest in Summervale Properties Pte. Ltd. which owns the Nouvel 18 luxury condominium in Singapore via a profit participation securities scheme valued at S$977.6 million.
- Asian Genco Pte. Ltd., an infrastructure company which has investments in Indian power generation assets and engineering services businesses, in relation to the US$425 million investment commitment by a consortium of global investors including Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, General Atlantic LLC, Goldman Sachs Investment Management, Norwest Venture Partners and Everstone Capital, with the goal of creating Asian Genco as one of the leading power generation platforms in India. This financing represents the largest private equity investment in the Indian power sector at the time of its completion. The deal was awarded "Private Equity Deal of the Year" by IFLR India Awards for 2011.
Related Practices
- Asset Management & Funds
- Financial Services Regulatory
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Myanmar
- Private Equity
- Special Situations Advisory
- The Private Equity Review, Fundraising Singapore Chapter published by Law Business Research, 2nd – 6th editions
- Getting The Deal Through - Private Equity (Fund Formation) - Singapore Chapter, 2012 – 2018 editions
- PLC Multi-Jurisdictional Guide - Investment Funds - 2012 Singapore Chapter
- PLC Cross-border Mergers & Acquisitions Handbook - 2011/12 Singapore Chapter
Chambers Global & Asia Pacific – The World and Asia-Pacific's Leading Lawyers for Business
- Investment Funds – Singapore: Band 1
"Low Kah Keong really knows his stuff. If there is something sensitive and I need a really safe pair of hands, it would be him because he is professional and thorough."
"Low Kah Keong really knows his stuff. If there is something sensitive and I need a really safe pair of hands, it would be him because he is professional and thorough."
Kah Keong is "very professional in protecting our interests while still being commercial enough to help consummate the deal".
He is noted for "not merely rehashing the law, but providing commercial guidance in his advice".
"Kah Keong is very well known for being technically sound. Whenever he negotiates a deal, all his arguments are very well substantiated."
"He's an old hand at this and has done a wide range of funds work."
The Legal 500: Asia Pacific – The Client's Guide to the Asia Pacific Legal Profession
- Investment Funds – Singapore: Leading Partner
Kah Keong is "decisive", and provides "workable and practical advice". He is also "very commercial" with "innovative ideas for when parties are stuck".
He is "our go-to lawyer, knows our business very well, gives commercial, sound advice, and is very responsive."
IFLR1000 - The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms
- Corporate/M&A – Singapore: Highly Regarded
- Investment Funds – Singapore: Highly Regarded
"Kah Keong is a solid counsel to have and he provides pragmatic solutions to issues."
asialaw – The definitive guide to Asia's Leading Law Firms and Lawyers
- Investment Funds – Singapore: Elite Practitioner
Kah Keong "has an excellent reputation, he is easy to work with, and has a great commercial sense".
"Highly reliable and responsive, has in-depth knowledge and expertise, knows the client well, and is able to provide constructive, commercial advice."
Asia Business Law Journal
- Ranked on The A-List – Singapore's Top 100 Lawyers