SEC Newgate Greater China

James has 20 years’ experience in advising leading Asian and international organisations and individuals on complex reputation briefs, brand building, cross border M&A, crisis management and investor relations. Prior to Newgate, James was the General Manager of Sandpiper Communications (formerly MHP Communications) in Hong Kong. He has almost a decade of experience in Asia, having formerly been a Partner at Finsbury, where he helped launch the firm’s first Asia office in Hong Kong in 2011.

James has advised private and listed companies across the financial services, professional services, energy and TMT industries. Key highlights in Asia include advising China Gas on its successful US$2.2 billion hostile bid defence from Sinopec; Foxconn Technology on shareholder unrest and ESG; the Qatar Investment Authority on its US$10 billion JV fund with Citic and US$600 million stake acquisition in Lifestyle International Holdings; BlackRock on its maiden activist project in Hong Kong; AGIC Capital on profile raising to support fundraising and European deal flow; Sun Hung Kai Properties on the Hong Kong High Court Trial of its Joint Chairmen; Moody’s Investors Services on its appeal following censure from the SFC in Hong Kong; and the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board on its expansion in Asia.

Candise has experience advising Hong Kong, Mainland Chinese, Japanese and multinational companies on a wide range of critical business issues, ranging from reputation management, crises, M&A transactions, litigations, proxy battles and public affairs. Prior to Newgate, she was with CBRE as Communications Manager, where she led both the internal and external communications for the real estate services and investment firm in Hong Kong and the broader Greater Bay Area.

Previously she worked for Brunswick where she supported an array of businesses in private equity, asset management, banking and TMT on their communications needs. During her time, she handled a series of high-stakes corporate reputation issues for leading family businesses and inbound transactions. She speaks native Chinese and fluent English and Japanese.