Herbert Smith Freehills Leads Advisory on Complex Cross-Border Asian Deals
Herbert Smith Freehills reinforces its position as one of the most active legal advisors in Asia-Pacific M&A during 2025.
Reinforcing a Leading Position in Asia-Pacific M&A
Herbert Smith Freehills reinforced its position as one of the most active legal advisors in Asia-Pacific M&A during 2025, leveraging a regional platform that few international law firms can match. With offices spanning Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Seoul, and Sydney, the firm commands a physical presence across virtually every major deal market in the region, enabling it to staff complex cross-border transactions with locally embedded teams rather than relying on fly-in coverage from distant headquarters.
The firm's deal activity during 2025 was anchored by high-profile mandates spanning multiple transaction types and geographies, including Japanese take-privates, Indian inbound investments, Southeast Asian infrastructure transactions, and Australian cross-border deals. This breadth of coverage across both developed and emerging markets distinguishes Herbert Smith Freehills from competitors that may excel in one or two Asian jurisdictions but lack comprehensive regional capability.
Thought Leadership Shaping Market Expectations
Beyond transaction execution, Herbert Smith Freehills has invested significantly in thought leadership that shapes how market participants understand Asian M&A trends. The firm published its widely cited Asia M&A Outlook, which identified several key themes expected to drive deal activity in the region.
Among the most significant findings was the anticipated recovery in China M&A, with the report suggesting that regulatory stabilization and economic policy adjustments could reignite transaction volumes after several years of suppressed activity. The outlook also highlighted sustained Japanese inbound investment as a structural theme, driven by corporate governance reforms and the growing willingness of Japanese conglomerates to engage with foreign buyers and private equity sponsors.
The report identified Indonesia as a magnet for foreign direct investment, with the country's large population, growing middle class, and improving regulatory environment attracting strategic interest from multinational corporations across multiple sectors. Additionally, the growing importance of digital infrastructure as a transaction category was emphasized, reflecting the enormous capital flows into data centers, fiber networks, and cloud computing platforms across the region.
Deep Sector Expertise in Energy and Technology
Herbert Smith Freehills has invested heavily in building sector expertise that aligns with the most active transaction categories in Asia-Pacific M&A. The firm's energy and infrastructure team has been particularly busy, advising on transactions involving renewable energy assets, data center developments, and ports and logistics facilities. As Asia-Pacific governments pursue ambitious decarbonization targets and digital transformation initiatives, the deal flow in these sectors has accelerated substantially.
The firm's technology team has been equally active, handling cross-border acquisitions of software companies, digital platforms, and cybersecurity firms. The technology sector in Asia-Pacific has produced some of the region's most complex transactions, often involving multiple regulatory jurisdictions, intellectual property considerations, and data privacy compliance requirements that demand sophisticated legal counsel.
Competitive Advantage Through Local-International Integration
Herbert Smith Freehills' competitive advantage in Asian M&A lies in its ability to staff complex transactions with partners who combine deep local knowledge with international transaction experience. This integration of local and global expertise is particularly valuable in cross-border deals, where understanding both the legal frameworks of the target jurisdiction and the expectations of international buyers or investors is essential.
The firm's partnership model allows it to assemble deal teams that include locally qualified lawyers in each relevant jurisdiction, supported by specialists in areas such as competition law, foreign investment review, employment law, and tax structuring. This capability reduces the need for clients to engage multiple local counsel across different markets, streamlining the advisory process and improving coordination on multi-jurisdictional transactions.
Positioning for Continued Growth
As Asia-Pacific M&A activity continues to grow in both volume and complexity, Herbert Smith Freehills is well positioned to maintain and expand its advisory leadership. The firm's combination of regional breadth, sector depth, and integrated local-international teams provides a platform that is difficult for competitors to replicate quickly. With the most active deal markets in the region showing no signs of slowing, the firm's strategic commitment to Asian M&A appears poised to generate sustained returns for years to come.
