| • |
advising on Singapore's first share acquisition cleared under the merger control regime of the Competition Act (Chapter 50B): US$3.6 billion acquisition by Flextronics International Ltd of Solectron Corporation, both being global top five EMS providers; |
| • |
advising on Singapore's first public take-over to be cleared under the merger control regime: US$1.63 billion acquisition and delisting by Dubai Drydocks World LLC of SGX-listed Labroy Marine Limited; |
| • |
advising on Singapore's first merger to be reviewed under the advanced Phase 2 of the Competition Commission of Singapore's merger regime reserved for mergers which have complex issues: US$17.2 billion acquisition by The Thomson Corporation of Reuters Group Plc to create the world’s leading provider of news and data for professional markets; |
| • |
advising the Singapore operations of parties investigated by the US Department of Justice Antitrust Division and the European Commission for alleged cartel activity in the air cargo and the cathode ray tube industry; |
| • |
advising on an essential facilities dispute before the Energy Market Authority arising from the competition provisions of the Gas Act (Cap. 116A) before a tribunal convened pursuant to the Act; |
| • |
representing a leading Asian supplier in an investigation by the Competition Commission of Singapore in respect of resale price maintenance practices and arrangements; |
| • |
advising an international MNC in an application for leniency in relation to cartel activity ("whistle-blowing") before the Competition Commission of Singapore; |
| • |
advising on merger self-assessments for undertakings in the airline, aviation, banking, chemicals, energy, engineering, financial services, FMCG, jet fuel, logistics, luxury retail, manufacturing, offshore marine services, pharmaceuticals, pre-school education, raw materials and telecommunications industries; |
| • |
advising the Media Development Authority in respect of the first Triennial Review of the Code of Practice for Market Conduct in the Provision of Mass Media Services; and |
| • |
advising the incumbent Postal Licensee Singapore Post Limited in relation to the Further Liberalisation of the Postal Services Sector administered by the Infocomm Development Authority. |
Further, Daren is one of four appointed practitioners to the Competition Roundtable which was established by the Competition Commission of Singapore to meet and discuss competition issues under its purview.
Significant transactions he has worked on include:
| • |
advising China Merchant Holdings (Pacific) Limited in its HK$2.5 billion purchase of toll road assets in China; |
| • |
advising Bain Capital LLC in the Singapore leg of its US$3 billion acquisition of the sensors and controls division of Texas Instruments Incorporated (now known as Sensata Technologies, Inc.); |
| • |
advising Singapore"s three major local banks in their joint venture participation in Clearing and Payment Services Pte Ltd which undertakes international Continuous Linked Settlement matters with CLS Bank based in London; |
| • |
co-ordinating the Singapore leg of the global restructuring of a £24 billion public-listed Fortune 500 conglomerate involving the rationalisation of multi-jurisdictional cross-shareholdings; and |
| • |
co-ordinating the Singapore aspect of the merger between Dutch banks Meespierson N.V. and Fortis Bank (Nederland) N.V. by universal succession. |
He is also the Company Secretary to regulated and unregulated companies in industries ranging from financial services to arts education.
Daren also routinely provides private client advice on trusts, charities, probate, estate duty and succession planning to individuals and financial institutions. He is a statutory board member of the National Parks Board and an appointed international expert on the Commission on Environmental Law, IUCN (Switzerland).
Daren graduated with an LLB (Hons) degree at the National University of Singapore where he was placed yearly on the Dean's List and received the NUSSU Gold Award. He is admitted to practise in Singapore, England and Wales.
Since his graduation in 1996, Daren has received appointments to sit on committees and appeal panels of several ministries and statutory boards, including the Urban Redevelopment Authority. He has served, and is serving, on the Board of Film Censors and the Supervisory Panel of the government's Feedback Unit.
|