Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has brought in a new leader for its Asia financial services practice with a senior hire from Citi.

Royce Miller, managing director and general counsel of Citi's Asia Pacific Institutional Clients Group, is set to join the magic circle firm in Hong Kong early next year.

Miller, who has been at Citi for more than 15 years, will work closely with financial institutions dispute resolution partner Richard Chalk and corporate partner Robert Ashworth in Hong Kong and Shanghai corporate partner Melissa Thomas. He will take the firm's Hong Kong partner count to 13.

Prior to his stint with Citi, Miller was an associate with Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton for seven years.

Freshfields Asia managing partner Simon Marchant said: "Current global reforms, together with the continuing expansion of legislative requirements in mainland China, are placing increasing importance on the need for sound regulatory and risk advice."

Miller added: "I look forward to helping clients understand the increasing risks and navigate the regulatory landscape as they develop their businesses over the next decade."

Earlier this month (8 September) Freshfields boosted its Paris office with the hire of antitrust partner Maria Trabucchi from Weil Gotshal & Manges, along with three associates.

Meanwhile, in July the firm added to its US litigation practice with the hire of Bank of America deputy general counsel and director of litigation David Onorato. Onorato joined the firm's New York office as a partner in the litigation practice.