Sidley Austin has hired Clifford Chance (CC) funds partner Han Ming Ho as the firm moves to expand its capabilities in Singapore after winning a local law licence last month.

Ho, who is Singapore-qualified, will join Sidley in the city-state to serve as co-head of the Asia investment funds practice alongside Hong Kong-based partner Effie Vasilopoulos.

He has a track record of advising clients on the structuring and formation of a broad range of investment funds, including hedge funds, private equity funds, real estate funds, exchange traded funds and other structured financial products.

With CC, he advised a number of prominent fund sponsors and managers, investment banks and financial institutions, as well venture capitalists and institutional investors.

Vasilopoulos said: "Given the increasing internationalisation of our clients' business activities and the growing importance of Singapore as a fund management hub in the region, Han Ming is a most valuable addition to our funds practice.

"With Han Ming's ability to provide clients with local law advice in Singapore, we will now be able to offer a full suite of comprehensive law services to our fund manager clients looking to access Asian markets and investors."

Sidley Austin is among a long list of firms looking to expand its Singapore practice as Chinese and Japanese companies continue to grow their operations in Southeast Asia.

Last month, the US firm was one of just four awarded a Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) licence in the city, alongside Linklaters, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and Jones Day, all of whom can now hire Singapore lawyers and provide local law advice in all areas except domestic aspects of litigation and general practice.

At the time, Singapore-based Sidley part Matthew Sheridan said he expected the office – which has been heavily focused on corporate finance – to expand into new areas such as funds, life sciences, energy and infrastructure.

Ho is the first local recruit to join the firm since the licence was awarded.