Nabarro has hired a partner from Clyde & Co's joint venture as its new Singapore head. 

Steven Lim will join Nabarro on 1 May as a successor to the firm's former local head, Emerson Holmes, who left six months ago for Jones Day. Holmes launched Nabarro's office in Singapore in 2010. 

Lim, who specialises in international dispute resolution and arbitration, joined Clydes in 2010 from Baker Botts.

At Nabarro Lim will spearhead the ongoing development of the firm's four-partner Asia-Pacific base as a hub for international disputes, construction and energy work. 

He is Nabarro's first lateral hire in Singapore since 2014 when it appointed Adrian Wong from Hogan Lovells as an energy and infrastructure partner.

The firm is also looking to develop its own relationship with a Singapore law practice to complement its regional platform. In December it began talks with a Singaporean firm with a view to establishing an exclusive alliance in the city-state.

Graham Stedman, senior partner at Nabarro, said: "Steven will lead a team with a mandate to grow our international work in the region, enhancing our reputation for advising clients on complex, international arbitration. He will also seek to develop our Singapore platform within the regulatory structures available to international firms in this important Asia-Pacific legal hub."

The firm is also targeting growth for its international arbitration practice in Dubai. Earlier this year it hired dispute resolution partner Ravinder Bhullar from Baker Botts for the practice there.