Offshore firm Walkers has hired finance partner Nicholas Davies in Hong Kong from Appleby.

Davies, who is qualified in the British Virgin Islands, specialises in debt capital markets, structured finance and private equity in Asia and Russia. Last year, he served as Cayman Islands counsel to private equity firm Carlyle Group on its investment in Chinese financial technology giant Ant Financial's $14 billion series-C funding round.

Davies leaves Appleby after about three years with the firm as a partner. Previously, he was a partner and Russia desk head based in Jersey at offshore firm Collas Crill. Before moving to offshore firms, Davies was in Moscow for a year as counsel at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and also did stints as an associate at Allen & Overy and Linklaters.

With the addition of Davies, Walkers has 14 partners in its Hong Kong office, led by Andy Randall.