Photo: Jason Doiy/ALM

Reed Smith has appointed partner Kyri Evagora as its new Asia Pacific managing partner, based in Singapore.

Kyri Evagora

Evagora takes over the role July 1 from Hong Kong partner Denise Jong, who has held the position since 2018. Jong will continue to co-chair Reed Smith's global corporate practice with London partner Delphine Currie. A longtime Hong Kong partner, she became the first Asia-based managing partner to oversee the firm's Asia practice in 2018.

Evagora relocated from New York to the firm's Singapore office earlier this year, after spending three years as vice-chair of the firm's business and finance department. Before moving to New York, he was based in London, having joined the firm in 2007 via the merger with the U.K. firm Richards Butler.

Jong said the transition had been planned and Evagora will lead the firm's Asia practice in the next phase of development.

"I have been looking after our Asia-based client relationships and Kyri will now help increase Asia engagement from the firm's institutional clients," she said.

Evagora, who will also continue his international arbitration and disputes practice from Singapore, said although he'd only recently relocated, he's not new to the region. He worked on the launch of the Singapore office in 2012 and has since been involved in the office's practice, spending roughly a quarter of his time in the city-state.

"As a global law firm, Asia is a vitally important market for us and our clients. We already have strong foundations in place and with the help of our partners and our clients across the world, I look forward to building upon them further," he said.

Last year, Jong oversaw six hires across the firm's Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai offices. The hires came following a group of nine partners breaking away to join Australian firm MinterEllison.

Reed Smith's Hong Kong office, opened by legacy Richards Butler in 1980, is the firm's largest office in Asia with over 100 lawyers. Across Asia, where in addition to Singapore and Greater China offices the firm also has an outpost in Kazakhstan, Reed Smith has 150 lawyers including 42 partners.

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