With a proven track record in corporate and finance, cross-border/local transactions, strong legal technical knowledge and cultural awareness, a keen business eye, Chen Jianhao Kennedy of Harry Elias Partnership LLP (HEP) has for close to 15 years acted for individual/corporate stakeholders keen to partake in and benefit from myriads of business, investment and commercial opportunity. Through HEP, a leading Singapore law firm, he was local counsel in VS Media Holdings Limited’s Nasdaq IPO (ticker: VSME). These past years, HEP and Kennedy led public/private M&A, inbound/outbound foreign direct investment, PE/VC deals in a variety of industry sectors, undertaking commercial/financial negotiations, on top of necessary legal work. On regulatory fronts, Kennedy advises on compliance requirements necessary for seamless business operations.  

Kennedy’s wide, growing network relies on him to value-add to their endeavours locally, and beyond, tapping on select foreign law and professional firms (firms he previously worked with on deals/disputes) across Asia, US and EU to fully support clients’ cross-border needs. He is also active with talent-retention, business development and marketing initiatives, striving to maintain and drive client management and service offering standards to enhance stakeholder satisfaction and success. Corporate and finance aside, he manages work with Greater China and Southeast Asia perspectives, and legal branding/IP matters. When called upon, he advises on disputes prevention/management, commercial and negotiations strategies. His bilingual English/Mandarin proficiency, deep commercial acumen, client-centric, outcome-driven and all-round problem-solving approach, play critical strategic roles beyond his usual legal function.

Kennedy and HEP’s corporate, M&A practice are praised by clients and law journals as “efficient, responsive and creative”. Elsewhere, Kennedy’s been named one of Singapore’s Most Influential Lawyers Under 40 (Singapore Business Review), was seated on the Singapore Ministry of Law Assessor Panel for COVID-19 Temporary Relief (PACT), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre, FIDReC. He contributes yearly to the community-at-large, lecturing on Singapore’s legal system and commercial landscape in postgraduate courses of Thailand Chulalongkorn University of Law, taking part in mentoring programs of his alma mater, National University of Singapore, and for 10 years facilitated the Singapore Bar examinations assisting the Singapore Institute of Legal Education. He also regularly speaks to PRC/Greater China professionals/stakeholders on local law. He is in recent times active in private-sector campaigns promoting the importance of bilingualism and language skills for professionals and businesses.

To continually master his craft, raise professional, quality benchmarks, Kennedy commits to self-improvement and being teachable always. He has been trained, and continues to train in, key areas of business administration and strategy, financial valuation, business psychology and negotiations techniques, amongst other fields of study useful in perfecting his practice. He constantly dedicates to positioning himself to be able to add positive value to stakeholders’ objectives.