Zhuo Jiaxiang

Zhuo Jiaxiang

卓佳祥

Jiaxiang is a Director and the co-head of the firm’s International Arbitration practice group.

Jiaxiang brings over a decade of experience in representing multinational corporations, governments, state-owned entities, funds and financial institutions in their most sensitive and complex disputes. Jiaxiang’s experience spans a wide range of industries, including energy, telecommunications, oil and gas, steel, commodities, pharmaceuticals, water and chemical processing, signal and defence technology, but he has special expertise in matters involving complex technical engineering and construction issues.

Jiaxiang’s clients and peers have described him as “impressive” and an “excellent lawyer who is incredibly bright and has a fantastically sharp mind”.

After graduating from the National University of Singapore with First Class Honours, Jiaxiang served as a Justices’ Law Clerk in the Supreme Court of Singapore, and later became an Assistant Registrar of the Supreme Court. Jiaxiang then joined one of the leading firms in Singapore, where he was an Associate Director until 2015.

He was appointed as amicus curiae by the Supreme Court of Singapore in the landmark decision of the Court of Appeal in relation to sentencing considerations for causing death by a negligent act.

Jiaxiang is fluent in English and Mandarin.

Appointments

  • Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK)
  • Accredited Mediator, Singapore Mediation Centre

Professional Experience

  • Acted for a Singapore company in a dispute before the Singapore High Court over a contract worth over US$60 million for the supply of integrated circuit chips to be used in the nationwide roll-out of electronic identification cards in Indonesia. See PT Sandipala Arthaputra v ST Microelectronics Asia Pacific and another [2017] SGHC 102.
  • Acted for a Singapore listed company in a claim before the Singapore High Court for minority oppression and breaches of fiduciary duties. See Sakae Holdings Ltd v Gryphon Real Estate Investment Corp Pte Ltd and others (Foo Peow Yong Douglas, third party) and another suit [2017] SGHC 73.
  • Acted for an Australian fund in a claim before the Singapore High Court for the repayment of A$6 million owed under a share buyback agreement.
  • Acted for an Indonesian coal producer before the Singapore International Commercial Court against claims amounting to US$500 million brought by an Australian listed company. The dispute arose over a joint venture for the development of coal briquetting technology. See BCBC Singapore Pte Ltd and another v PT Bayan Resources TBK and another [2016] 4 SLR 1.
  • Acted for a group of banks in an application to set aside an international arbitration award (valued at over US$100 million) on the grounds that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction and had breached principles of natural justice. The application was allowed by the Singapore High Court and affirmed in large part by the Court of Appeal in its landmark decision which redefined the law and principles of setting aside arbitration awards, and the consequences thereof. See AKN v ALC [2015] SGCA 18.
  • Acted for a commodities trading firm, which is a subsidiary of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange-listed Chinese shipping and logistics conglomerate Shenzhen Feima International Supply Chain, in a multi-million dollar restructuring project.
  • Represented a BVI company in applying for an injunction against a Singapore financial institution which was the appointed custodian for shares held in a Taiwan listed company.
  • Advised a Vietnam-Taiwan joint venture in relation to its exclusive dealership agreement with one of the world’s leading forklift trucks and parts manufacturer.
  • Advised a party in relation to its supply contract with a prominent Japanese conglomerate company relating to a rapid transit network project in Vietnam.
  • Acted for a construction company before the High Court and Court of Appeal in a successful injunction application to restrain a creditor in liquidation and its liquidator from commencing winding up proceedings.
  • Acted for a Singapore company in a dispute before the Singapore High Court over a contract worth over US$60 million for the supply of integrated circuit chips to be used in the nationwide roll-out of electronic identification cards in Indonesia. See PT Sandipala Arthaputra v ST Microelectronics Asia Pacific and another [2017] SGHC 102.
  • Acted for a Singapore listed company in a claim before the Singapore High Court for minority oppression and breaches of fiduciary duties. See Sakae Holdings Ltd v Gryphon Real Estate Investment Corp Pte Ltd and others (Foo Peow Yong Douglas, third party) and another suit [2017] SGHC 73.
  • Acted for an Australian fund in a claim before the Singapore High Court for the repayment of A$6 million owed under a share buyback agreement.
  • Acted for an Indonesian coal producer before the Singapore International Commercial Court against claims amounting to US$500 million brought by an Australian listed company. The dispute arose over a joint venture for the development of coal briquetting technology. See BCBC Singapore Pte Ltd and another v PT Bayan Resources TBK and another [2016] 4 SLR 1.
  • Acted for a group of banks in an application to set aside an international arbitration award (valued at over US$100 million) on the grounds that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction and had breached principles of natural justice. The application was allowed by the Singapore High Court and affirmed in large part by the Court of Appeal in its landmark decision which redefined the law and principles of setting aside arbitration awards, and the consequences thereof. See AKN v ALC [2015] SGCA 18.
  • Acted for a commodities trading firm, which is a subsidiary of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange-listed Chinese shipping and logistics conglomerate Shenzhen Feima International Supply Chain, in a multi-million dollar restructuring project.
  • Represented a BVI company in applying for an injunction against a Singapore financial institution which was the appointed custodian for shares held in a Taiwan listed company.
  • Advised a Vietnam-Taiwan joint venture in relation to its exclusive dealership agreement with one of the world’s leading forklift trucks and parts manufacturer.
  • Advised a party in relation to its supply contract with a prominent Japanese conglomerate company relating to a rapid transit network project in Vietnam.
  • Acted for a construction company before the High Court and Court of Appeal in a successful injunction application to restrain a creditor in liquidation and its liquidator from commencing winding up proceedings
  • Acted as instructed counsel for a Dutch dredging and heavylift company owning one of the world’s largest dredging fleets in an arbitration commenced against them by a Korean cable manufacturing company trench design, cable installation, cable pull-in works and landing onshore works as part of a mega-project to lay power cables between Singapore and Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
  • Acted for a Myanmar based cement company in an ICC arbitration commenced by a subsidiary of the largest cement conglomerate in South-East Asia listed on the Thai stock exchange. The matter involved claims in excess of US$385 million for breaches of an alleged joint venture agreement between the parties to mine limestone and develop a cement factory, and manufacture and distribute cement in the region. The matter related to regulations relating to exploitation of natural resources, and required the consideration of potential expropriation claims against Myanmar.
  • Acted for an Indonesian coal producer before the Singapore International Commercial Court against claims amounting to US$500 million brought by an Australian listed company. The dispute arose over a joint venture for the development of coal briquetting technology. See BCBC Singapore Pte Ltd and another v PT Bayan Resources TBK and another [2016] 4 SLR 1.
  • Acted in a CIETAC arbitration involving an engineering, procurement construction contract in Ningxia, China, valued at approximately US$105 million. The contract itself concerned the installation of a chemicals processing plant involving the use of membrane technology, and encompassed issues relating to civil and chemical engineering.
  • Acted for a regional government on claims brought against them by mining investors for various breaches of UK-Indonesia and Australia-Indonesia BIT. Advised on issues relating to whether claims arising from rights based on fraud or forgery are inadmissible as a matter of international public policy.

Memberships, Qualifications & Publications

Memberships

  • Joint Chairperson, ICC Singapore Arbitration Group, Enrichment Sub-Committee

Publications

  • Co-author of “The Contours and Limits of Transnational Issue Estoppel – Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp v Merck KGaA [2021] 1 SLR 1102”, Academy Publishing 2021)
  • Co-author of “The Impact of the Covid-19 (temporary measures) Act on commercial litigation and insolvency matters”, Lexology 2020

Speaking Engagements

  • Panellist, “Becoming an Arbitrator: Surviving the Long Night 2.0” organised by CiArb
  • Moderator, “The first 100 days in a dispute” organized by ICC Singapore

In the press

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