Maria Tan Pedersen

Partner

Singapore | Dechert (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., One George Street, #16-03, Singapore, Singapore 049145

T +65 6730 6963 | F +65 6730 6979

[email protected]

Services

Corporate > Mergers and Acquisitions > Corporate Finance and Capital Markets >

Energy and Natural Resources > Cross-Border Projects, including Multijurisdictional Reductions in Force and Restructurings

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Maria Tan Pedersen focuses her practice on international and domestic corporate M&A, joint ventures, projects, capital markets and financing transactions, as well as cross-border disputes. Ms. Pedersen has extensive experience advising private and public corporates, ultra- high net worth individuals, and governments in more than 35 countries worldwide and has practiced in the , Europe and Asia Pacific.

Over the course of her career, Ms. Pedersen has advised on many high-profile inbound and outbound commercial and project-related transactions throughout Asia, Europe and the United States and across a number of industries, including energy and infrastructure, consumer goods, technology and real estate.

Ms. Pedersen has been recognized as a top-ranking lawyer by publications such as, Chambers Global, Chambers Asia Pacific, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific and IFLR 1000. She has consistently been recognized as a “highly regarded” legal practitioner for banking and energy in Singapore by IFLR 1000. In 2021, Ms. Pedersen has been named “Equity Capital Markets Lawyer of the Year” by Euromoney/Legal Media Group in the Asia-Pacific Women in Business Law Awards. EXPERIENCE

Mergers and Acquisitions/Private Equity

A large Asia-based public corporation in the potential sale to a U.S. public listed buyer of a major multinational entity having operations across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. A Philippine conglomerate in the potential strategic investment by a foreign banking group into its commercial bank subsidiary. Ayala Corporation in its acquisition by subsidiary, Integrated Micro Electronics, Inc. (IMI), of U.K.-based STI Enterprises Limited. Wipro Singapore Pte. Limited in its acquisition of Splash Corporation, a leading Philippines-based personal care company. Geopay Holding Limited and Strait Growth Fund, L.P. in connection with Geopay’s acquisition of the shares of PayEase () Limited and PayEase Beijing (HK) Limited. PT Saka Energi (Saka), a member of Indonesian state-owned entity PGN, in its acquisition of a 37.825 percent working interest from BP Plc in the Sanga-Sanga gas production block in Indonesia. The Global Emerging Markets (GEM) Group, in multiple PIPE transactions across Asia-Pacific and other emerging matter jurisdictions. Ancora Capital Management, in the formation of Ancora Residential Fund LP (A&F LP). Saka and its affiliate companies, in the acquisition of the Ujung Pangkah assets from the Hess Corporation. SSI Group Inc. on the acquisition of a 50 percent stake in Landmark Management Services Ltd., a Philippine Duty-Free company. Saka Energi Fasken LLC, a subsidiary of Saka, in its acquisition of a 36 percent working interest in the Eagle Ford and Olmos shale formation rights to approximately 8,300 acres in Webb County, Texas. Xurpas, Inc., a Philippine technology company, in its acquisition of a 23.53 percent stake in Micro Benefits Limited, a Hong Kong-based company providing innovative mobile HR solutions to Fortune 500 companies in China. Erick Thohir-led consortium International Sports Capital in its acquisition of a 70 percent stake in F.C. Internazionale Milano S.p.A. IMI in the formation of a new joint venture company with Japan-based Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. to serve the market for copper-based metal mesh touch sensors. Recapital Investment Pte Ltd., an Indonesian investment group with interests in energy, property, and infrastructure, in connection with its acquisition and related financing of a controlling interest in Ninh Van Bay, a Vietnam-based luxury hotels and property group. An Indonesian investment holding company in connection with the acquisition and related financing of a five-star hotel and spa in Málaga, land for expansion and the development of residential units and villas, and an 18-hole championship golf course. GEMS III, one of the GEMS group of funds, in the restructuring of its investment in Bemobile Limited, the Papua New Guinean mobile telephone operator. A Chinese investment firm in a potential investment in a coal-fired power plant in Pakistan as part of the One Belt One Road initiative. An Indonesian conglomerate in a potential geothermal project joint venture in Indonesia with a U.S.-based geothermal project developer and operator.

Corporate Finance and Capital Markets Manila Water Company, Inc. in its debut issuance of US$500 million 4.375% Senior Sustainability Notes to be listed on the Singapore Exchange. This transaction was the first ASEAN sustainability bond by a corporate issuer out of the Philippines and was awarded "Best Sustainability Bond - Corporate" in the Philippines by The Asset Country Awards 2020. AREIT in conjunction with its 13.5 billion initial public offering on the Philippine Stock Exchange. This transaction was the first REIT listing in the Philippines and was awarded "Best of South East Asia" by FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2020, " Equity Market Deal of the Year" by ALB Philippine Law Awards 2020, "Best IPO" in the Philippines by The Asset Country Awards 2020 as well as "Equity Deal of the Year" by IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2021. D.M. Wenceslao and Associates, Incorporated (“DMWAI”), a Philippine real estate and property development group, in connection with the company’s 8 billion initial public offering on the Philippine Stock Exchange. Global Emerging Markets North America Inc. in its 700 million investment in Abra Mining and Industrial Corporation, a company listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange. BPI Capital Corporation in connection with the US$85 million follow-on public offering of common shares on the Philippine Stock Exchange by Integrated Micro- Electronics, Inc., an electronics manufacturing services company and subsidiary of the Ayala Corporation. SSI Group, Inc., a leading specialty retailer in the Philippines, in connection with its 7.4 billion initial public offering on the Philippine Stock Exchange. PT Exploitasi Energi Indonesia Tbk, an Indonesia-based energy company, in its IDR 2.7 trillion rights offering. Recapital Investments Pte Ltd in multiple secured financing facilities with international banks. PT Exploitasi Energi Indonesia Tbk in a secondary placement with Lyceum Capital Partners. Xurpas Inc. in its top-up share placement on the Philippines Stock Exchange provided to Philippine and international institutional investors. BPI in its US$200 million credit facility for the Electricity Generating Public Company (EGCO) of Thailand. JinkoSolar in a US$40 million secured term loan facility and US$30 million greenshoe facility arranged by Credit Suisse AG, Singapore Branch for the financing of four photovoltaic solar projects in Argentina and Mexico. Strait Capital Service Ltd. in connection with the purchase and restructuring of a US$30 million senior secured convertible promissory note and warrants to purchase common stock from a U.S.-based global mobile payments company with subsidiaries located throughout the world. A U.S.-based alternative investment group in connection with the issuance of a convertible debenture by a Hong Kong listed company.

Projects/PPP

The Public-Private Partnership Center of the Philippines and the Department of Public Works and Highways in connection with the proposed US$2.82 billion Laguna Lakeshoare Expressway-Dike project. The Asian Development Bank and the Kazakh KPPF in connection with the proposed est. US$500 million Turkestan Highway Network Public-Private Partnership Project. The Asian Development Bank in connection with a proposed framework for small- hydropower PPP projects in Kyrgyzstan. MTR Corporation in consortium activities in connection with tenders for Philippine PPP infrastructure projects, including the consortium for the LRT1 Rail Project. Cross-Border Disputes

An Indonesian energy group in its LCIA arbitration arising from a gas block acquisition case against a U.S. oil major in connection with a contractual dispute in excess of US$200 million. An Indonesian energy group in its potential SIAC dispute proceedings arising from an upstream oil & gas acquisition transaction with a Middle East-based oil major. A major Southeast Asian property group in a SIAC Arbitration involving breach of contract claims valued in excess of US$500 million. Latin America Industrial group in New York-seated ICC arbitration arising from customer product liability claims. An international Asian-based investment bank and certain of its current and former employees in connection with a landmark lawsuit brought by a consortium of Asian banks for alleged contractual and fiduciary breaches arises from syndicated loan transactions.

Includes matters handled at Dechert or prior to joining the firm.

EDUCATION

University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 1987, cum laude University of , Berkeley, School of Law, J.D., 1990, Associate Editor, California Law Review; Associate Editor, International Tax and Business Lawyer; Co- president, International Law Society

ADMISSIONS

Registered Foreign Lawyer, Singapore Registered Foreign Lawyer, Hong Kong District of Columbia New York

LANGUAGES

English French Tagalog MEMBERSHIPS

Council Member, Hong Kong International Arbitration Center (HKIAC)