Sher Hann Chua

Sher Hann has over a decade of experience in advising international clients on cross-border IP, technology, and data-driven transactions. She regularly assists public and private companies, private equity funds, and high-growth startups with the IP aspects of their M&A transactions, divestitures, venture capital investment, restructuring and insolvency, and financing transactions. This includes complex IP due diligences, audits, structuring, licensing and franchising, divestments, and other commercial issues arising in the context of IP commercialisation and technology transfer.

Sher Hann represents clients in a broad range of industries, including technology, financial services, healthcare, pharmaceutical and life sciences, energy, media and entertainment, luxury and consumer products. Sher Hann is consistently recognised as a leading IP practitioner by industry directories such as the Legal 500, World Trademark Review, World IP Review, IAM Strategy 300, Lexology Index, and Asian Legal Business. Specifically, the WTR 1000 notes her “practical and tenacious problem-solving ability” and has named her as a WTR Global Leader who “flawlessly navigates the turbulent legal landscape” in emerging jurisdictions. She was also the Country Winner of the Euromoney Rising Stars Award Asia Pacific for Thailand in 2021 and the 2019 recipient of the International Trademark Association’s Tomorrow’s Leader Award.

Sher Hann has advised on significant transactions including advising:

• Royal Golden Eagle on the IP and technology aspects of its US$ 3.3bn takeover of Vinda International Holdings.
• a global bank on its IP-backed financing transaction worth over US$1bn for a diversified mining company
• Rio Tinto on the IP due diligence in relation to its US$ 6.7bn all-cash acquisition of Arcadium Lithium.
• BRF Arabia Holding Company, a joint venture between BRF S.A. and Halal Products Development Company (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia) on the brand licensing arrangements in relation to its acquisition of a stake in Addoha Poultry Company.
• a leading developer, owner and operator of integrated resorts in relation to its IP and technology cross-licensing arrangements with multiple joint-venture partners globally. 
• a state-owned global investment firm on the IP aspects of its acquisition of 40% of the business of a leading medical devices manufacturer in China. 
• a leading multinational technology company on its proposed acquisition of telecommunications companies in numerous jurisdictions across the Asia Pacific for the development of subsea cables.*
• a global biopharmaceutical company on its collaboration with the government of a Southeast Asian jurisdiction for the production and supply of an emergency drug to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.*
• various global music and entertainment companies and a private equity firm specialising in alternative assets on their multiple acquisitions of music catalogues across Asia.* 
• various companies in the food and beverage, consumer products, luxury goods, sports and education sectors on structuring their franchise and IP licensing programmes in the Asia Pacific region.*

*denotes experience from previous firms

Sher Hann is appointed to the Data Protection Committee, the Young Professionals Advisory Group, and the Women’s LeadershIP Initiative of the International Trademark Association (INTA). She is also an active member of the Licensing Executives Society (LES) and the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), and is a regular speaker at international conferences and industry seminars.

Sher Hann holds a Bachelor of Law from the University of Reading and a Master of Law in Intellectual Property Law from University College London.

Generative AI and Copyright: How Businesses Can Mitigate Legal Risks 2023 Lexology

Practical Law Digital Business Global Guide (2021) Thomson Reuters

An Overview of Franchising Law in Southeast Asia, Franchise Law Journal volume 41, number 2, Fall 2021 (ISSN: 8756-7962), American Bar Association

International Franchising (Thailand Chapter), 2nd edition (2022) (ISBN: 978-1-57823-313-7), Juris Publishing LLC 

Artificial Intelligence and Legal Research in the 21st Century (2020), International Trademark Association