Freshfields appoints new counsel in Ho Chi Minh City

Ngoc will advise on corporate and merger and acquisition (M&A) matters, as well as energy and infrastructure mandates in both Vietnam and the wider Asia-Pacific.

Nguyen Ngoc, counsel, Freshfields

Ngoc brings over 15 years of experience in top-tier transactional and project work, including six years previously with Freshfields. She has a strong track record advising international clients on complex matters in the infrastructure, energy, and corporate sectors, the company said.

Ngoc will work closely with colleagues in Vietnam, Singapore, and Tokyo to support multinational clients in the energy and infrastructure space. Her sector expertise spans development, financing, and acquisition of infrastructure and power projects, including pioneering clean energy initiatives in Vietnam. She has extensive experience working with both sponsors and the Vietnamese regulators on landmark renewable energy and other energy projects that contribute to shaping the country’s power development strategy.

Ngoc’s appointment strengthens Freshfields’ regional offering and reflects the firm’s commitment to delivering commercially astute, internationally minded legal advice. She brings not only deep legal expertise but also a strategic network of government and industry stakeholders – an asset in navigating Vietnam’s complex regulatory landscape.

Commenting on the appointment, Matthew O’Callaghan, Asia Managing Partner for the company said, “Ngoc re-joins Freshfields as part of the expansion of our global energy and infrastructure offering here in the region. Her appointment supports our continued growth and our private capital and strategic investors need for advice to navigate the energy transition and broader infrastructure sectors, both in Vietnam and across the region.”

Vietnam partners Bui Thanh Tien and Eric Johnson wrote, “We are thrilled to welcome Ngoc back to Freshfields and to our market-leading energy and infrastructure practice in the region. She is an ideal fit for the evolving needs of our multinational clients, especially as Vietnam experiences rapid growth in the infrastructure sector. Her addition highlights our commitment to the Vietnamese legal market and reflects our confidence in its continued expansion.”

Freshfields is a global firm with over 280 years of experience, opening offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 1994. Since then, the firm has played a key role in the country’s economic transformation, supporting global investors and multinational companies on complex transactions and investment projects in the country. The firm is recognised as a leader in M&As, joint ventures, energy and infrastructure and antitrust.

Freshfields is known for advising clients, which include major private equity firms, financial institutions, sovereign wealth funds, and major multinationals, on their investments in Vietnam across key sectors, with a focus on financial services, technology, energy and infrastructure, education, and healthcare.