Saw brings to the firm extensive private equity real estate and data center transactions experience across Asia
SINGAPORE (February 6, 2023) – Morrison Foerster, a leading global law firm, today announced that Tabitha Saw has joined the firm as a partner in its Transactions Department and global Private Equity Real Estate Group, based in Singapore. Her arrival further cements Morrison Foerster’s position as the premier private equity real estate (PERE) firm in Asia. Saw’s addition also highlights the continued expansion of Morrison Foerster’s Singapore office following the addition of private equity and M&A partner Steven Tran last month.
Saw represents investment managers, institutional investors, and owner operators in complex, high-value real estate and data center transactions. She has advised on the establishment of multiple capital raising platforms across Asia-Pacific and has significant experience in hyperscale leasing and co-location arrangements, greenfield and brownfield acquisitions, and operational arrangements.
“Tabitha is a highly regarded private equity real estate lawyer in the region, whose superb reputation in logistics and data centers fully aligns with our existing core strengths in these areas,” said Eric Piesner, Morrison Foerster’s Asia Managing Partner. “Data centers in particular are an increasingly important asset class for our PERE clients. Since 2019, our Asia offices have advised on more than 50 data center transactions, and we anticipate our clients will remain very active in this sector. Her extensive data center credentials, combined with her deep experience in the logistics/industrial real estate space and cross-border practice, are highly synergistic with our clients’ needs.”
Some of Saw’s representative transactions include advising FLOW Digital Infrastructure on the establishment of its joint venture platform with AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp. to develop carrier-neutral data centers across the Philippines and the platform’s acquisition of land for the Laguna data center facility; ESR, a leading global asset manager in industrial real estate, on the development of a US$2.15 billion multi-phase data center campus in Osaka City; and Yondr, a global developer, owner operator, and service provider of hyperscale data centers, on its 200MW hyperscale campus development across 72.8 acres of land acquired from TPM Technopark Sdn Bhd, in Johor, Malaysia.
“Morrison Foerster has a stellar PERE practice both in Asia and globally, and a market-leading reputation across Asia, including in Japan, which is a key market for my clients,” said Saw. “I am also drawn to the firm’s diversity and collaborative and inclusive culture. I look forward to working with a great team and advising on the complex, high-value PERE transactions that the Morrison Foerster platform is known for.”
2023 marks the 40th anniversary of Morrison Foerster’s presence in Asia. Morrison Foerster’s Singapore office, one of the firm’s five offices in Asia, recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. Leading legal directory The Legal 500 named Morrison Foerster “Law Firm of the Year - Singapore” in 2020 and 2021.
“We’re delighted to continue 2023 on a high note by welcoming Tabitha to the Singapore office and our Corporate Group, hot on the heels of Steve Tran’s arrival last month,” said Singapore Office Managing Partner Shirin Tang. “Tabitha is a great strategic and personal fit for the firm and the office. I also personally look forward to working closely with Tabitha to advise our clients on their complex real estate transactions.”
Saw earned her B.A. from Cambridge University, and is admitted to practice in Singapore and England and Wales. She previously practiced at another leading global law firm. Saw is recognized as a “Next Generation Partner” for Corporate and M&A in Singapore and “private equity real estate specialist” by The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2021-2023, and ranked for Corporate/M&A in Singapore by Chambers Asia-Pacific 2022-2023.
