Back to Our Lawyers

Ron Cheng

Co-Head, Investment Funds

Director, Corporate & Finance

Download CV

Practice Areas

Qualifications

  • LL.B. (Hons), National University of Singapore (2002)
  • Advocate & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore (2003)
  • Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales (2006)
  • Barrister & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia (2008)
Overview

Ron is the Co-Head of the Investment Funds practice. He has handled a wide range of corporate matters since 2003. He has acted as lead counsel in the establishment of alternative investment funds across various legal structures (such as unit trusts, limited partnerships, companies, business trusts, Cayman segregated portfolio companies and Singapore variable capital companies). He has advised on the establishment of licensed, registered or exempt fund managers, financial advisers and trust companies in Singapore.

He has also acted as lead counsel in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and employment law-related work. His clientele consists of local individuals and organisations as well as multinational and international clients.

Ron has dealt with a wide range of corporate transactions. Some of the matters in which Ron has handled include:

  1. Acting as Singapore counsel for a Dutch pension fund asset manager as lead investor of a tax-exempted private fund investing into offshore real estate developments.

  2. Acting for a major offshore snack company in its joint venture with an Indian company specialising in the production of cashew nuts, and the parties’ subsequent multi-million dollar investments into the joint venture company.

  3. Acting for a US conglomerate in a private share acquisition for S$35 million. The transaction involved the transfer of government-leased properties.

  4. Acting for a Singapore corporation in its sale of the ERA real estate group of companies.

  5. Acting for receivers appointed to an insolvent Indonesian resort in the sale of the resort’s shares and receivables to a corporate fund investor.

Asia Pacific Legal 500
Investment Funds 2020 – Recommended Lawyer for 4 consecutive years
Capital Markets 2018 – Recommended Lawyer

Ron specialises in the structuring and listing of funds, "manages a good team" and "always delivers well thought out practical advice".

A client praised Ron for being “highly accessible and responsive.”

Ron Cheng stands out for his "experience and knowledge". He is strong in all aspects of funds management and private equity transactions together with regulatory regimes and related tax issues. 

IFLR1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms
Investment Funds 2021

“Highly professional, responsive and knowledgeable.” 

“Ron was able to understand our business model well, identify potential issues or concerns, and give advice in a manner that was easy to be understood by other stakeholders.”

“Very knowledgeable and responsive.”

“Quick, resourceful, extremely proficient and professional."

"Extremely responsive to our queries and instructions, allowing us to move fast and deliver results."

"Ron is an active participant in the financial legislative community. For example, he was on the Money Authority of Singapore (MAS)'s committee as a member to assist with the set up of the VCC framework. Such participation allows us, as a client, to have more confidence in engaging him for advice."

"Ron also consistently improves his industrial skillset and knowledge. A recent conversation during this Covid-19 circuit breaker period revealed that he is currently studying to deepen his knowledge on the VCC framework. [He] is meticulous and approaches complex matters with clear thoughts and visions. Finally, [he] maintains consistent and transparent communications with us. These attributes allow fund managers to be creative and innovative and focus on how an investment fund can be improved.”

Asialaw Leading Lawyers
Ron was commended by a client who said: “Ron is very professional, knowledgeable and efficient. I am very pleased with his work.”

“Ron was responsive and attentive to our needs, despite facing multiple urgent matters. Was experienced and knowledgeable on the relevant areas of law that he advised on, including providing insights… from regulators.”

Singapore Business Review
Singapore’s 70 most influential lawyers aged 40 and under in 2016 – Listed lawyer

  • Member, Law Society of Singapore
  • Member, Singapore Academy of Law
  • Member, Law Society of England & Wales
  • Co-author of the Singapore chapters to “The International Comparative Legal Guide to Securitisation” in 2016, 2014, 2012 and 2011, published by the Global Legal Group.
  • Co-author of “Timetable for Implementation of Amendments to the Companies Act”, April 2015, published by Lexology and Drew & Napier LLC.
  • Author of “Impending Provisions in the Singapore Companies Act Relating to Duties of Chief Executive Officers”, February 2015, published by Lexology and Drew & Napier LLC.
  • Co-author of the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network’s guide “Getting Started in Venture Philanthropy in Asia – Legal Framework Profile for Singapore”, published by the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network in 2014.
  • Co-author of an article titled “Duties and Liabilities of Directors of Insolvent Companies” published by Asian Legal Business in June 2003.