Stephen Bennett, partner in Hunton Andrews Kurth’s Bangkok office, is head of our Bangkok office corporate team. He has more than 20 years of practice experience in corporate and M&A, banking and finance, and financial services transactions in Asia.

He has been recognized in Chambers Asia and Chambers Global as a top-ranked lawyer in corporate/ M&A matters in Thailand, and by IFLR for his work in mergers and acquisitions and capital markets.

Stephen provides expert guidance to a diverse portfolio of local and multinational clients on a wide range of data protection and privacy matters. His notable achievements include advising the world’s largest alternative asset manager on compliance with Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), assisting various clients in navigating data breach responses, and offering comprehensive data protection and privacy counsel on various data-privacy related issues. Stephen has also provided various training opportunities to clients covering PDPA-related topics.

Before joining Hunton Andrews Kurth, Stephen was a partner of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Bar Admissions

Education
LLB, Monash University, (Hons), 1988

BA, Economics, Monash University, 1985

• Represented Thai Union Frozen Products Pcl., the world’s largest producer of canned Tuna, in THB28.5B Acquisition of France’s MWBrands.
• Represented Bangkok Bank Pcl. in the THB 10 billion (US$330 million) SBLC backed Convertible Debentures by BTS Group Holdings Pcl.
• Represented the Sellers in 40B Baht Transaction with Tanayong.
• Represented TNP in 5B Baht Joint Financing for Thai National Power 2.
• Represented GHECO-One in US$750 M Project Financing in Thailand.
• Advised Charterhouse Development Capital and INEOS in connection with the acquisition of the acrylics business of ICI.
• Advised China Light and Power Company Limited on its acquisition of a 15% stake in Thailand's Electricity Generating Public Company Limited for US$250 million.
• Advised Ciments Francais on the acquisition of a majority stake in Asia Cement PCL.
• Advised Hellman & Friedman, Marubeni and Kumigumi on the US$100 million sale of a port facility at Laem Chabang in Rayong Province.
• Advised International Power on the acquisition of a 110-MW gas-fired co-generation plant at Eastern Industrial Estate in Rayong Province.
• Advised Nissho Iwai on the sale of US$50 million of accounts receivable.
• Advised Orange PLC on the acquisition of a significant stake in CP Orange, a Thai mobile phone carrier.
• Advised Telstar on its US$250 million aborted acquisition of a 25% stake in Total Access Communications, a Thai mobile carrier.
• Advised Tractebel SA on the sale of Nong Khae Cogeneration Company and Samutprakarn Cogeneration Company.
• Advised Tractebel SA on its public tender offer for all of the shares in the Cogeneration Public Company Limited (and its delisting tender offer).
• Advised Tractebel SA on the acquisition from Sithe of Samutprakarn Cogeneration Company Limited, Nong Khae Cogeneration Company Limited and 62% shareholding in the Cogeneration Public company Limited for US$500 million.
• Advised Tractebel SA on the acquisition of additional blocks of shares in the Cogeneration Public Company Limited from Fortum, Banpu and Nordic Power.

• Recognized as ‘Leading Lawyer’ in Corporate/M&A, Chambers Global and Chambers Asia, 2013-2018
• Recognized as ‘Leading Lawyer’ in Corporate/M&A (Including Capital Markets), Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, 2014-2018
• Recognized as ‘Leading Lawyer’ in M&A, IFLR, 2014, 2016 and 2018
• Client Choice Award, Capital Energy & Natural Resources–Thailand, International Law Office and Lexology USA & Canada, 2013