Biography
Royston Tan is counsel specializing in complex commercial litigation and international arbitration.
Royston has an extensive track record in high-stakes, transnational disputes, having advised and represented clients in proceedings across Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States. He is experienced in navigating the procedural and substantive complexities of multi-jurisdictional litigation spanning both the common law and civil law systems.
In litigation, Royston has acted as counsel and/or solicitor on record for clients in court proceedings in Hong Kong and Singapore across a broad spectrum of complex commercial disputes, encompassing fraud and unjust enrichment, shareholder disputes, employment matters, and private client and trust litigation.
In international arbitration, Royston has acted as counsel in cases conducted under a wide range of institutional rules, including the ICC, HKIAC, SIAC and CAA. He regularly advises on and appears in arbitration-related court proceedings, including applications for interim relief, jurisdictional challenges and enforcement proceedings.
Royston also has specialist expertise in contentious insolvency and distressed situations, having acted for financial institutions and distressed companies in matters involving the enforcement of security, insolvency claw-back actions, and asset tracing investigation and litigation.
Furthermore, Royston has significant experience in cross-border white collar compliance matters and investigations, having advised companies investing in high-risk sectors and countries on issues relating to anti-bribery and corruption, anti-money laundering, sanctions and foreign direct investment regulations.
Royston graduated from the National University of Singapore where he was the recipient of a faculty named scholarship and the Chief Editor of the 31st Singapore Law Review.
Royston is qualified to practise law in Hong Kong, Singapore and New York.
Experience
Litigation
- Meta Platforms, Inc regarding its international litigation matters in the Asia-Pacific region.
- An Asian bank in successfully resisting a non est factum defence and enforcing an all-moneys mortgage in the Singapore High Court.
- An Asian bank on the enforcement of a mortgage over a high-end hotel property valued at above US$100 million.
- A PRC state-owned financial asset management company with the appointment of an interim receiver over a deceased insolvent estate to administer assets valued in excess of US$50 million.
- A major shipbuilding conglomerate in one of the earliest successful applications to register a Mainland Chinese criminal enforcement ruling in Hong Kong under the Mainland Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters (Reciprocal Enforcement) Ordinance (Cap. 645).
International Arbitration
- A life sciences start-up in HKIAC emergency arbitration proceedings involving shareholders duties and powers.
- A hyperscale data center operator in a HKIAC arbitration arising from a post-acquisition dispute.
- An insurance company in a successful Taipei-seated arbitration proceeding involving fraud and the legality of trust structures spanning various jurisdictions, including Singapore, Bahamas and the British Virgin Islands, with a combined value exceeding US$200 million.
- A Taiwanese pharmaceutical company in a successful US$120 million "bet the company" joint venture dispute governed by ICC arbitration rules, and involving issues of shareholder oppression, document falsification and violations of pharmaceutical standards.
- A commodities conglomerate in arbitration proceedings with claims in relation to various cross-border disputes valued in excess of US$500 million.
White Collar Investigations
- The audit committee of a US-listed logistics company in conducting an independent investigation regarding alleged falsified financial statements, underreported labor costs, undisclosed related party transactions, and other accounting irregularities.
- A NASDAQ-listed technology company in conducting an independent investigation with respect to whistleblower allegations into workplace misconduct and potential bribery.
- An industrial technology company in conducting an investigation in relation to allegations of revenue recognition fraud and document falsification by its senior employees in the PRC.
- The audit committee of a US-listed, China-based life science company in connection with an independent review of certain issues regarding assessment of related party transactions.
- An industrial engineering conglomerate in multiple independent internal investigations into allegations of senior executive misconduct, vendor-related irregularities, and bribery.
Service areas
Insights
