Zaid Ibrahim & Co makes Singapore regional hub

SINGAPORE: Malaysia's largest law firm Zaid Ibrahim & Co (Zico) has set up a new brand identity under the name of ZICOlaw and declared Singapore as its regional hub.

ZICOlaw is expected to help the company enjoy some 20 per cent year-on-year growth in revenue from about an average of 10 per cent previously.

"We expect to grow faster," ZICOlaw Singapore's regional managing partner, Chew Seng Kok, said at a press briefing here yesterday.

He said the company also expects to receive half of its revenue from outside of Malaysia in 2015, from 30 per cent currently.

Zico's move into the international arena was a result of growing requests for it to represent clients in cross-border deals with neigbouring countries. Zico is the largest firm in Malaysia, in terms of branches, partners and lawyers.

ZICOlaw, meanwhile, is the first integrated network of legal and related professional service provider in the Asean region.

"Asean is our playground. We do business with an Asean perspective and understanding," Chew said. The regional hub will also have lawyers from Indonesia and Thailand based in the Singapore office.

The hub will basically work as a one-stop centre for legal or related professional service jobs. For example, a client who seeks advice on matters in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia can do so at this location, instead of going to these three countries.

It offers syariah advisory, trusts, strategic consulting and corporate and secretarial expertise.

Chew said that having a hub in Singapore is in line with the Malaysian government's call for companies to export services and compete in the global and regional platforms.

Zico also hopes to make inroads into Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar within the next two to three years.