Goodwin expands debt finance capabilities in Asia with partner hire in Hong Kong

Stephen Howard previously spent 16 years at White & Case

Goodwin expands debt finance capabilities in Asia with partner hire in Hong Kong

Goodwin has welcomed Stephen Howard as a partner in the Hong Kong office. He joins the firm’s debt finance practice, further expanding its private equity team in Asia.

Howard joins from White & Case where he spent 16 years, most recently serving as a local partner and a member of the Hong Kong debt and leveraged finance team. He brings experience from London, Hong Kong and Australia at White & Case, Deutsche Bank, Nomura and KPMG.

“Steve brings more than 15 years of experience in leveraged finance to our global private equity platform, having practiced in London and Hong Kong,” said Yash Rana, global co-chair of Goodwin’s private equity group and leader of the firm’s Asia practice. “His relationships with lenders and his market insights will be great assets to our clients. We are pleased to welcome him to the firm.”

Howard advises private equity sponsors, corporates, asset managers, alternative finance and capital providers and banks across a broad range of capital structures and financing solutions, with a focus on leveraged finance, direct lending, equity margin financing and bank/bond transactions across Asia.

His commercial experience includes front-office roles in Deutsche Bank (London)’s acquisition and leveraged finance team and Nomura International (London)’s leveraged finance and debt capital markets team.

Goodwin’s Asia practice focuses on private equity, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, fund formation, capital markets, joint ventures, and strategic transactions across a broad range of sectors.