About

An English-qualified solicitor who trained in London and has practiced in London, Hong Kong and Singapore, Iain Sharp currently heads up the Asia Pacific legal team at international commodities trading house Gunvor. His sector experience includes international trade and commodities, energy and natural resources, oil and gas, shipping, banking and finance. Upon joining Gunvor in late 2016, Sharp was keen to improve the legal team there based on his extensive private practice experience: ‘When I joined the company, one of the key objectives I set for myself was to change the perception of the Asia Pacific legal department. I wanted to build a department which was not purely reactive, and perceived as one only good for churning out documents. At the heart of it was building relationships with key functions, including trading, finance, compliance and shipping. Using the experience of team members, we also wanted to showcase a more proactive strategic approach to problem-solving, dispute management and resolution’. Managing a litigation and arbitration portfolio that spans multiple jurisdictions (including the US, the UK, Singapore, India and China) allows Sharp to showcase his excellent dispute resolution credentials.