Regulatory affairs and global policy consultant Crowell & Moring International (CMI) has launched an office in Singapore as it looks to expand its operations in the region.

The hub, which follows the opening of CMI’s first Asian base in Shanghai nearly a year ago, has been set up to advise international businesses on the policy and regulatory landscape in the region.

CMI director for Asia, Clark Jennings, has relocated from the firm’s base in Washington DC to lead the new office, which a CMI spokesperson tells GTR will initially be staffed by fewer than 10 people.

He joined the company in 2017 having worked in a couple of different roles under President Obama’s White House administration, serving most recently as a policy advisor on the National Economic Council. Prior to this he acted as chief of staff at the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).

Speaking about the launch, Jennings says: “Our work is already deeply rooted in the Asia Pacific, and we’re keenly watching how digital transformation is reshaping every industry and reorienting the way that governments work with the private sector.”

He adds: “Having a physical presence in the region will help us deepen our collaboration with governments, associations, and business executives to shape the policies and manage the emerging issues that will define economic growth in ‘the Asian century’.”

According to CMI’s spokesperson, Jennings will work closely with Washington-based CEO and former US trade representative for Asia, Robert Holleyman, and vice-president Patricia Wu, who have both “historically looked after a lot of clients looking to expand their work in the APAC region”.

CMI, which is an affiliate of international law firm Crowell and Moring LLP, has been operating in the Asia Pacific region for over three decades.