Mayer Brown has hired two senior staff from Standard Chartered’s Singapore legal team to lead a pan-Asian trade and structured finance team.

Angelia Chia and Ben Sandstad join the law firm’s banking and finance practice, leaving senior roles at the bank to return to private law practice.

Sandstad was most recently global head of legal in the credit, lending and governance team at Standard Chartered in Singapore. He joined the bank in 2014, before which he worked for Mayer Brown in Hong Kong, as head of structured finance for Asia. He also held roles at law firms Clayton UTZ and Linklaters.

Chia most recently led the global trade legal team at Standard Chartered, also in Singapore. She was previously in-house counsel for Cargill and JP Morgan. She is a member of the ICC Legal Committee and the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade, Asia Trade Committee.

Both have significant experience in trade and supply chain finance, including origination, governance and distribution of debt, credit risk mitigation, securitisation and structured finance.

The co-head of Mayer Brown’s global banking and finance practice, Richard Stock, says: “With more than 40 years of combined experience, Angelia and Ben have exceptional track records in handling sophisticated trade finance and structured finance transactions. Their ability to advise on the full spectrum of issues pertaining to trade and debt finance products, coupled with their unique combination of senior in-house and private practice experience, will significantly enhance the firm’s capabilities in Asia and around the world.”

Mayer Brown’s managing partner in Singapore and Bangkok, Kevin Owen, adds: “The arrival of Angelia and Ben signifies the firm’s ongoing commitment to expanding the Singapore office and the service offerings we extend to clients around the globe.”