Gunderson Dettmer India and Southeast Asia head Ferish Patel - who had also headed its Singapore office - has joined the Hong Kong office of Cooley as a partner, according to the firm’s press release, with an aim to set up a Singapore office under him soon.

“Cooley intends to continue its expansion into Southeast Asia and will pursue setting up a Singapore office to be led by Patel,” stated the release.

Patel, who had worked on secondments at AZB & Partners and erstwhile Amarchand Mangaldas in 2009, had previously been with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett between 2003 and 2011.

In 2011, he had joined Davis Polk & Wardwell in Hong Kong, moving to Gunderson as a partner in Singapore in 2015.

At Davis Polk, he had specialised in capital markets, but his main focus since then has also included venture capital and M&A work.

“Ferish is well known and highly regarded for his extensive experience advising high-growth companies and investment funds in Singapore, India, China and elsewhere across Southeast Asia,” commented chair of Cooley’s global business department, Mike Lincoln.

Patel is a qualified lawyer in Hong Kong and New York.

He has a a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute, a medical degree from Albany Medical College and a JD from St John’s University School of Law.