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BRG launches new office, promotes 2 to senior roles
Berkeley Research Group (BRG) has appointed two to senior roles across the APAC region, launching its sixth office with the new additions.
Lauren Croft
Aaron Howell has been appointed to the firm’s Asia-Pacific disputes practice, and Thomas Fearis has been appointed to a new role leading business development and client services across the region.
“We are excited to have a presence in Perth to provide on-the-ground capabilities to clients in the energy sector, enhancing our world-class expertise in energy and complementary industries, including construction and mining,” he said.
Mr Howell has over 25 years of global experience within the energy sector, including oil and gas exploration and production, liquefied natural gas, gas commercial, joint venture and stakeholder management, mergers, acquisitions and divestments and financing advisory. He also has more than 15 years in senior investment banking roles, dividing his time between Singapore and Perth. In his new role, he will be based in both the Singapore and Perth BRG offices.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr Howell said: “Western Australia is the world’s most diversified energy and resources province, and Perth has the largest concentration of global oil and gas companies and oil service companies in Australia.
“I am thrilled to join BRG at a time of continued growth in Asia-Pacific and look forward to driving the continued expansion of the firm’s tier-one disputes offering.”
Mr Fearis, currently based in Hong Kong, will also join the Perth office and brings with him almost 10 years of international experience in the legal industry, working in a variety of roles, including as a disputes associate, tribunal secretary and, more recently, in business development and marketing. Mr Fearis will split his time between Hong Kong and Perth in his new expanded role as APAC head of business development and client services.
Speaking after his promotion, Mr Fearis commented: “In the last decade, over a dozen leading international law firms have established a presence in Perth in response to the unprecedented energy and resources boom and related market for advisory and disputes work.
“Opening an office here is a natural next step for BRG APAC, and I am excited to partner with Mustafa, Aaron and BRG’s deep bench of experts to bring our market-leading offering to law firms and their clients in this jurisdiction.”
Lauren Croft
Lauren is a journalist at Lawyers Weekly and graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism from Macleay College. Prior to joining Lawyers Weekly, she worked as a trade journalist for media and travel industry publications and Travel Weekly. Originally born in England, Lauren enjoys trying new bars and restaurants, attending music festivals and travelling. She is also a keen snowboarder and pre-pandemic, spent a season living in a French ski resort.
