Contact details

Jonathan Goacher

T: +65 6622 9699 M: +65 8120 0683 Email Jonathan | vCard Office: Singapore

Jonathan Goacher Partner

Contact details

Jonathan Goacher

T: +65 6622 9699 M: +65 8120 0683 Email Jonathan | vCard Office: Singapore

Jonathan is a US-qualified partner, known for his corporate and sanctions work in Asia.
  • Profile
  • Services
  • Sectors
  • Locations

He has extensive experience of guiding clients through new market entries, complex M&A, joint ventures and corporate closures across eastern Asia. Clients appreciate his responsiveness and commercially-savvy, solutions-orientated advice, and his particular expertise in many highly-regulated business sectors.

He is also one of a small number of genuine sanctions experts based in Asia, having spent many years advising, presenting and training on sanctions across the world.

Jonathan’s career has taken him to New York, London and Asia, latterly Singapore where he has now been based for several years. He is an Asia specialist, having spent over 20 years assisting clients in doing business throughout the region, including in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

His corporate work includes advising on market entry and expansion, whether by new business establishment or mergers & acquisitions, as well as joint ventures, corporate reorganisations, corporate closures, run-offs and disposals. 

Jonathan also advises on US and other economic sanctions & trade controls, especially those administered and enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS). He provides sanctions due diligence checks, advisory work in relation to sanctions-affected deals, trades, individuals, companies, groups, countries, commodities, vessels and aircraft, in both contentious and non-contentious scenarios; advises on import/export requirements, restraints, controls and licensing; obtains specific licences from sanctions regulators; represents individuals in delisting applications and conducts sanctions staff training.

Among a broad base of clients, he regularly advises and assists various high-profile insurance, financial services, energy, marine and commodities sector businesses. He has also been seconded to the operations of a US-based global insurance group, and one of the world’s largest insurance brokerages.

  • Public and private M&A
  • Joint ventures
  • Corporate
  • Data protection and information
  • Sanctions

Private equity group

Representing a private equity group in a US$ 150 million acquisition. This was in relation to a online insurance underwriting operation, focused on Asian markets.

Asian insurance group

Advising an Asian insurance group on the disposal of their Indonesian business. This included steering our client through the due diligence process, negotiating sale and purchase contracts, assisting in obtaining regulatory approvals and filing completion documentation.

US-headquartered insurance group

Advising a US-headquartered insurance group on an acquisition of a China business. Assisted the client in understanding foreign business restrictions and necessary regulatory approvals, and associated timings, as well as the standard buy-side M&A mechanics.

More: Public and private M&A

Global oil and gas / maritime group

Advising a global oil and gas / maritime group on establishing a complex joint venture. The venture involved establishment of an incorporated joint venture with an Indian trading partner, also involving advice on possible exposures from previous, potentially-sanctionable trade by the prospective joint venture partner.

Global trading organisation

Advising a global trading organisation on exiting a joint venture in Thailand, including transferring the joint venture business to a new corporate vehicle established under the US-Thai Treaty of Amity & Economic Relations, which the client could wholly own.

Insurance group

Advising an insurance group on a unincorporated joint venture in Bangladesh, including complex transactional structuring and payment mechanisms, and necessary filings with local banks for overseas payment remittances.

More: Joint ventures

Advising a major insurance group on a corporate restructure of their China business. This included a complete change of shareholders and management, which involved advising the group how it can increase its shareholding as a foreign investor and protect its position vis-a-vis potentially competing interests of local shareholders.

Advising an international insurance loss adjusting group on establishing a new business in Vietnam. Including in relation to foreign ownership restrictions, available business vehicles, applicable licences and regulatory filings, business capitalisation requirements, 
expatriate work permits and visas, and local employment laws.

Advising an international insurance group on a restructuring and expanding their operations in Taiwan. This involved injection of substantial, additional capital and securing regulatory approval for conducting new lines of business.

More: Corporate

Advising a client with an established China business on consequences of new data protection laws. This advice particularly focused on the increased complexity with regard to 
personal data transfers outside of China, and more stringent data security requirements. 

Advising a regulated financial services organisation on cross-border data transfers from Indonesia. This included advice on data transfer plans to be filed with applicable regulators, as well as any necessary notifications and data security requirements. 

Advising a European insurance group on data protection regulations in 11 Asian countries, in relation to a proposed telematic-based accident and health insurance product that would 
involve overseas transfer and storage of (sensitive) personal data.

More: Data protection and information

Energy, insurance, shipping and trading clients

Advising numerous energy, insurance, shipping and trading clients on Russia/Ukraine sanctions. Including general advisory work, providing updates on latest sanctions, conducting due diligence on involved parties & commodities, advising on potential general or specific licences that are applicable, advising on applicable OFAC decisions/rulings, applying for OFAC licences on behalf of clients, and providing sanctions training for client staff.

OFAC specific licence

Preparing and securing an OFAC specific licence. This was to permit the disposal of Iranian oil found on board a vessel that had been arrested following a collision with the client’s vessel.

Syndicate of leading insurers

Representing and advising a syndicate of leading insurers on applicable sanctions regarding a substantial claims payment. The claim resulted from a collision of a vessel carrying Venezuelan petroleum products with another vessel within the boundaries of a port owned and operated on behalf of the government of Venezuela.

More: Sanctions

  • Marine
  • International trade
  • Energy and natural resources
  • Insurance

International shipping group

Representing and advising an international shipping group against an engine manufacturer that refused to supply spare parts for engines on the basis that the client’s vessels had made Iran port calls, and that the provision of such parts would then create a US sanctions exposure.

Numerous shipping clients

Advising numerous shipping clients on Russia/Ukraine sanctions. Including general advisory work, providing updates on latest sanctions, conducting due diligence on involved parties & commodities, advising on potential general or specific licences that are applicable, advising on applicable OFAC decisions/rulings, applying for OFAC licences on behalf of clients, providing sanctions training for client staff.

OFAC specific licence

Preparing and securing an OFAC specific licence. This was to permit the disposal of Iranian oil found on board a vessel that had been arrested following a collision with the client’s vessel

More: Marine

Numerous shipping clients

Advising numerous shipping clients on Russia/Ukraine sanctions. Including general advisory work, providing updates on latest sanctions, conducting due diligence on involved parties & commodities, advising on potential general or specific licences that are applicable, advising on applicable OFAC decisions/rulings, applying for OFAC licences on behalf of clients, providing sanctions training for client staff.

Major oil and natural gas supplier

Advising a major oil and natural gas supplier on sanctions compliance, frequently on an urgent basis, as regards its international exports.

One of the world's largest oil companies

Advising one of the world’s largest oil companies regarding the so-called “Russian oil price cap” affecting Russian-origin crude oil and petroleum products.

More: International trade

Global oil and gas / maritime group

Advising a global oil and gas/maritime group on establishing a complex joint venture. The venture involved establishment of an incorporated joint venture with an Indian trading partner, also involving advice on possible exposures from previous, potentially-sanctionable trade by the prospective joint venture partner.

Major oil and natural gas supplier

Advising a major oil and natural gas supplier on sanctions compliance, frequently on an urgent basis, as regards its international exports.

One of the world's largest oil companies

Advising one of the world’s largest oil companies regarding the so-called “Russian oil price cap” affecting Russian-origin crude oil and petroleum products.

More: Energy and natural resources

Major UK-based, global insurance organisation

Advising a major UK-based, global insurance organisation on entry into the Malaysian market. Including in relation to foreign ownership restrictions, necessary regulatory notifications, suitable corporate structures, applicable licences, minimum capital requirements and incorporation/licensing timing.

International insurance loss adjusting group

Advising an international insurance loss adjusting group on establishing a new business in Vietnam. Including in relation to foreign ownership restrictions, available business vehicles, applicable licences and regulatory filings, business capitalisation requirements, expatriate work permits and visas, and local employment laws.

Publicly-listed insurance group

Advising a publicly-listed insurance group on entry into the Bangladesh market, which included advice on necessary licences, minimum capital, minimum numbers of employees holding personal trade licences and incorporation timing.

More: Insurance

  • Southeast Asia
  • China

International insurance loss adjusting group

Advising an international insurance loss adjusting group on establishing a new business in Vietnam. Including in relation to foreign ownership restrictions, available business vehicles, applicable licences and regulatory filings, business capitalisation requirements, expatriate work permits and visas, and local employment laws.

Major UK-based, global insurance organisation

Advising a major UK-based, global insurance organisation on entry into the Malaysian market. Including in relation to foreign ownership restrictions, necessary regulatory notifications, suitable corporate structures, applicable licences, minimum capital requirements and incorporation/licensing timing.

Global trading organisation

Advising a global trading organisation on exiting a joint venture in Thailand, including transferring the joint venture business to a new corporate vehicle established under the US-Thai Treaty of Amity & Economic Relations, which the client could wholly own.

More: Southeast Asia

US-headquartered insurance group

Advising a US-headquartered insurance group on an acquisition of a China business. Assisted the client in understanding foreign business restrictions and necessary regulatory approvals, and associated timings, as well as the standard buy-side M&A mechanics.

Publicly-listed international business

Advising a publicly-listed international business on a China market exit. This included advising on necessary regulatory approvals, timing, liabilities to employees, as well as the dissolution and liquidation process.

Client with an established China business

Advising a client with an established China business on consequences of new data protection laws. This advice particularly focused on the increased complexity with regard to personal data transfers outside of China, and more stringent data security requirements. 

More: China

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22 May 2023

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Jonathan Goacher joins Stephenson Harwood as partner

Law firm Stephenson Harwood has strengthened its regional M&A practice with the arrival of partner Jonathan Goacher.

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© Stephenson Harwood LLP 2016. Any reference to Stephenson Harwood in this document means Stephenson Harwood LLP and/or its affiliated undertakings. Any reference to a partner is used to refer to a member of Stephenson Harwood LLP.