Khine Khine Zin is a Partner in the firm’s Corporate Commercial Practice, advising on corporate law, regulatory issues and others.
Khine was born and raised in Myanmar. Following her graduation with Honours from the Law Faculty of the National University of Singapore, she was admitted to the Singapore Bar as an advocate and solicitor. Khine has been closely involved in both the Integrated Regulatory Practice and the Myanmar Practice of Rajah & Tann.
Khine is able to comprehend and speak the Burmese language fluently, in addition to the English language. Clients benefit from her keen understanding of the local culture and language coupled with her experience assisting in cross-border corporate matters.
Khine has assisted clients with preparation and review of a wide range of commercial contracts for clients in both public and private sectors, including investment agreements, shareholders’ agreements, procurement contracts, supply contracts, business transfer agreements and employment contracts.
Khine has also regularly assisted with structuring and completing corporate transactions for international clients, Asian start-ups and Myanmar conglomerates.
EXPERIENCE
Alcoholic Beverages
- Advised various clients in the alcohol sector, including Campari, Diageo, Edrington, Pernod Ricard, Remy Cointreau, and William Grant & Sons, on the liquor licensing regulations in connection with various methods of supply of liquor, including wholesale, retail, duty-free, and e-commerce.
- Advised various clients in the alcohol sector, on various aspects of requirements in relation to alcohol, including those relating to labelling, product ingredients and constituents (e.g. flavourings and colourings), anti-trust issues, marketing, excise tax, AML/CFT regulations, celebrity endorsements, and permitted land use for licensed premises.
- Advised various clients in the alcohol sector on the customs regulations for import of liquor into Singapore.
- Assisted Diageo with the conducting of anti-money laundering and anti-facilitation of tax avoidance compliance checks on distributors.
- Assisted Diageo with preparing the documentation for adoption of a closed loop distribution technology.
- Advised a luxury whisky producer on the launch of virtual bar during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Advised a Scottish whisky producer on and prepared the terms and conditions governing various methods of supply of liquor, including distributorship arrangement, e-commerce, global travel retail and retail or direct-to-consumer supply.
- Advised a leading alcoholic beverage company on the implementation and structuring of an incentive programme to promote the retail sale of its product.
- Advised a luxury whisky producer on the renovation contract and event booking terms and conditions in relation to a retail and experiential space in a heritage building in Singapore.
- Advised Diageo in relation to approved land use and change of addressed of licensed premises on liquor licence.
Healthcare & Medical Technology
- Advised a leading American company specialising in sterilisation and surgical products on the sub-contract agreement relating to the supply of equipment and consumables to a hospital in Singapore.
- Advised a leading regional e-commerce platform operator on the medical device regulations across a number of jurisdictions, including Singapore.
- Assisted Asia’s largest private healthcare group with standardisation of its procurement contracts for various services.
- Advised a German kidney dialysis company on the employment issues and the winding up of its operations in a South East Asian country.
- Acted for a Singaporean SME dedicated to innovating a comprehensive range of products and solutions for a holistic approach to diet and wellness, on its joint venture with an ice-cream parlour in Singapore for the promotion of its natural, plant-based sweetener.
Regulatory & Regional
- Advised a cruise terminal operator on regulatory engagement with the Maritime Port Authority on change in height restrictions and subsequent appeal to the Minister for Transport.
- Advised an European law firm on engagement with the Legal Services Regulatory Authority on compliance with the Legal Profession Act.
- Advised a leading social media platform operator on the potential misuse of its platform in connection with the 2020 elections in Myanmar.
- Advised one of the largest Japanese groups in connection with its investment in a Singapore-headquartered telecoms service provider with an extensive network and infrastructure in Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand.
- Advised a statutory board in Singapore on its procurement contracts and award of grants to various stakeholders in the industry.
- Advised a US company on regulatory requirements for importation of chemical compounds into Singapore.
- Advised the American Board of Medical Specialties in relation to the regulatory requirements for conducting training and selected examination and certification processes for medical specialists in Singapore in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Singapore.
- Advised a leading Chinese company on the regulatory requirements in connection with the launch of its facial recognition software.
- Acted for a leading alcoholic beverage company in relation to a review of the customs requirements across a number of different jurisdictions.
- Advised a leading luxury whisky supplier in relation to the liquor licensing requirements in Singapore.
- Advised a leading social media platform operator on various regulatory issues in relation to its operations in Myanmar.
- Advised an American multinational media company on various regulatory issues in relation to their proposed offerings in the region.
Corporate M&A
- Advised Ascent Capital Partners, the world’s largest Myanmar-focused private equity, in its US$26 million investment into Frontiir, the leading Internet service provider in Myanmar.
- Advised Far East Minerals in its acquisition of a gravel aggregate mine in Mon State.
- Advised Eden Group, one of the conglomerates in Myanmar, in its acquisition of a minority stake in the fertiliser factory in Thilawa Special Economic Zone.
- Acted for Coca-Cola in its buy-out of Myanmar Refreshments’ stake in Coca-Cola Myanmar Overseas Holdings.
- Acted for Island Capital / Millair on the sale of the Myanmar job portal “MyJobs.com.mm” to Ringier.
- Assisted a private equity fund with a limited due diligence on the Myanmar operations of the target business related to the distribution of clinical diagnostic solutions and laboratory equipment.
- Advised a listed Chinese company in relation to the regulatory issues surrounding the use of Swiss Challenge Model, the first of its kind in Myanmar.
- Advised a Japan-Myanmar life insurance joint venture in connection with a bancassurance arrangement with a leading bank in Myanmar.
- Assisted a Vietnam-headquartered regional hospitality group in its buy-out of the minority local shareholder’s stake in a luxury hotel in downtown Yangon, Myanmar, including submission of an application to the Myanmar Investment Commission.
- Advised on the restructuring of interests of a Vietnam-headquartered regional hospitality group in a leading hotel in Inle, Myanmar.
- Acted for a Singapore-based cancer therapeutics research company in its pre-Series A fund raising.
- Assisted Maha Agriculture Public Co., Ltd., a Myanmar microfinance company, in an equity investment by the International Finance Corporation.
- Acted for Myanma Awba Group Company Limited in International Finance Corporation’s US$10 million investment by way of a convertible loan, which was the first investment by the International Finance Corporation in the agriculture space in Myanmar.
- Assisted with the restructuring of interests in a Cambridge-accredited international school in Myanmar.
- Acted for a Thai state-owned listed company on its potential investment into an LNG-to-power project in Yangon, Myanmar.
- Assisted a Japanese company on its investment, development and construction of a biomass power plant project in Myanmar.
- Acted for a leading Myanmar conglomerate in relation to the franchising of their brand in petrol kiosks throughout Myanmar.
- Advised a petroleum and energy conglomerate in Thailand in relation to the franchising of its brand to a petrol kiosk in Karen State, Myanmar.
- Assisted a leading conglomerate in Myanmar in their joint venture to undertake development and operations of wine outlets in Myanmar.
MEMBERSHIPS / DIRECTORSHIPS
- Member, Law Society of Singapore
- Member, Singapore Academy of Law
PUBLICATIONS
- Khine actively participated in the projects relating to Myanmar, including working as a research assistant for a number of her professors. Her work was credited in the book Criminal Law in Myanmar, a first-of-its-kind commentary on the Myanmar Penal Code. While working for this book, Khine has also visited the Law Faculty of the Mandalay University where she interacted with the fellow law students, as well as the leading practitioners and highly regarded law professors in Myanmar.
- She has also been credited in numerous articles and the book written and published by Associate Professor Lynette Chua. While assisting her law professors, Khine has done numerous research works in relation to the laws in Myanmar, covering various legal subjects including criminal law, labour regulations and telecommunication sector.
