Kent Phillips

What is your current role, or what are you working on?
I am an arbitration partner at Norton Rose Fulbright in Singapore. At the moment it’s a mix of offshore wind, commodities, technology and M&A disputes. But it could be almost anything from around the world, with a Singapore or occasionally a London seat. It’s usually the counsel role, sometimes arbitrator. I’ve been a partner at international firms for 17 years – initially in London and in Singapore since 2011 – but I’m still new to the team at Norton Rose Fulbright, joining at the end of 2023. I am also an IBA Arbitration Committee Treasurer and on the board at CIArb Singapore.

What is your proudest achievement?
Sadly, it’s probably work related. Advocacy – a submission which wins a tough case against a better opponent – or some of the early Emergency Arbitrator appointments when it was a new thing. As I get older I am proud of some of the younger lawyers in the team coming through and doing things they thought they couldn’t.

There are now 25 hours in a day! How would you spend your extra hour?
I really should say learning Mandarin Chinese. But more realistically, it is probably something work-related, exercise, reading the Economist and catching up on White Lotus. An extra hour goes further than a normal hour.

If you weren't a lawyer, what would you do?
Astronaut, classic car collector and professor of ancient history.

Your favourite food haunt is...?
I am part-owner of a café in Raffles Place (Wai Café), so that’s my not very objective favourite. Otherwise, on a weekend it’s probably Old Hen Kitchen in Farrer Park, or Mudbrick at Waiheke Island in my native New Zealand. That’s off the beaten track but still very busy.