Melissa THAM is a Partner in the Financial Services Regulatory Practice.
Her main areas of practice include financial / payment services regulatory, transactional matters involving acquisitions of interests in Singapore financial institutions, and derivatives (both transactional and regulatory).
In the financial / payment services regulatory space, Melissa has experience in advising financial institutions and FinTech players on a broad range of regulatory issues, including those relating to licensing, offers of securities, compliance with ongoing business conduct requirements, anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML / CFT) obligations, and change of control approvals.
She also assists her clients with licensing applications, applications for regulatory approvals arising from mergers and acquisitions or internal restructuring, and other notifications and applications to the regulator which are necessitated by changes in the client's business model or operations. On the documentation front, she has experience in preparing customer terms and conditions, account opening documentation, risk disclosure statements, compliance manuals and AML / CFT policies.
In light of the increasing global focus on promoting green energy, sustainability and philanthropy, Melissa has advised clients looking to launch initiatives relating to virtual power purchase agreements, green energy trading platforms, and online philanthropic hubs.
Her clients include fund managers (including private equity firms), financial advisers, brokers / dealers, banks, private banks, primary financial market infrastructure operators such as exchanges, clearing houses and systemically important payment systems, payment service providers, crowdfunding platforms, leading players in the cryptocurrency / blockchain space (including spot cryptocurrency exchanges, cryptocurrency derivatives platforms, and stablecoin issuers) and FinTech start-ups.
In the derivatives space, Melissa has assisted clients (both corporate end-users and hedge providers) with the preparation, review and negotiation of their derivatives documentation, including the 2002 ISDA Master Agreement, trade confirmations, credit support documentation, as well as derivatives trading and clearing agreements.
Melissa graduated from the National University of Singapore, and is admitted to the Singapore Bar.
Significant transactions that Melissa has been involved in include advising / acting for the following:
- UBS Group AG, on the Singapore financial services regulatory aspects arising from its merger with Credit Suisse Group AG. This was a landmark deal that was expected to create a business with more than USD 5 trillion in total invested assets.
- A global asset management group headquartered in the U.S., anchored by two leading U.S. private equity funds, with their expansion in Singapore. This involved assisting the Singapore subsidiary with obtaining a capital markets services licence for fund management, and preparing its compliance manual, AML/CFT policies, and regulatory notifications for its cross-border arrangements with its group companies.
- The Singapore branch of an Indonesian state-owned bank that is a licensed full bank in Singapore (the "Bank"), in relation to the launch of the Bank’s wealth management business line across three phases. This involved (a) preparing a set of customer terms and conditions and a corresponding set of customer onboarding forms; (b) advising on the Singapore regulatory implications arising under the Securities and Futures Act and Financial Advisers Act; and (c) preparing regulatory compliance matrices to set out the applicable compliance obligations under the Securities and Futures Act and Financial Advisers Act.
- A crowdfunding platform established by a government-linked charitable foundation in partnership with a foundation established by a major local bank, that aims to raise catalytic capital for impact projects that include those that could drive climate change.
- Coinhako, a Singapore-incorporated digital assets service provider, in becoming among the first cryptocurrency exchanges to successfully obtain a payment services licence under the Singapore Payment Services Act to provide digital payment token services.
- A start-up company with a business presence in Singapore, Europe, Hong Kong and the United States, in relation to its launch and operation of a blockchain-based platform for the trading of cryptocurrency derivatives, including perpetual contracts, options contracts and futures contracts, and its proposed cryptocurrency investment strategy distribution platform.
Related Practices
- Financial Services Regulatory
- Singapore Academy of Law's SAL Practitioner journal – "A Guide to the Regulatory Treatment of Stablecoins under the Singapore Payment Services Act 2019" [2024] SAL Prac 21
The Legal 500: Asia Pacific – The Client's Guide to the Asia Pacific Legal Profession
- Capital Markets: Structured Finance, Derivatives and Securitisation – Singapore: Leading Associate
"Melissa Tham is a rising star, who possesses superb technical and business knowledge."
"Melissa is professional, responsive and sets the very best standard for herself, she is a pleasure to work with."
IFLR1000: Financial & Corporate – The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms
- Financial services regulatory – Singapore: Rising Star Partner
Contact Details
- d+65 6416 8226
- f+65 6532 5722
- emelissasm.tham@wongpartnership.com
Qualifications
National University of Singapore (LL.B., Hons.)
Singapore Bar