Matthew Koh is a Partner in the firm’s Construction & Projects and International Arbitration Practice.

Matthew practices primarily in the sphere of international arbitration and construction law. He has experience in arbitrations conducted under various arbitration rules, statutory adjudication of construction disputes under the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act, as well as in general commercial litigation.

He was appointed by the Ministry of Law to serve as an assessor under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020.

Notable Cases & Transactions

International Arbitration

• Acted for the claimant, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, in an SIAC arbitration conducted under the expedited procedure in relation to disputes arising from agreements concerning the sale and export of bauxite from Indonesia, with the sum in dispute exceeding US$1.5 million.
• Acted for Taiwanese and Hong Kong plaintiffs in court proceedings to successfully recognize and enforce an ICC arbitration award in excess of S$3 million against a Singaporean company and representing plaintiffs in subsequent execution proceedings.
• Acted for Indian respondents in an arbitration in court proceedings to successfully partially set aside and resist enforcement of an ICC arbitration award with an award sum in excess of US$500 million on the basis of public policy.
• Acted for a South Korean respondent in an emergency arbitration conducted under the ICC arbitration rules, as well as related court proceedings, to successfully resist an injunction on a call against a performance bond.
• Advised a multinational telecommunications corporation in relation to the possible commencement of investor-State arbitration proceedings against an Asian State in relation to licenses for the use and operation of radio spectrums.

Construction, Power, Oil & Gas

• Acting for the judicial managers of a Singapore offshore construction company in relation to various arbitrations seated in Mumbai in relation to offshore works in India, and the enforcement of awards arising out of these arbitrations.
• Acting for a construction company in an arbitration under the SIAC arbitration rules against its joint venture partner in relation to a project for the construction of a purpose-built food facility in Singapore.
• Advising a developer of an executive condominium with more than 600 units on delays and claims for liquidated damages arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Acting for a major Japanese group of engineering companies against a Singapore listed company and its subsidiaries in the Singapore courts in relation to insolvency proceedings, proposed schemes of arrangement and restructuring of financing for a major plant project, as well as a related SIAC arbitration with approximately S$150 million in dispute.
• Acting for the respondents in SIAC arbitrations commenced by the claimant in relation to a housing project in a Southeast Asian country for the construction of several thousand homes

Construction Adjudication

• Acted for respondent in defending a claim in excess of S$3 million in relation to demolition works done on a major shopping centre in Singapore and in adjudication review proceedings.
• Acted for claimant in bringing a claim in excess of S$18 million in relation to works done in the construction of a hospital in Singapore.
• Acted for a sub-contractor in bringing a successful claim in excess of S$62 million against its upstream EPC main contractor for works carried out in relation to a waste-to-energy plant.