Christopher Hughes is a founding partner of independent Myanmar firm SCM legal, which he started after a near twenty-year career with international firms Baker & McKenzie, Clifford Chance and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner. He has been based in Myanmar since 2013 and drafted the Myanmar Companies Law 2017 and Myanmar Investment Rules 2017 for the Government.

Chris is internationally experienced in major M&A and finance transactions, infrastructure projects and PPPs, privatisations and Government reform programs.  In Myanmar he has successfully executed projects in the telecommunications, infrastructure, energy, transport, financial services, tourism, commercial real estate, consumer goods, oil & gas, mining, manufacturing, education, healthcare, agriculture and government sectors.

Chris is passionate about the development of the legal and business framework in Myanmar and frequently supports Government agencies such as DICA and the Ministry of Commerce, Development Partners such as the IFC, CSOs including the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business and various Business Chambers on capacity building, advocacy and public-private dialogue issues.

He is an active leader in the Myanmar business community, including as Chairman of AustCham Myanmar, and is rated as a “Leading Lawyer” for Myanmar by the IFLR and other legal publications.  Chris is admitted to practice English and Australian laws.