U.S. law firm Latham & Watkins has strengthened its Asia technology practice with the appointment of Rhys McWhirter as a partner in its Hong Kong office from Eversheds Sutherland, where he was the head of technology and data for Asia.

McWhirter has brings over 13 years of experience in technology law. His practice encompasses commercial transactions, intellectual property, data privacy and AI matters, with a client base spanning multinationals, tech companies, regulatory bodies, and financial institutions across the technology, financial services, infrastructure, mining, and aviation sectors.

Prior to joining Eversheds Sutherland in 2019, McWhirter worked with PwC in Sydney and Hong Kong. He had earlier stints at Australian firms Gilbert + Tobin and Herbert Geer, and spent three years as an in-house counsel at Westpac.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Rhys to the firm; his senior expertise and skills further enhance our regional team,” said Posit Laohaphan, managing partner of Latham & Watkins’ Asia offices, in a statement. “He brings a wealth of experience in advising on business-critical technology-driven transactions that are highly complementary to our existing capabilities in Asia.”

Added Ghaith Mahmood, global chair of the firm’s data and technology transactions practice: “Rhys has a stellar reputation for advising on transformational technology-driven projects at the cutting edge of the market.”

McWhirter’s arrival means Latham now has 21 partners in Hong Kong.