Robert is a partner in our Corporate Department. He specialises in advice on the establishment and restructure of all investment funds, having spent his entire legal career focusing on collective investment schemes in Cayman, England and Australia. He has a particular interest in impact investing where philanthropic outcomes are fused with commercial interests. Robert joined Campbells in 2003.
Robert C. Searle
Partner
Robert Searle is "very responsive, very helpful and very commercial. He doesn't only stand from the legal perspective but also from the client's perspective, and gives clear direction."
- Chambers and Partners, 2021
Robert Searle is proactive, responsive, and provides commercially sensible advice.”
-Legal 500, 2021
One source finds him to be "very responsive, very helpful and very commercial," while another notes: "He doesn't only stand from the legal perspective but also from the client's perspective, and gives clear direction."
- Chambers and Partners, 2020
Overview
Expertise
- Investment funds
- Corporate finance
Work Highlights
- Robert was engaged by Asia Debt Management to work on a number of recent fund launches.
- Robert assisted Scotiabank to list various funds on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange.
- Robert advised Fullerton Fund Management on the ongoing requirements of their Cayman Islands investment funds.
- Robert has advised Credit Suisse on investment fund launches relating to investment products.
- Robert provides advice to CITIC Securities on Cayman Islands law.
Qualifications and Admissions
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
- Master of Laws (LLM) – Corporate and Finance Law
- Bachelor of Accounting
- Solicitor of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (British Virgin Islands), 2012
- Solicitor of Supreme Court (England & Wales), 2003 (non-practising)
- Attorney at Law Cayman Islands, 2003
- Supreme Court of Queensland, 1998
Prior Career History
- SJ Berwin, London
- McCullough Robertson, Australia
Professional Associations
- Registered Foreign Lawyer of the Hong Kong Law Society
Recognition and Awards
- Robert is ranked in Chambers & Partners as a Foreign Expert Based Abroad for the Cayman Islands.
- Chambers Global 2017 reported that Robert is “very responsive, very knowledgeable” and able to “provide direct and effective advice.”
Publications and News
News
- Campbells advised ADM Capital on its convertible loan facility to Square Yards, India’s largest integrated real estate platform.
Campbells acted as British Virgin Islands legal counsel to ADM Capital on its convertible loan facility to Square Yards, India’s largest integrated real estate platform. - Campbells LLP advised on the listing of E Fund (HK) Yield Enhanced Bond Fund I on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange.
On 3 June 2021, E Fund (HK) Yield Enhanced Bond Fund I (the “Fund”), an open-ended Cayman Islands fund, was admitted to the Official List of the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange (the “CSX”).
Client Advisories
- New deregistration rules for Cayman Islands regulated funds.
CIMA has recently issued an updated rule and regulatory procedure in respect of the cancellation of licenses or certificates of registration for regulated mutual funds and registered private funds respectively. - Implications of the BVI Data Protection Act for Investment Funds.
The Data Protection Act, 2021 (the “Act”) was brought into force in the BVI with immediate effect on 9 July 2021 and introduces, for the first time in the British Virgin Islands, a legislative framework for data protection based on a set of internationally recognised privacy principles. The Act provides that its objects are to: - safeguard personal data processed by public bodies and private bodies by balancing the necessity of processing the personal data and protecting personal data from unlawful processing; and - promote transparency and accountability in the processing of personal data. - Cayman Islands and BVI Economic Substance requirements extended to Partnerships.
In line with ongoing commitments given by the Cayman Islands, regulations came into force in the Cayman Islands on 30 June 2021, expanding the categories of entities that are now in scope for the purposes of the Economic Substance regime to all types of partnerships (including general partnerships, exempted limited partnerships and foreign limited partnerships).