Fergus Saurin

About

Fergus is the Group Head of Broadfield Asia’s Disputes Resolution and Investigations Practice. As a trusted advisor, Fergus counsels clients on their most challenging acquisitions and exits, crises and disputes with clarity, strategic insight and discretion.

He is well known for his legal and commercial acumen, regional expertise, contacts and pragmatic mindset which secures exceptional results for financial institutions and individuals operating in or with exposure to the private equity, hedge, crypto, private credit and special situations industries.

Fergus’ litigation experience includes cases at first instance and appellate level before the English, Hong Kong, Mainland PRC, Singapore, Cayman Islands and BVI courts amongst others and his arbitration experience encompasses cases administered under all major institutional rules, as well as ad hoc arbitrations. He also regularly advises on contentious regulatory, restructuring and insolvency matters.

Fergus is recognized in all the major legal directories and according to Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2025, clients indicated that Fergus is “a standout in the market…”. A client also opined that Fergus “displays a real intellectual capacity for dealing with the most complex of matters and cutting through the issues to provide succinct and clear advice. His work on complex negligence type matters is market leading.” He is “exceptionally intelligent, very hard working and delivers excellent advice under considerable pressure.”

Fergus graduated from the University of Cambridge, St Catharine’s College, and is qualified in England & Wales and in Hong Kong, is a Solicitor Advocate in Hong Kong and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He regularly appears as an advocate, including before the Hong Kong Court and in arbitrations, and contributes to pro bono initiatives.

Advisory and investment exits

Acted for Chinese tech conglomerate in multi-billion US$ pre-QIPO redemption dispute involving rights dispute over eight series of preferred shares.
Acted for a private equity investor in respect of its hostile acquisition of shares in Luckin Coffee Inc.
Advised fund in connection with its investment in PRC data centres business, including squeeze out of founder.
Advised a consortium of private equity investors on the disposition of their interests in Citco, a global corporate services provider.

Crisis management

Led representation of major alternative private equity fund accused of fraudulent misrepresentations in multi-year case securing positive resolution and avoiding adverse regulatory outcome.
Represented 50% shareholder of quant fund in relation to lock out, SFC compliance, distribution of fund assets and managed exit.
Acted for the General Partner of a fund in connection with the unauthorised disclosure of confidential information by fund LPs/investors.
Represented minority dissenting shareholders on a contentious take private of a US listed, Cayman Islands company, seeking to relist in Mainland China.
Acted for the General Partner of a fund in connection with disputes surrounding the realisation of fund assets and the distribution of fund proceeds.
Advised an investment fund on claims for misappropriation of funds in onshore subsidiaries of a cold storage and logistics joint venture and securing commercial exit of joint venture partner.

Commercial litigation

Acted for successful appellant/intervener in China Life Trustees Limited v China Energy Reserve and Chemical Group Overseas Company Limited & Ors, ad-hoc committee as intervener [2024] HKCFA 15 before the Court of Final Appeal (Hong Kong) in what is now amongst the leading cases on the nature and scope of Quistclose trusts, one of the most complex areas of trust law.
Led representation for the ad-hoc committee of offshore bondholders of Tsinghua Unigroup Co., Ltd. in pursuing via the trustee a keepwell claim in action HCA 1269 of 2023 and obtained landmark judgment for US$489 million.
Acted for mid-West bank, including as court advocates, in obtaining Mareva and proprietary injunctions, gagging orders and parallel third-party disclosure orders before the Hong Kong Court following sophisticated cyber fraud.
Acted for the ad-hoc committee of offshore bondholders of China South City Holdings in US$1.4 billion Hong Kong High Court keepwell claim against PRC SOE.
Acted for non-executive director in c. US$ 960 million professional negligence claim, including in securing the striking out of over 97% of the claims and the amicable resolution of the case.
Acted for a Big 4 accounting firm on its defence of several multi-hundred million US$ professional negligence claims.
Acted for a cryptocurrency platform in connection with redemption claims and claims arising out of hedging strategy and close out.
Acted for a private equity firm in Hong Kong enforcement proceedings against the personal guarantor (including bankruptcy), and advising on multijurisdictional asset investigation/tracing and enforcement strategy.

Arbitration

Acted for major PRC technology conglomerate in four Hong Kong seated arbitrations pertaining to its US$100 million loan to the founder of an e-commerce healthcare platform, including conducting all advocacy.
Advised on dispute under share purchase agreement arising out of misappropriations in the target company and related HKIAC arbitration proceedings.
Represented subsidiary of leading investment banking firm in HKIAC arbitration following note default, including successful emergency arbitration application against issuer for asset preservation order and the obtaining arbitration award in the subsidiary’s favour.
Acted for major commodity trading company in successful defence of HKIAC emergency arbitration application for security for underlying claim.
Represented leading software developer in HKIAC arbitration relating to IP infringement and license fraud, including in connection with successful settlement.

Fraud, insolvency and bankruptcy

Acted for the ad-hoc committee of offshore bondholders of China Evergrande Group in HCCW 220 of 2024, including representing the committee as advocate alongside John Scott SC in securing the winding up of the Evergrande Group.
Acted for investors in unwinding of Sports Trading Club, a ponzi scheme promoted by well-known Australian fraudster, Peter Foster. Case included actions before the Courts in Hong Kong, the Cayman Islands, Australia and Vanuatu.
Acted for major fund following series of loan defaults and enforcement proceedings, including in connection with various winding up proceedings and bankruptcy proceedings.
Acted for the ad-hoc committee of offshore bondholders of Fantasia Holdings Group Co., Limited (HKSE:1777) in connection with Hong Kong and BVI insolvency proceedings.
Acted for the Hong Kong liquidators of Allied Weli Developments Limited on claims against the company’s directors and officers, including successful applications for examination orders.
Acted for a private equity firm to pursue winding-up against a major Chinese e-commerce company before the Hong Kong Court.