Houthoff Buruma increases international presence through representatives programme

Houthoff Buruma is increasing its international presence from the beginning of September with the introduction of two new representatives. Carmen Bakas will represent Houthoff Buruma in Houston while Esther Veltman, a Houthoff Buruma alumna, will be working in Singapore.

Bakas and Veltman have both qualified as Dutch lawyers. Their focus will be on developing close ties with local clients and firms to create new alliances and strengthen our network.

Michiel Pannekoek, Chief International Officer at Houthoff Buruma: “We are engaging the representatives to increase our international presence in key economic centres abroad. More than ever, clients want the law firms they work with to have an international focus and to be able to assist them anywhere in the world. Despite the fact that working remotely is becoming easier and easier these days, it is important for clients to build a relationship not just with the firm, but also with its people. A physical presence on the ground helps with this and ensures that our representatives understand our clients' local market. Our Netherlands-based lawyers will be regularly visiting the cities where our representatives are working.”

Houston and Singapore

Houston and Singapore are both key economic centres with a growing demand for Dutch legal support. Houthoff Buruma has developed ties with the oil & gas, offshore and renewables industries in Houston. Singapore, like Amsterdam, is a key financial centre where we are expanding our network. We plan to expand the programme with more representatives in other economic centres within the next year.