Clarke joins Corrs’ Melbourne office from Allens.

Denton (pictured) said the new appointment was a major coup for the firm: “Robert is a good fit for Corrs, which is focused on developing and retaining only the highest-calibre candidates for its partnership.”

Clarke has built a significant, high-quality practice in the Singapore and Southeast Asia markets.

He was a partner of Allens’ Singapore office from 2006 and managing partner from 2008, relocating to the Melbourne corporate office as partner in 2011. Previously he has worked as special counsel with Slaughter and May in Singapore.

Clarke was lead partner on the recent $2.3 billion acquisition of the Sydney Desalination Plant for a consortium comprising Australia-based Hastings Funds Management and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, and has been active across a range of domestic and international infrastructure and transport assets since returning to Melbourne.

His regional transactions in the M&A, investment fund and infrastructure sectors have spanned Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Korea, Taiwan, Bangladesh, China and Thailand. 

“Robert has substantial experience in the investment funds space, and is renowned for his excellent rapport with clients. He will significantly assist to grow offshore relations, as well as develop Corrs’ presence in the M&A infrastructure sector,” said Denton.

Clarke’s hire is good news for Corrs, with the firm losing a slew of partners in the first half of this year.

Mark van Brakel left the firm’s Perth office to join Allen & Overy late last month, while in March, Corrs lost six partners to Johnson Winter & Slattery and Norton Rose.

Former Melbourne managing partner Andrew Pitney and financial services expert Andrew Galvin are other high-profile partners that have also departed the firm recently.