Reflecting on the Year of the Snake
Reflecting on the Year of the Snake
As the Year of the Snake comes to a close and the Year of the Horse approaches, it’s time to reflect on a transformative year for CDC.
Singapore Expansion
Our biggest news was the opening in April of our first overseas office in Singapore. Having previously completed assignments in Canada, the US, Sri Lanka, Australia, Thailand and the UK, the physical Singapore office marked a significant step towards our expansion plans. With a team on the ground, several clients on board and work in hand, the prospects for the office look very bright.
Business Development
The CDC expanded its support to industry initiatives throughout the year, sponsoring the Society of Construction Law Golf Day in Hong Kong and the Tunneling and Underground Society (Singapore) Underground Conferencein Singapore.
Society of Construction Law Golf Day
John Leong FRICS, MCInstCES, CCES, FCIArb delivered a seminar with Addleshaw Goddard in Singapore on the impact of tariffs on construction projects whilst David Feehan spoke at International Built Environment Week in Singaporeon the Hong Kong experience with NEC contracts.
Tariff and NEC Seminars in Singapore
The year was rounded off with attendance at the International Society of Construction Law Conference in Seoul and attending the Lighthouse Club Annual Dinner in Singapore.
Society of Construction Law International Conference in Seoul
Lighthouse Club Annual Ball Singapore
Projects
Work continued on numerous projects for the Third Runway System at Hong Kong International Airport. CDC also provided support to contractors across the West Kowloon Cultural District and several hospital and healthcare projectsin Hong Kong and Singapore. There were also new rail projects in Hong Kong and Singapore, hotels in Malaysia and work across several highway and infrastructure projects in the US.
We continue to receive repeat business from our clients on highly complex and business critical projects with much of our work now focussing on live projects. This gives us the ability to better shape successful outcomes and assist our clients to navigate the increasingly difficult commercial environment.
The first 4.7km section of theCentral Kowloon Route between Yau Ma Tei and Kai Tak opened to traffic in December slashing journey times from 30 minutes to 5 minutes. CDC provided support to several contractors on this complex project helping them manage contractual risk and supporting commercial negotiations.
Central Kowloon Route
Almost 6 years after the closure of Hong Kong Airport’s Terminal 2 building, the new and greatly enlarged Terminal 2 has started opening to the public. The coach hall opened in September ahead of the opening of check-in counters in March next year. The Terminal 2 Concourse is slated to open in 2027. The redevelopment is part of the US$18 billion Third Runway Development.
Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 2 Coach Station
CDC and its staff have extensive aviation project experience dating back to the original Chek Lap Kok project and have been working with various contractors on the 3RS project to manage contractual risk.
Staff
On the staffing side, 2025 has also been a significant year. We expanded our leadership with the appointment of Richard Feehan to the Board of Directors and to the Senior Leadership team at our Hong Kong office. Richard leads overseas office expansion, enhancement of business systems, along with staff recruitment, development and retention.
Richard Feehan appointed to the Board
In Hong Kong, Vincent Chong was appointed as Senior Consultant bringing significant commercial and claims experience into the team whilst Brian Villanueva was appointed as Consultant Delay expanding CDC’s regional delay and planning capabilities.
Vincent Chong and Brian Villaneuva
Meanwhile, John Leong was appointed as Managing Consultant to lead the Singapore office whilst Ting Hee Yeoh was appointed as Consultant – Planning and Delay bringing extensive Singapore metro experience in tender planning, construction and delay analysis.
John Leong and Ting Hee Yeoh
Staff development and training remains a priority for CDC and there were several milestones reached for the team this year. Adrian Chan was promoted to senior consultant after 6 years with the firm in Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, our senior staff Simon Wilde, Nga Yan Yu, Vincent Chong and Stuart Northrop all undertook adjudication training in preparation for the implementation of Security of Payment legislation in Hong Kong (which came into force in August 2025).
John Leong attained Fellowship of the RICS and Michelle Chong completed her law degree.
A busy 2025 was closed out with a night at Happy Valley Racecourse and a five course Xmas dinner for staff and partners at A Lux restaurant in Central.
CDC Horse Racing Night
CDC Xmas Dinner
Thank you to all our clients, colleagues and staff for making the Year of the Snake one of our most successful yet. Wishing everybody a Happy and Prosperous Year of the Horse.
