Mahesh Rai

Mahesh Rai is a Managing Director of the Dispute Resolution Department and Deputy Head of the Construction & Engineering Department at Drew & Napier. He is a qualified advocate in Singapore and England & Wales, with extensive experience in international commercial and investment arbitration and litigation.

He has appeared as counsel in over 250 matters, representing clients in high-value, cross-border disputes across construction, infrastructure, energy, technology, telecommunications, blockchain and digital assets, shipping and commodities, as well as shareholder, joint venture, fraud and insolvency-related disputes. Notable matters include representing an international contractor in two UNCITRAL arbitrations against the Maldivian Government for claims over US$155 million; representing a Korean multinational conglomerate in an UNCITRAL arbitration against an Indian state-owned company with claims exceeding US$400 million; and representing a Korean manufacturer in two SIAC arbitrations totaling more than US$387 million arising out of distributorship disputes.

Mahesh holds an LL.B. (Hons) from the National University of Singapore (2008), where he was a Shaw Foundation Scholar, and an LL.M. in International Arbitration & Litigation from University College London (2009). He also holds a B.Sc. (First Class Hons) in Politics & International Relations from the London School of Economics (2006). He was admitted to the Singapore Bar in 2011, and is also admitted as an attorney in New York, a solicitor in England & Wales, and an international lawyer in Cambodia.

He is ranked by Chambers Asia-Pacific for Dispute Resolution, Arbitration, Construction and India, and recommended by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific in five practice areas. He is a Senior Accredited Specialist in Building & Construction Law (Singapore Academy of Law) and sits as an arbitrator on panels at leading arbitral institutions across Asia.