Finance

Hugosave Empowers Muslim Community with Shariah-Compliant Financial Solutions

Published

2 years ago

February 26, 2024

Hugosave Empowers Muslim Community with Shariah-Compliant Financial Solutions

SINGAPORE, Feb. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Singapore-based Wealthcare^® and savings app Hugosave^® announced that it is now jointly certified Shariah Compliant by a consortium led by Islamic Finance Singapore, Ustaz Kamal Mokhtar, S Tradition Pte Ltd, and Masryef Sdn Bhd.

In line with its dedication to fostering inclusivity and diversity within the financial sector, Hugosave has meticulously ensured that its offerings align with the principles of Islamic law, offering Muslim clients access to financial tools and additional avenues for investment opportunities grounded in their values and beliefs.

David Fergusson, Chief Executive Officer, Hugosave said, “Our vision has always been to build financially healthy and thriving communities, and this certification from the consortium of established Shariah advisory companies reinforces our commitment to the Muslim community in Singapore. This certification assures our Muslim clients that we are a trusted digital companion that is aligned with their faith. On a macro level, it is also Hugosave’s contribution to nation-building by promoting financial wellness across all segments of society.”

According to a 2022 report by the Islamic Corporation for the Development of Private Sector (ICD) and Refinitiv, Islamic financial assets grew to about $4 trillion from $2.17 trillion between 2015 and 2021, and are projected to rise to roughly $5.9 trillion by 2026^[1]. This endorsement meets the growing demand from Muslim clients looking to manage their finances in accordance with their faith.

Ustaz Kamal Mokhtar, Chairman of the Shariah Consortium said, “Hugosave provides another avenue for Muslim investors to diversify their investment portfolio, especially in terms of gold investment. Gold is an important component of any investor’s portfolio due to its hedging mechanism against the volatility of the market. Global political uncertainties and the status and strength of the American dollar should make every investor consider increasing their gold portfolio. Historically since 1990 till 2020, gold prices have appreciated 360% which is about 18% annually. And the increasing demand for gold in the technology sector gives good potential for investing in gold. Hugosave provides a convenient platform for any investor to access the purchases of gold via an app. They could monitor the price of gold and make purchases from the convenience of their homes or offices.”

The six Shariah-compliant products offered by Hugosave include:

Hugosave Accounts: Savings in these accounts are safeguarded by a local bank.
Hugosave Visa Platinum Debit Card: When a client spends with their Hugosave Debit Card, the transaction is rounded up to the nearest dollar and the excess is saved on their behalf, which is subsequently invested in a precious metal of their choice. This card has no annual fees and no minimum income requirement. When used overseas at millions of merchants worldwide, only Visa’s currency conversion applies.
Hugosave Money Pots: Clients can set short-, medium-, or long-term savings goals and create automated saving and investing schedules to help achieve them.
Hugosave Precious Metals: Clients can buy and sell physical gold, platinum, and silver, with a minimum investment as low as S$0.01. This feature provides clients with a live view of the value and gains of their investments, allowing them to make informed financial decisions by tracking market trends and investment performance in real time.
Hugosave Trust: Hugosave has democratised access to a free trust service. With no fees and minimum income, clients can protect their legacy through Trustbox via a licensed trust service provider. This empowers customers to exercise greater control and flexibility over their assets, with the assurance that their wealth and assets are well-protected.
Hugosave Rewards Centre: Clients are rewarded with sure-win spins when they reach specific milestones.

Hugosave serves as the digital companion, supporting individuals on their Wealthcare journey. The personal finance and savings app offers a comprehensive suite of financial products that helps everyone to make smarter spending choices, save for their goals and invest diligently.

“Hugosave is leading the charge in its field by adhering to Shariah standards, marking a significant and pioneering move that pushes the boundaries of Islamic finance in Singapore. Their bold and commendable decision to ensure their products comply with Shariah principles sets a new standard for innovation and inclusivity in the financial industry. This move highlights their commitment to alternative-ethical finance and opens up new avenues for growth and development within our community. IFSG is hopeful that Hugosave’s initiative will inspire other companies to embrace the principles of Shariah compliance, thereby enriching Singapore’s financial landscape with a variety of ethical and inclusive financial solutions.” said Ustaz Zul Hakim, Co-Chair of the Shariah Consortium.

“There is much confusion in navigating the current financial offerings and investments for Muslims in Singapore. Hugosave helps to simplify them and offer solutions in a Shariah-compliant manner. Acquiring, preserving and growing wealth is part of the objectives of Shariah. Although wealth is not an end in itself, it is a means for Muslims to live their lives, fulfil their responsibilities and prosper in this world with the blessings from the Allah SWT the All Mighty. Hugosave helps App users manage their finances, provide a payment solution, facilitate savings via gold and other precious metals, and perform investments in ETFs. All in a worry-free App (under its Shariah-compliant tab) suitable for Muslims.” added Ustaz Aminuddin Abu Bakar, representing S Tradition Pte Ltd.

Ustaz Hamrey Mohamad, representing Masryef Sdn Bhd emphasised, “Hugosave offers innovative financial solutions designed to empower you in achieving your financial goals while adhering to the core of Islamic Principles & Values. With their commitment to Shariah-compliant practices, you can invest with confidence and peace of mind to ensure halal income, insya Allah!”

Since its launch in 2021, Hugosave has been Singapore’s leading Wealthcare companion with more than 70,000 clients optimising their finances and building healthy financial habits through the app.

For more information about Hugosave, please visit www.hugosave.com.

Syahmi Aziz, 34 years old Singaporean, Senior Sales Executive and client of Hugosave, “As a Hugosave client since 2021, navigating rising costs has made me conscious of finding ways to improve and strengthen my financial well-being. I’m excited to hear that Hugosave’s products are now Shariah-compliant as it widens the range of financial tools and investment options available in Singapore that are in accordance with Shariah principles for Muslims This endorsement assures me that Hugosave is not just a reliable personal finance and savings tool but also one that aligns with my faith.”

About Atlas Consolidated Pte Ltd

Atlas Consolidated Pte Ltd was established in December 2019 by financial and technological stalwarts David Fergusson, Karl Franks, Braham Djidjelli and Surya Tamada. Atlas Consolidated holds a Visa Principal Member Issuing Licence, and received licensing approval to operate as a Major Payment Institution [PS20200550] from the Monetary Authority of Singapore in April 2022 and Regulated Precious Metals Dealers Certification [PS20200001983] from the Ministry of Law, Singapore in August 2021.

About Hugosave

Launched in July 2021, Hugosave is Singapore’s first Wealthcare® app and all-in-one personal finance account which aims to elevate lives by helping consumers to spend smarter, save more, and invest diligently, starting with gold. Today, more than 65,000 customers in Singapore are using Hugosave to optimise their finances. Since its launch, the app has won multiple awards including Consumer Finance Product of the Year and Financial Inclusion Initiative of the Year 2023 for Singapore at the Retail Banking Awards 2023 by Asian Banking & Finance.

Hugosave is owned and operated by Atlas Consolidated Pte Ltd and is a certified member of the Singapore FinTech Association. Atlas Consolidated holds a Visa Principal Member Issuing Licence, and received licensing approval to operate as a Major Payment Institution [PS20200550] from the Monetary Authority of Singapore in April 2022 and Regulated Precious Metals Dealers Certification [PS20200001983] from the Ministry of Law, Singapore in August 2021. Hugosave is jointly certified Shariah Compliant by a consortium led by Islamic Finance Singapore, Ustaz Kamal Mokhtar, S Tradition Pte Ltd, and Masryef Sdn Bhd in February 2024.

IFSG is an ecosystem builder dedicated to championing Islamic Finance initiatives in Singapore.

About Ustaz Kamal Mokhtar

He was appointed as a member of the Shariah Committee of Maybank Islamic on 1 September 2015. He graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) with a B.Sc. in Zoology and Botany. He obtained his Diploma in Arabic Language from the Islamic University of Medina (Saudi Arabia). Proceeded in the Faculty of Hadith and graduated with a BA (Hons.) in Hadith and Islamic Studies. Additionally, he graduated from the Shari’a Advisory Training Program jointly conducted by the Singapore Islamic Scholars & Religious Teachers Association (PERGAS) and the International Institute of Islamic Finance (IIIF). He holds a Master of Science (Finance) from the International University of Malaysia (IIUM). He is the Chairman of Bedok Cooperative and a Board member of Warees Halal Limited. He serves as a Shariah Committee member for Basil Fund, a private Real Estate Investment fund based in Singapore since 2012 and Shariah Advisor at Ar Rahnu Singapore. Additionally, Ustaz Kamal serves as an Associate Member of the Fatwa Council of Majlis Ugama Islam Singapore (MUIS) to discuss contemporary matters concerning the general Muslim public in Singapore. He is also a member of the Asatizah Recognition Board (ARB) Committee of Future Asatizah of MUIS and PERGAS, a member of the International Union for Muslim Scholars and the Association of Shariah Advisors in Islamic Finance (ASAS).

About Ustaz Zul Hakim Jumat

Zul Hakim Jumat is a seasoned researcher with over ten years of comprehensive academic and professional expertise in the Islamic finance field. As a dedicated researcher at the Center of Islamic Economics and Finance (CIEF), he has notably published co-edited monographs, including “Islamic Finance and Circular Economy” and “Islamic Finance, FinTech, and the Road to Sustainability.” Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Jurisprudence and Principles of Jurisprudence, with an Economics minor from Kuwait University (2015), and an M.Sc. with honours in Islamic Finance from HBKU (2018), he is also an AAOIFI Certified Shari’ah Advisor and Auditor (CSAA). Currently, he is furthering his education through a PhD in Islamic Finance and Economy at the College of Islamic Studies, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU). Beyond his academic pursuits, Zul Hakim plays a crucial role as the Deputy Managing Director and is one of the founding members of Islamic Finance Singapore Ltd.

About Ustaz Aminuddin Abu Bakar

Aminuddin is currently the Principal Consultant for S Tradition, a boutique consultancy firm in the Islamic Finance industry. He was part of the senior management team for Kuwait Finance House Malaysia (KFHMB), having served as Vice President and Head of its Shariah Division. He holds a degree in Islamic Law (Shariah) from Al-Azhar University (Cairo) and has an International Executive MBA from the University of Strathclyde, UK (with Distinction). He is appointed as a Shariah Committee member for HSBC Amanah (Malaysia) and Financial Shariah Advisory and Consultancy (FSAC) in Singapore. He is a certified Shariah advisor and auditor (CSAA) by the Auditing and Accounting Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI), a Certified Shariah Advisor and member of the Association of Shariah Advisors in Islamic Finance (ASAS) and a registered Shariah Adviser at Securities Commission Malaysia. He has nearly two decades of working experience in the areas of Shariah, Islamic finance and socio-religious development.

About Ustaz Hamrey

Ustaz Hamrey is a Certified Shariah Advisor & Auditor (AAOIFI) and a Chartered Islamic Finance Professional (INCEIF) majoring in Islamic Finance & Banking and also a graduate of Al-Azhar University, Cairo. He currently serves as a resource person for Islamic Finance Singapore (IFSG) which is a one-stop platform to address any Islamic finance and investment-related needs of the local Muslim community by combining the efforts and strengths of finance professionals and Shariah scholars.

^{^[1]} Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) – Refinitiv, Islamic Finance Development Report 2022: Embracing Change, 2022

SOURCE Hugosave

Finance

My quest for an affordable summer camp without sacrificing my savings

Published

3 hours ago

February 22, 2026

Press Room

My quest for an affordable summer camp without sacrificing my savings

Amanda Barroso
| NerdWallet

The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.

The year has barely started, and my kindergarten parents group chat is already buzzing with summer camp anxiety. Registrations are opening and spots fill fast.

I’ve been doing research and here’s what I’ve learned: Camps aren’t cheap. But there are creative ways to work camp into your spending plan, this year and next.

The cost of summer camp

For many families with school-aged kids like mine, summer camps are a necessity. Schools are out and many parents work full-time. Summer camps fill an important child care gap.

But even for parents who are high earners, paying for camps can be a shocking expense. If you have more than one kid, paying for camp can seem almost impossible.

Affordable options do exist, says Henry DeHart, CEO of the American Camp Association, which oversees a national accreditation program for camp health and safety.

“There is a quality camp in your community at a price point that will work for you,” DeHart says.

Summer camp prices can differ widely. Costs are often driven by how long a camp runs, whether it’s a day or overnight program, and the activities offered. Specialty camps — such as those focused on horseback riding, boating or STEM — tend to cost more because they require additional staff, equipment or materials.

It’s also hard to pin down an average camp price because there are so many options.

“There are at least 20,000 camps out there,” DeHart says.

Like many services, camp prices have increased in recent years due to inflation. Staffing and food costs are higher, so camper tuitions are often higher, too, DeHart says.

I found a half-day dance camp at a local high school for $225 a week and a full-day KPop Demon Hunters camp for $555 a week. The vacation Bible school at the church up the street only charges $10 for the week for a half-day, which is also on my radar.

Costs start to add up quickly.

How to build camp into your budget

Start planning now

Even if you feel like you are late to the game, there are still early registration discounts available and time to start setting aside money before summer begins.

If you don’t know where to start, the American Camp Association’s “Find a Camp” tool can help narrow your search. Depending on the camp, you might be able to pay any registration fees now, and tuition later — or in installments over time.

Waiting until closer to summer to look for camps can be costly. You may miss discounts, find top-choice camps are full and end up paying more for options that don’t meet your needs — such as limited programming, inconvenient locations or camps without safety certifications.

Break camp costs into monthly payments

For next year, you can plan ahead. Treat camp like a seasonal fixed expense that you account for in your budget every month, similar to a mortgage payment or utility bill. You can create a sinking fund just for camp costs.

If your total camp costs for June add up to $1,200, starting in September will give you roughly 10 months to save about $120 a month. That cushion can help cover early registration fees in winter or spring, while you continue saving for the remaining tuition.

“Saving money automatically before it hits your checking account is a good strategy,” says Carolyn McClanahan, a certified financial planner in Jacksonville, Florida. “Small amounts add up, and having money saved is much less expensive than high credit card payments.”

This year, if your budget for camp feels tight, McClanahan suggests looking around the house. “Consider selling items you don’t need or want,” she says. “Have a garage sale, take items to a consignment store, or sell items online. It is a hassle, but is a good way to raise money without going into debt.”

Offset costs by cutting back elsewhere

Look for costs that naturally go away or shrink during the summer. Can you redirect your aftercare costs into camp savings? Do you scale back or pause extracurricular activities that only run during the school year, such as sports, music lessons or clubs? Use that money to help cover camp costs.

“Think about spending that isn’t bringing you or your child much value, such as unused subscriptions or easy ‘click’ spending on Amazon,” McClanahan says.

Even small shifts can help. Our son’s half day preschool isn’t open during the summer, so we can redirect his tuition to help us cover any camp costs for my daughter.

But some tradeoffs matter more than others, especially when it comes to long-term savings.

“If you have to cut back on savings to pay for camp, always make sure you are saving enough to at least get your 401(k) and HSA match at work because you can never get that money back,” says McClanahan.

Mix high- and low-cost camps

If you need to cobble together multiple camps to get through the summer, consider splurging on your top pick and supplementing with cheaper options, perhaps through local churches, YMCAs, or city or county programs.

Use your dependent care FSA, if you have one

If you have a dependent care flexible spending account, you can use those pretax dollars to pay for eligible summer camp expenses. If you don’t have one but your employer offers them, you can look into signing up next year, which can also lower your tax bill.

For example, if you contribute $2,000 into a dependent care FSA and use it to reimburse summer camp costs, you could save roughly $400-$600 in taxes, depending on your tax bracket. Overnight camps will probably not apply, so check the eligibility.

Plan for hidden costs

Getting your child to and from camp can add to the total cost. This may include daily driving expenses or airfare if the camp is in another state.

Some camps also offer extended hours — such as drop-off before camp starts or pickup after it ends — for an additional fee. On top of that, supplies, field trips and lunches or snacks can increase your costs.

“Coordinating with other parents attending the same camp makes it easy to set up carpools and even share afternoon care, so you can skip some of the costly add-ons,” says Kimberly Palmer, a personal finance expert at NerdWallet.

How camps help families manage costs

There are traditional ways to get help with camp costs, like scholarships and grants offered directly by the camps themselves or through foundations and community organizations, like churches.

Camp directors are also getting more creative with financial assistance.

“There are all sorts of programs built in to help camps be affordable,” DeHart says. “There’s early registration discounts and sibling discounts.”

Referral fees are also popular. Some camps offer discounts if you can get one or two friends or family members to sign up for camp, too.

Some camps offer community service discounts for families working in public service, teachers, nurses, first responders, clergy and members of the military, DeHart says.

Not all forms of financial aid and discounts are advertised, Palmer says, so reach out to the camp’s director.

“If you have a preteen, consider asking if they can serve as a counselor in training for a discount,” Palmer says. “They might be able to earn volunteer hours as well as valuable experience, while saving you money.”

Benefits of summer camp beyond child care

Adding camp as a line item in your monthly budget can feel overwhelming. It’s another expense competing with emergency funds, retirement investing and college savings. But a quality program can offer experiences that are hard to replicate at home, DeHart says.

Your money isn’t just paying for adult supervision. It’s paying for enrichment. Many camps are no- or low-tech, giving kids a chance to unplug.

“It’s time away from social media. It’s time doing face-to-face relationships. It’s time outdoors, being active,” DeHart says. “You know, all these things that parents want.”

My daughter is still young, but going through summer camp sign-ups has made me think about the experiences I want her to have — and how to plan for them.

I ended up picking a few lower-cost camps. Still, I did jot down a few highly recommended camps and feel more confident about asking for creative payment solutions.

I just pulled up my bank app and moved $75 into a high-yield “camp fund.”

Better start preparing for next year.

Finance

Editorial: A complete betrayal on campaign finance

Published

15 hours ago

February 22, 2026

Press Room

Editorial: A complete betrayal on campaign finance

The League of Women Voters of Oregon isn’t known for foot-stomping tantrums or fanatical rhetoric. So, when a representative for the voter education group sits before legislators and denounces a bill as a “complete betrayal,” it’s worth listening up.

The betrayal in this case is House Bill 4018. The legislation seeks to delay and change portions of a 2024 campaign finance bill that had been negotiated by a coalition of good government groups, including the League, with House Speaker Julie Fahey, labor union representatives and business lobbyists. In exchange for passage of the contribution caps and disclosure requirements in that 2024 legislation, the coalition agreed to pull a developing ballot initiative that would have asked voters to impose limits. Most of the bill’s provisions were to go in effect in 2027 — presumably giving plenty of time to work out legislative or implementation issues.

Only now, legislators, lobbyists and the Oregon secretary of state are collectively saying, “Whoa.” HB 4018 — this time negotiated by Fahey behind closed doors without any good government representatives — would allow the contribution limits to take effect in January 2027 as originally planned. But it also seeks to delay donor disclosure requirements until 2031, doubles the donation limits in some cases and undoes protections that were central to the original legislation.

Among the worst changes: the bill would weaken the 2024 legislation’s “anti-proliferation” provision, which prevents donors from skirting limits by funneling additional contributions to candidates through political action committees, corporations or other entities that they control or create. The new bill would add language that would allow contributions from all those entities provided that they were not created for the “sole purpose” of evading the limits.

That flimsy standard would allow the same powerbrokers who have dominated Oregon politics to continue to do so with ease, said attorney Dan Meek, the longtime campaign finance expert with the Honest Elections Oregon coalition who led the good government groups’ negotiations in 2024.

“Complete betrayal” is exactly right. It’s a betrayal not only of the coalition that forced legislators to finally take action in 2024, but of Oregonians who have been clamoring for meaningful contribution limits for decades. Instead, Oregon remains one of only five states in the country that allows unlimited direct contributions to candidates. HB 4018, passed by the House Rules Committee last week with only Republican Alek Skarlatos voting “no,” is now in the Joint Committee for Ways and Means.

Proponents are casting HB 4018 as a way to ensure that campaign finance reforms are done right, with “needed policy clarifications to ensure the program can actually work for everyone” and by giving the secretary of state’s office time to build and implement a software program to handle the data and disclosure, Fahey’s office said. Neither argument, however, holds up.

Start with the supposed “fixes.” There’s the kneecapping of the anti-proliferation provision mentioned above, but critics have pointed out several more.

The 2024 bill laid out limits for contributions based on the type of donor and the office that a candidate is seeking — for instance a $5,000 donation from an individual to a multicandidate political action committee over a two-year election cycle. But for some of those categories, the new bill shortens the time period from a two-year cycle to one year, while keeping the same dollar amount. If the desire was to establish an annual limit, legislators should have similarly halved the donation total, Meek said.

Additionally, HB 4018 seeks to remove language that expressly defines expenditures by a person or political action committee “with the cooperation” of a candidate as a “contribution.” While proponents contend that’s redundant, because such spending should already be considered a contribution, the intentional legislative act of deleting that language may lead a court to rule otherwise, said David Kolker, senior counsel at the Washington, D.C. -based Campaign Legal Center.

If a court determines such expenditures should not be considered contributions subject to the limits, that could open the door for PACs to coordinate with candidates — or even take over their campaign — and run ads without restriction or disclosure requirements, critics said. It’s like Citizens United, except PACs wouldn’t have to strategize independently of the candidate.

HB 4018 proponents are also arguing that the secretary of state’s office needs more time to build and implement the software for the law’s disclosure and campaign finance website requirements. In fact, Secretary of State Tobias Read said his office could need around $25 million to build and implement the software on the existing timeline. Even with that, he told The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board, he worries about getting the technology right and avoiding adding to Oregon’s collection of all-time technology debacles, from the $300 million Cover Oregon failure to the Employment Department’s decade-plus software-replacement delay.

Keeping the campaign limit deadlines in place while pushing off the software-dependent disclosure requirements will give the office the chance to deliver on what was promised, he said.

But that’s why the testimony last week from Catherine Nikolovski, executive director of Civics Software Foundation, was so compelling. Her nonprofit built the software that runs Portland’s Small Donor Elections campaign finance system — an example of an ambitious Oregon technology project that launched successfully and has capably handled the growth and changes over the past six years.

She noted her group’s deep familiarity with the state’s existing campaign finance software and that the Portland program was designed with the ability to expand for statewide use in mind. Importantly, the Portland program can address most of the elements sought in the state’s request for proposals, significantly cutting down on the time and cost needed to tailor it for the state, she said. At the very least, there should be a willingness to explore this alternative rather than let the state blow past its deadlines and take another three to four years to deliver.

There are so many reasons to reject HB 4018 outright — the secret negotiations that excluded campaign finance reformers, the rushed nature of the bill, the changed limits, the weakening of protections and the impact on public trust. And there’s only one reason to push the bill through — to retain the same entrenched system of big money politics that Oregonians have sought to defeat in ballot measure after ballot measure after ballot measure. Is it any surprise that legislators of both parties, labor union representatives and big businesses have all expressed their strong support of HB 4018?

Legislators should turn back these changes and work with good-government groups to set this program up for success in 2027. The message from voters has never wavered. Lawmakers shouldn’t either.

-The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board

Finance

Esteemed Finance and Public M&A Partners Join Latham & Watkins in New York, Adding More Elite Capabilities to Top-Ranked Practice

Published

1 day ago

February 21, 2026

Press Room

Esteemed Finance and Public M&A Partners Join Latham & Watkins in New York, Adding More Elite Capabilities to Top-Ranked Practice

Latham & Watkins LLP is pleased to announce that Emily Johnson and Mark Stagliano have joined the firm as partners in the New York office. Johnson joins the Banking & Private Credit and Capital Markets Practices, while Stagliano joins the Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice. Johnson’s practice focuses on all financing aspects of complex corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and spin-offs, with particularly deep experience in company-side, issuer-focused financings. Stagliano’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, securities matters, and company representation work, including corporate governance. The addition of these prominent partners further elevates Latham’s elite, fully integrated corporate and finance practice and marks a major expansion of the firm’s industry-leading capabilities.

“Emily and Mark are among a select group of highly experienced and incredibly talented practitioners, and we are delighted to welcome them to our firm,” said Rich Trobman, Chair and Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins. “Their market-leading practices directly support our strategic focus to advise our clients on complex transactions across the capital structure and high-profile public company M&A. No other firm combines our excellence and scale — nor our ambition — and Emily and Mark joining us is another major milestone for our firm.”

Marc Jaffe, Managing Partner of Latham’s New York office, said: “We are thrilled to add partners of Emily’s and Mark’s stature to our practice in New York and globally. They are well-respected senior counselors with enormous credibility in boardrooms. Having led numerous sophisticated and transformative transactions over many years, their range of skills and sought-after expertise significantly expands our already strong and growing platform and the best-in-class counsel we provide to our clients.”

Johnson’s practice focuses on advising public companies, corporate borrowers, and strategic acquirers on the design and execution of debt and capital structures that advance strategic objectives and remain durable across market cycles. Her experience spans investment-grade and leveraged financings, bank and direct lending, public and private capital markets transactions, and liability management, including corporate separations, carve-outs, and transformational M&A transactions, as well as distressed acquisitions, divestitures, and restructurings. Johnson’s practice also involves close, ongoing engagement with boards of directors, senior management teams, and corporate treasury functions to balance financing certainty, ratings considerations, disclosure obligations, and execution risk.

“Emily is an incredible addition to our top-ranked practice at the intersection of complex financings, capital markets, and liability management,” said Stelios Saffos, Global Chair of Latham’s Capital Markets and Public Company Representation Practices and Global Chair of the Hybrid Capital Practice. “She further expands our unparalleled reach across private credit providers, banks, bond investors, and capital markets participants, and enhances the scaled advice we deliver to clients through our fully integrated practice. Her experience leading complex transactions that require coordinated advice across multiple disciplines — often under heightened board, investor, and public market scrutiny — carries tremendous credibility among public company boards and senior management teams. We are thrilled that Emily is joining our team, further expanding our capacity in an area where client demand is robust and expected to grow.”

Stagliano’s practice focuses on public company and sponsor-side mergers and acquisitions, securities matters, and corporate governance. He advises companies in a variety of industries on a wide range of matters, including domestic and cross-border acquisitions and divestitures, spin-offs, joint ventures, IPOs, and other capital markets and private equity transactions, as well as shareholder activism, takeover defense, and proxy contests.

Alex Kelly, Global Co-Chair of Latham’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice, said: “Mark’s breadth of experience further enhances our world-class M&A practice, and he brings many complementary strands to our corporate ambitions in New York and globally. His impressive track record leading landmark transactions — including high-profile strategic combinations, corporate governance matters, and contested situations — bolsters our capabilities, and it is exactly the kind of integrated, cross-practice advice that sophisticated boards and management teams need in today’s increasingly competitive market. Mark has earned a standout reputation for being extremely hard-working, entrepreneurial, and an outstanding team player, and his arrival reinforces Latham’s position at the forefront of the practice.”

“Latham is well-known for excellence across financial products, industries, and jurisdictions, and I am delighted to join the firm and contribute to its long-term growth,” said Johnson. “Latham’s unique 360-degree view of the public and private markets provides a powerful platform to help boards and senior management teams navigate increasingly complex financing decisions, combining strategic insight with execution across the full range of capital solutions — from traditional syndicated and capital markets to the expanding private credit ecosystem.”

Stagliano said: “Latham is a transactional powerhouse that is exceptionally well positioned to capitalize on the increased activity in public M&A. I am delighted to join the firm’s all-star team, and excited to be part of Latham’s ongoing success and growth in New York and beyond.”

Johnson and Stagliano join Latham & Watkins from Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Johnson received her JD from Duke University School of Law and BA from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Stagliano received his JD from Harvard Law School and BA from University of Pennsylvania.