MEET OUR TEAM

Davyd is a graduate of the University of New South Wales, Australia, and is a solicitor admitted to practice in the courts of both Hong Kong and Australia. He is a seasoned commercial lawyer with specialist expertise in finance and dispute resolution, having practiced at top-tier Australian and ‘Magic Circle’ firms before taking senior in-house legal roles at a multinational advisory firm and a central bank. He is also a qualified mediator and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Davyd also has a long standing interest in advancing the practice of law, improving access to justice and the protection of fundamental rights. He co-founded the Hong Kong Centre for Pro Bono Service Ltd, is a current member of the Law Society of Hong Kong’s Pro Bono Committee, and a director of the Hong Kong Association of Corporate Counsel. Outside of the law, Davyd enjoys playing tennis, black and white photography, reading and swimming (usually all at the same time, which could explain why he isn't good at any of them).

Sybil is a manager of Yuzu’s contracting and outsourcing business, spearheading the sourcing and management of temporary administrative staff, as well as providing permanent recruitment solutions for business services professionals via Star Anise. 

She graduated with a degree in Aviation Management from the University of Coventry, England. Before joining Yuzu, Sybil gained 8 years’ experience in two major multinational recruitment agencies before joining Yuzu in 2022 as a manager to support the growth of its Contracting & Outsourcing Business. She is fluent in Cantonese, English and Mandarin. In addition, Sybil is an active member of the Junior Chambers International (JCI), an international association, where she volunteers in various community projects during her spare time.
 

Shona is an Associate Consultant and a member of the private practice team. In the summer of 2022, Shona graduated with a first-class degree in politics, philosophy and economics from the University of Hull, England, where she discovered Hong Kong on a semester abroad.

Whilst at the University of Hull, Shona was heavily involved with the Politics Society, working alongside prestigious professors and political figures to excite and educate students on the British legislature. 

Shona is a passionate hockey player, having played internationally whilst at university she is now enjoying scoring goals in the Hong Kong heat.

Swati joined Star Anise in 2022 and is a part of the In-house legal team. She conducts market research and provides intelligence, data, and business support to the in-house legal team. She also assists the team in the digital marketing of SALT, the leadership training services provided by Star Anise. A post-graduate in Business Economics, Swati worked for various multinational companies in India as a part of their Market Research and Competitive Intelligence teams.

Throughout her career as a Market Researcher, Swati has worked on projects related to industry research, competitive benchmarking, risk analysis, strategy reports building, company analysis, market trend analysis, and ESG Research. Swati is a trained Indian Classical dancer and is passionate about dancing, yoga, and traveling.

Jackson joined Star Anise in 2022 as a researcher for the In-house legal team. He conducts market research, candidate sourcing and business analysis to support our in-house legal team. He also assists the team by conducting organisational research for SALT, the leadership and legal compliance training services provided by Star Anise. 

Before joining Star Anise, Jackson graduated with a master's degree in Organisational Psychology at the University of Sussex, England, with an additional year studying Clinical Psychology at International Christian University, Tokyo. Jackson is also a qualified psychometric test user accredited by the British Psychology Society and EFPA. His background in I.O. Psychology allows him to provide SALT with in-depth analysis and knowledge on enhancing workplace productivity, assessing employee well-being, and evaluating leadership styles.

During his leisure time, Jackson is a massive fan of both street photography and vintage cinematography.

Irene is a secretary at Star Anise. She assists with enquiries from both clients and candidates and has over 20 years’ experience as both a legal secretary with international law firms and as a senior secretary with a major international recruitment firm in Hong Kong.  Irene is fluent in English and Cantonese. 

Kelly is a native of Taiwan and graduated with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration in Marketing from Houston Baptist University, Texas, US.  Since graduating she has gained administration and secretarial support experience with recruitment firms in Hong Kong. 

In addition to providing full secretarial support, Kelly assists with external enquiries from both clients and candidates.  Kelly is a native Mandarin speaker and is also fluent in English and Cantonese.