Tag: hong-kong
Written by Jad on 25 September 2019.
♦ Recent Deals ♦ Hong Kong, Singapore
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) has advised Shanghai Henlius Biotech, Inc. (‘Henlius’) on the global offering and listing of its H shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (‘HKSE’). The transaction involved a spin-off listing from both HKSE-listed Fosun International and A and H share listed Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical. Following the listing, Henlius will remain a subsidiary of both Fosun International and Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical. Trading in the Henlius H shares commenced today (25 September 2019) and total proceeds raised were HK$3.2bn (US$400m). Henlius is a leading biopharmaceutical company in China with the vision to offer high-quality, affordable and innovative drugs for patients worldwide. It is the first biopharmaceutical company to receive New Drug Application approval for a monoclonal antibody biosimilar in the PRC and the first company to commercially launch a monoclonal antibody biosimilar in the PRC. It intends to use the proceeds of the IPO to fund ongoing clinical trials, regulatory filing and registration of new drugs and therapies in its pipeline. The Freshfields team advising on the transaction was led by partners Grace Huang and Arun Balasubramanian.
Written by Jad on 01 April 2019.
♦ Moves News ♦ Hong Kong
Mayer Brown announced that Sheng Wu has joined the firm’s Corporate & Securities practice as a partner in Hong Kong. He was previously a partner focused on China-related mergers and acquisitions with DLA Piper in Hong Kong. “Sheng is a great addition to our growing global corporate insurance team,” said David W. Alberts, the co-leader of Mayer Brown’s global Insurance Industry group. “He has substantial experience working with leading Chinese insurance companies and insurance industry investors in complex cross-border transactions in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the US. Sheng’s China and cross-border experience is important to our strategy of broadening our transactional insurance capabilities in Asia." Mr. Wu has impressive experience advising international investors and companies on mergers and acquisitions and investment opportunities in China and other parts of Asia, with a focus on both corporate and regulatory matters in the insurance, financial services and health care sectors. His practice closely complements the experience of his former DLA colleague, Paul Chen, who joined Mayer Brown in Northern California last month. Mr. Wu speaks fluent Chinese (Mandarin). "Sheng is the latest example of our strategic growth in Asia,” said Terence Tung, Mayer Brown’s senior partner in Asia. “He further fortifies our highly regarded insurance and corporate capabilities in Hong Kong, which will be of immediate benefit to our clients in Asia and beyond. We are delighted that he has chosen to join our growing team.” "I am excited to be part of Mayer Brown and become a member of the global corporate insurance team,” added Mr. Wu. “Mayer Brown is known for its signature strength in the financial services and insurance industries, and with its reputation for a strong, one-firm culture, I look forward to collaborating with colleagues around the world to continue growing my practice.” The appointment of Mr. Wu is the latest of a series of new lateral hires in Asia. In 2018, Hallam Chow, Kayal Sachi and Ian Roebuck joined the firm as Banking & Finance partners, while Brian McKenna joined the growing Corporate & Securities practice. And last month, Steven Tran joined the firm in Hong Kong as a new Corporate & Securities partner.
Written by Jad on 14 March 2019.
♦ Moves News ♦ Hong Kong
Winston & Strawn LLP has announced that Khoon Jin (KJ) Tan has joined the firm’s Transactions Department in Hong Kong. KJ’s practice focuses on initial public offerings (IPOs) and compliance and will expand Winston’s capital markets and finance capabilities, specifically in Hong Kong, and across Asia and will attract companies for listing in the U.S. “We are excited to welcome KJ to the firm,” said Tom Fitzgerald, Winston’s chairman. “With a significant number of IPOs and related matters for listed companies taking place in Hong Kong, KJ’s experience is critical to support existing and potential client needs.” KJ most recently served as a partner in the Hong Kong office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he was involved in numerous high-profile IPOs and related transactions. He also has advised clients on a wide variety of general corporate and commercial matters, including mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and financing arrangements. Prior to joining Wilson Sonsini, KJ served as the managing director of an international investment bank in Hong Kong and previously worked at an international law firm’s London, Hong Kong, Beijing, Jakarta, and Singapore offices. “Hong Kong is an increasingly competitive and important market,” said Dominick DeChiara, chair of Winston’s Transactions Department. “KJ’s experience and skill set make him an ideal fit for our platform and his addition aligns with our strategic plan to strengthen our footprint in Asia.” Winston’s Asia offices were established to serve clients’ needs throughout Asia, including China and Southeast Asia, in international commercial transactions, China private equity, U.S. PIPE transactions and strategic investment, SEC compliance, general corporate representation, and dispute resolution. The Hong Kong corporate practice includes attorneys who advise clients in mergers and acquisitions, securities offerings, intellectual property transactions, and general corporate matters. KJ’s addition further demonstrates Winston’s commitment to strategic growth in Asia. His arrival follows that of Steve Grimes, leader of Winston’s Asia litigation practice. Steve, a former U.S. federal prosecutor, Chief Compliance Officer and senior litigation counsel of a multinational Fortune 500 corporation, and experienced trial lawyer, joined the Hong Kong office last year, bringing a unique set of honed skills to clients facing complex disputes.
Written by Jad on 12 March 2019.
♦ Moves News ♦ Hong Kong
Cooley is continuing its global growth with the announcement of plans to launch in Hong Kong. Leading Hong Kong corporate lawyer Will Cai is joining the firm from Skadden, where he had been a partner since 2014. Cooley is the #1 law firm in the US advising on tech and life sciences IPOs and has been the #1 law firm taking companies public in the United States over the last five years. In addition, Cooley is one of the world’s top firms working on global capital markets transactions for non-US issuers. “Given our proven success in capital markets in the United States, Asia and around the world, a physical presence in this leading center for finance and innovation is a fundamental next step in our global growth strategy,” said Joe Conroy, Cooley’s chief executive officer. “Will’s exceptionally strong background in US and Hong Kong capital markets deals and cross-border M&A further extends our ability to support our global clients seamlessly.” For more than a decade, Will Cai, who is qualified in the US and Hong Kong, has been a trusted legal adviser for many of Asia’s most exciting companies on their landmark transactions across capital markets and M&A. He represents Chinese issuers and global investment banks in US and Hong Kong capital markets transactions. He frequently advises private equity funds and multinationals on their investments in the Greater China region, as well as Chinese companies on cross-border M&A work. Since 2008, he has worked on more than 40 completed IPOs in the US and Hong Kong capital markets. “Cooley’s unique platform, leading client base and collegial culture make this opportunity extremely attractive,” said Cai. “I am looking forward to playing a role in its continued investment and achievement across the Asia-Pacific region and globally.” Cai, a native Mandarin speaker who is fluent in English, earned his JD from Stanford Law School and his LLB from China University of Political Science and Law. Prior to joining Skadden, he worked for the Supreme People’s Court of China as a judicial clerk. He will lead Cooley’s capital markets practice in the region. Following on the success of the firm’s Shanghai office, which opened in 2011, Cooley expanded its Asia-Pacific presence with its launch in Beijing in 2018. The firm represents some of Asia’s most innovative and dynamic tech and life sciences companies, advising on their financing, joint venture and other strategic transactions. In addition, Cooley has helped more than 80 fund managers form 100+ Chinese venture capital and private equity funds. It was named Investment Funds International Firm of the Year at the China Law & Practice Awards and has been broadly recognized for its strong tech, life sciences and VC practices. Cooley LLP has submitted an application with The Law Society of Hong Kong to form a registered foreign law firm as its Hong Kong office. Upon registration, it will enter into an association with Cai, Lee & Partners, the local Hong Kong solicitor’s firm recently formed by Will Cai and Cooley partner Pang Lee, who is also qualified in Hong Kong and whose work focuses on global private equity and venture capital fund formation matters. Both the registered foreign law firm and the association with the new local firm are subject to approval by The Law Society of Hong Kong. Cooley’s Beijing and Shanghai offices operate as representative offices of Cooley LLP.
Written by Jad on 18 February 2019.
♦ Moves News ♦ Hong Kong
Global law firm Dechert LLP has added to its market-leading global litigation group with the hire of Maria Sit as partner in its Hong Kong office. Ms. Sit has extensive experience advising on regulatory investigations and enforcement as well as complex civil litigation and arbitration, and has previously served as an in-house counsel at the Securities and Futures Commission. She is fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. “Maria will be a key addition to our global disputes practice allowing us to meet growing client demand for disputes services across Asia,” said Hong Kong office head David Cho, “Her experience across complex litigation, arbitration as well as government enforcement and investigations enhances the firm’s offering in the region.” “We are committed to growing a stellar litigation practice in Asia and we are very excited about Maria’s contribution to the firm supporting clients on their highest-stakes disputes,” added David N. Kelley, co-leader of the white collar and securities litigation practice. Ms. Sit added, "Dechert has one of the leading disputes practices globally and an impressive reputation in white collar matters. I am excited for the opportunity to help grow the firm's capabilities in Asia and I am confident that my clients will benefit from the firm's extensive global platform." Ms. Sit is the latest in a series of senior hires to Dechert’s global litigation practice, which has seen 17 partners join since January 2018. Significant hires to the group in the past year include financial services litigator Robin Nunn who joined the firm this month based in Washington, D.C., London-based public international law specialist Michelle Bradfield, London head of disputes Dorothy Cory-Wright and London-based former high-ranking prosecutor for the U.S. Department of Justice Roger Burlingame, as well as product liability heavyweights Sheila Birnbaum, Mark Cheffo and Douglas Fleming III, all based in New York. Dechert’s litigation practice spans the globe, with 350 lawyers across 21 offices in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The firm’s litigators handle some of the largest, most complex, domestic and multijurisdictional disputes in the world.