Overview
Bryan has broad experience in a wide variety of China-related cross-border corporate transactions, advising multinationals, private equity houses and other investors on their strategic and financial investments, disposals, buy-outs, joint ventures and equity and debt financings. His experience includes inward investments into mainland China as well as outbound investments from mainland China.
Bryan has particular knowledge of the FFIG sector, including securities, banking, private equity, insurance and asset management. He also regularly advises foreign investors on the day-to-day regulatory aspects of their operations in mainland China.
Bryan often leads multijurisdictional teams of lawyers, comprising lawyers from Linklaters Zhao Sheng, the firm’s Shanghai Free Trade Zone joint operation.
Work highlights
Bryan has led on, or been a key adviser, on many market-leading deals. These include advising:
- Morgan Stanley on its 33 per cent investment in its securities joint venture with China Fortune Securities and the subsequent increases of this stake to 49 and 51 per cent
- Citibank on its strategic investment in, and credit card business co-operation with, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and its subsequent exit from these investments
- Standard Chartered Bank on its investment in six-party joint venture China Bohai Bank (the first newly-established Chinese domestic bank since 1949)
- the Carlyle consortium on its strategic investment in China Pacific Life Insurance, including the subsequent exchange transaction for shares in its parent, China Pacific Group
- an international automotive manufacturer to set up, acquire and exit China-wide joint ventures and targets, including a joint venture with China’s fifth largest truck manufacturer
- BP on establishing a joint venture to set up 370 service stations in three provinces in China
Professional Experience
Bryan has been based in the firm’s Shanghai office since 2005, before which he spent three years in the firm’s Hong Kong SAR office.
Bryan frequently contributes comments and papers on behalf of ASIFMA (Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association) in response to requests for comments by China’s inbound investment, securities and financial regulators. He also regularly contributes to client-facing know-how and thought leadership reports.
Education and Qualifications
Bryan studied jurisprudence at St Benet’s Hall, University of Oxford, where he graduated with First Class Honours.
He is fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
