Overview
Chris advises corporates (both listed and unlisted), financial sponsors and investment banks on cross-border private and public mergers and acquisitions, with extensive experience advising consortium transactions in listed and unlisted targets. He has particular knowledge of the insurance and TMT sectors.
Chris also has considerable experience in equity capital markets transactions, including IPOs and secondary issues. He spent one year on secondment to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, advising the Listing Department on listing applications and listing policy matters.
Before moving to Hong Kong in 2011, Chris spent three years in the firm’s London office.
Work highlights
Chris has advised on a wide range of M&A and equity capital market transactions. These include advising:
Public M&A
- HSBC as financial adviser to the HK$18.3bn privatisation of Hong Kong-listed New World China Land by New World Development Company
- L’Oréal on its HK$6.5bn privatisation of Hong Kong-listed Magic Holdings International by way of a scheme of arrangement
Private M&A
- L’Oréal on its €1bn disposal of The Body Shop
- InfraRed NF Investment Advisers on the disposal of a property in Dalian, China
Equities
- the underwriters on the US$1.1bn IPO of BOC Aviation
- the underwriters on the HK$11.3bn rights issue by New World Development Company
Insurance sector
- the sellers on the HK$7.1bn sale of Hong Kong Life Insurance and subsequent 15-year distribution agreements
- Standard Life Aberdeen plc on the sale of Standard Life Asia
TMT sector
- a sovereign fund on its Series C investment in a PRC facial recognition business
- a leading private equity investor on its Series B investment in and subsequent restructuring of a PRC online auto financing business
Education and qualifications
Chris studied law and commerce, with a major in finance, at the University of New South Wales, Australia.
He speaks English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
