Global law firm White & Case LLP has expanded its Global Mergers & Acquisitions Practice and Global Private Equity Industry Group with the addition in Hong Kong of four private equity partners, including leading private equity lawyer Daniel Yeh. The lawyers join White & Case from Ropes & Gray and include William Fong, Steven Sha, Paul Tang (based in Hong Kong in due course) and Daniel Yeh, who join as partners, with Daniel appointed Head of Private Equity in Asia-Pacific.
“As the private equity market in Asia-Pacific continues to grow rapidly in prominence – with record year-on-year investment growth in 2017 of 67 percent to US$118 billion – our clear ambition is to continue building a market leading private equity capability in the region,” said White & Case partner John Reiss, Head of the Firm’s Global Mergers & Acquisitions Practice. “The exciting addition of a private equity-focused four-partner team sends a strong message to the market that we’re determined to grow our role advising leading private equity clients on their most important Asia-Pacific deals. It’s another example of the strategic investments we continue to make in our private equity capabilities on a global basis, and complements recent expansion in the US and EMEA.”
The four lawyers join White & Case from Ropes & Gray and include William Fong, Steven Sha, Paul Tang (based in Hong Kong in due course) and Daniel Yeh, who join as partners, with Daniel appointed Head of Private Equity in Asia-Pacific. They advise global and Asia-Pacific-based private equity sponsors, financial investors and their portfolio companies, as well as select private and public companies, on complex, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, including leveraged buy-outs, bolt-on and carve-out acquisitions, joint ventures, structured investments, take-private deals and other public company transactions in Asia-Pacific and worldwide.
“The strong growth trajectory for private equity deal activity in Asia-Pacific is set to continue, and the arrival of our new partners is another milestone in the ongoing expansion of our capabilities in the region,” said White & Case partner Chris Kelly, who leads the Firm’s mergers & acquisitions practice in Asia-Pacific. “Daniel and his fellow lawyers bring a robust track record of successful transactions and an established market presence, combined with Mandarin language skills, which align strategically with our focus on Chinese corporates and private equity firms and both inbound and outbound Asia-Pacific deal activity. In combination with our strong sponsor and bank finance capabilities in Asia-Pacific, we’re positioned to act for private equity clients and other financial investors on all aspects of a transaction – a formidable market offering.”
John Reiss added: “Growth in the global private equity industry is a strategic priority for White & Case, and continuing to build our practice in Asia-Pacific is important to achieving that ambition. Recent progress includes the opening of a new office in Chicago with a focus on mergers and acquisitions and the lateral additions of private equity partners Gary Silverman, Thomas Horenkamp and Ray Bogenrief, as well as the addition of private equity partner Marwan Azzi in New York. Our private equity team in EMEA has been strengthened in key markets by the recent lateral additions of Mike Weir and Emmie Jones in London, Saam Golshani, Alexis Hojabr and Guillaume Vitrich in Paris, and Jan Jensen and Shoan Panahi in Stockholm, as well as the relocation of partner Marcus Booth to Dubai.”
For the full year 2018 on a private equity deals value basis, Mergermarket and Bloomberg ranked White & Case fourth globally, sixth in both the US and Europe, and first in Asia-Pacific. White & Case is ranked in the top ten law firms on a global mergers and acquisitions value basis by Bloomberg, Mergermarket and Thomson Reuters.
Source: www.whitecase.com
