EN

Katherine U

Partner

I am a practical lawyer who specialises in private and public mergers and acquisitions (M&As), regulatory compliance, initial public offerings (IPOs) and secondary offerings. Having advised Hong Kong, Mainland Chinese and overseas companies on corporate and financial transactions in Hong Kong for more than 25 years, I am skilled at distilling complex issues into simple, timely and pragmatic advice for my clients.

phone
+852 2841 6873
|
+852 9033 0965
mail
[email protected]

I practised in British Columbia, Canada for three years before returning to Hong Kong in 1994 and have since been focusing on Hong Kong:

  • Private and public mergers and acquisitions and formation of joint ventures
  • Regulatory compliance for listed companies, financial institutions and other market participants
  • Initial public offerings (IPOs) and secondary offerings

I am fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese and frequently give seminars in these languages on regulatory compliance and corporate governance topics for Hong Kong-listed companies

Career Highlights

Private and public mergers and acquisitions

  • Advised Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited (HKEX stock code:1089; privatized and delisted in Dec 2020) on the sale by its wholly-owned subsidiary of a 31% stake in a BVI company whose subsidiaries in Canada and the US are engaged in the development of video games such as PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Meitu, Inc. (HKEX stock code: 1357) for a consideration of approximately HK$2.68 billion
  • Advised a number of medical practitioners in Hong Kong on the sale of their medical practices to a subsidiary of an HKEX Main Board-listed medical services provider
  • Advised a private company on the disposal by it and a co-investor of interests in an industrial property project in Guangdong Province of China to a well-known private equity firm for a consideration of approximately RMB 290 million
  • Advised D&G Technology Holding Company Limited (HKEX stock code: 1301) on its sale to a subsidiary of Kerry Logistics Network Limited (HKEX Stock code: 636), of approximately 29% of the equity interests in a Shanghai subsidiary engaged in the leasing of asphalt mixing plants, and the subscription by such subsidiary of Kerry Logistics for a further 38% of the equity interests in the said Shanghai company, for a total consideration of RMB101 million
  • Advised a global information services company listed on the London Stock Exchange in respect of the sale of its business in China to an advertising company listed on the London Stock Exchange. The transaction required various businesses of the seller in China to be restructured prior to the sale
  • Advised One Media Group Limited (HKEX stock code: 426) on its potential takeover by Qingdao West Coast Holdings (Internation) Limited, the investment arm of Qingdao West Coast Development Group, a state owned enterprise in Qingdao

Joint Ventures

  • Advised a Hong Kong construction company on its joint venture with a subsidiary of an HKEX Main Board-listed property company to bid-for and operate an infra-structure project in Hong Kong
  • Advised Sunwah Kingsway Capital Holdings Limited (HKEX stock code: 188) on its joint venture with Hanhua Financial Holding Co., Ltd., Chongqing Jiangbeizui Central Business District Investment Group Co., Ltd., Chongqing Huiwei Investment Co., Ltd., and Prive Financial Limited to establish a full-licensed securities company in Chongqing with a total registered capital of RMB1.5 billion
  • Advised Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited (HKEX stock code:1089; privatized and delisted in Dec 2020) on its joint venture with its controlling shareholder for the development, operation and maintenance of five new video games, with an aggregate funding commitment of up to US$2 billion by the controlling shareholder
  • Advised Baosteel Group on the reorganisation of its iron ore magnetite interests in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, involving the merger of the Glacier Valley, West Star, South Star and North Star project areas to form the Iron Bridge Project which is held by Baosteel and Fortescue Metals Group under an incorporated joint venture structure established in Hong Kong

Regulatory compliance

  • Advised various overseas fund managers and investment companies on the marketing and offering of securities in Hong Kong
  • Advised numerous HKEX listed companies on their ongoing regulatory compliance obligations under the HKEX listing rules, Securities and Futures Ordinance, Takeovers Code and Share Buy-backs Code
  • Advised on more than 60 share incentive schemes of HKEX listed companies and listing applicants
  • Advised financial institutions on various regulatory aspects such as the SFC licensing requirements, the SFC Code of Conduct, financial resources, anti-money laundering and counter‐terrorist financing, authorisation of collective investment schemes, regulatory filings and reporting, and other ongoing compliance obligations

IPOs and secondary offerings

  • Completed 17 IPOs on the HKEX
  • Advised Leyou Technologies Holdings Limited (HKEX stock code:1089; privatized and delisted in Dec 2020) on its placing of new shares under general mandate for total net proceeds of approximately HK$249 million
  • Advised CITIC Resources Holdings Limited (HKEX stock code:1205) on its HK$2.5 billion rights offering of equity shares.
  • Advised Phoenix Satellite Television Holdings Limited (HKEX stock code: 2008) on the spin-off listing of its subsidiary Phoenix New Media Limited on the New York Stock Exchange