Kirkland & Ellis has opened an office in Beijing, marking a new phase in its expansion into Greater China.
Headed by corporate partners David Zhang and Chuan Li, the Beijing office will focus on complex M&A and private equity transactions, international capital markets transactions, fund formation and government enforcement and investigations.
“The Beijing office underscores our commitment to our Greater China practice, and is a core element of our long-term investment in Asia,” said Jeffrey C. Hammes, chairman of the firm’s global management executive committee, in a statement.
“Cross-border transactional activity between Greater China and the rest of the world continues to grow, and our strong platform in Asia, the U.S. and Europe positions us to provide the best advice and service to our clients across the globe. Our presence in Beijing expands our reach throughout the region and ensures our ability to serve our clients better.”
Zhang, who has practised in China for more than 20 years representing a number of Chinese IPOs and bond issuances in the U.S. and Hong Kong, said that having a strong on-the-ground presence in Beijing will better position the firm to access and efficiently serve its target client base and underscores its ongoing strategy in Asia.
Li, also a founding partner of Kirkland’s Hong Kong and Shanghai offices, added that Beijing had become a leading global commercial centre and a key market.
“Staying close to our clients is a fundamental tenet of our business model, and by being in Beijing, we can provide even better services to global and Chinese private equity firms, Chinese state-owned enterprises, as well as rapidly growing Chinese private companies,” he said.
Liu Zhen is senior China journalist at ALB. Follow us on Twitter: @ALB_Magazine.
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