White & Case has named Alex Zhang as the head of its Shanghai office and head of China corporate and M&A practices, as the firm braces up to meet rising demand for senior Mandarin-speaking lawyers with international exposure. Zhang was previously the coordinator of Jones Day’s Shanghai office.

Zhang, who has more than two decades of experience in advising Fortune 500 and other PRC- and Asia-based companies on China-related matters, is recognised  as one of leading lawyers in China M&A, corporate and private equity. He has acted for a number of notable transactions in 2011, including the sale of a majority interest in CITIC Pharmaceutical and China Health System to Shanghai Pharmaceutical, which is the largest M&A transaction to date in the China pharmaceutical products sector.

Prior to Jones Day, Zhang was a partner in Dorsey & Whitney where he was co-chair of the firm's Asia Practice Group, and managing partner of its Hong Kong and Shanghai Offices.  Beijing-born Zhang started his career at Dorsey in 1989 and became a partner in 1994.

The head of White & Case's China practice Li Xiaoming said: “Clients are increasingly expecting the international firms in China to have senior Mandarin-speaking lawyers with strong international experience leading their M&A transactions. Mr Zhang, having worked in the U.S., Hong Kong and China, adds considerable strength to our growing China team at a very senior level." ALB

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