Former associate in the Shanghai office of Mallesons Stephen Jaques, Alex Yang, has made a switch to Grandall and has taken up a leadership role of the firm's Kunming office.

Yang joined Mallesons in 2007 and worked as an associate in the firm's China M&A group in Shanghai, where he advised on corporate and commercial matters, including M&A, IP and foreign direct investment. His experience spans across several sectors, including mining, banking and finance, manufacturing and real estate. Before his time at Mallesons, he practised with Shanghai leading firm Duan & Duan.

Returning to his hometown Kunming, Yang now serves as the managing partner of Grandall's Kunming office. Although the office was first established in 2002, its development has lagged behind other offices of the firm. Currently, the office has two partners, four lawyers and five support staff. The arrival of Yang is set to signal the start of a new development phase for the Kunming office, which will focus on capital markets, FDI, corporate and M&A.

"The legal service markets in Shanghai and Beijing are more developed and have more depth than the market here. However, firms in Beijing and Shanghai also have to face fierce competition," said Yang . "In Kuming, although the corporate and commercial legal industry is still nascent, the market place is less competitive. It offers us new opportunities to grow."

According to Yang, a main source of wealth lies in Yunnan's vast mineral resources and mining is the leading industry in the province. Since he relocated to Kunming several months ago, he has been involved in four mining projects, and is helping a number of other mining companies seek investment and joint venture opportunities in bordering countries such as Burma, Laos and Vietnam. In addition, he expects more local mining companies to require legal services for their IPOs and listings.

"Many local mining companies are interested in raising funds through an IPO at home or abroad. Hong Kong is a particular attractive place for them, especially after Hong Kong Stock Exchange has issued new rules for the listing of exploration and mining companies," said Yang. He also looks to continue cooperating with Mallesons for cross-border transactions.
 
Beijing-headquartered Dacheng and Yingke share the same optimism for the Kunming market as Grandall. Dacheng has recently set up its own Kunming office. Yingke has also recently announced its plan to launch an office in Kunming and already started the recruitment process. ALB

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