Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has represented Guotai Junan Securities on its $2.1 billion (HK$16.5 billion) IPO, the largest listing in Asia Pacific so far this year.
Clifford Chance was also involved in the deal, advising underwriters, Guotai Junan International, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank International.
Guotai Junan, China's third-largest brokerage by assets, offered 1.04 billion new shares at a rare fixed-price offering of HK$15.84 each, reported Reuters. This deal is the biggest stock sale in Hong Kong since Postal Savings Bank of China’s IPO in September.
The Shanghai-listed brokerage will use the money raised to expand its institutional client business and open retail branches.
The Freshfields team was led by partners Teresa Ko, Calvin Lai and partner-elect Jason Xu. China co-managing partner Tim Wang handled the transaction for Clifford Chance, along with partners Jean Thio and Virginia Lee.