Gibson Dunn, which opened its Hong Kong office in August last year, provided clear evidence of an ambitious Asia strategy after adding two experienced lawyers to its corporate team as partners. Yi Zhang and Graham Winter are joining the firm from O’Melveny & Myers, and Reed Smith Richards Butler respectively.
Zhang, who was the former head of O’Melveny’s Hong Kong office, has a China-focused corporate practice covering a broad range of transactions. He has represented multinational companies, commercial and investment banks, and international PE funds making investments in China and Chinese companies making outbound investments. Zhang’s client list has included BP, Carlyle, Deutsche Bank, General Electric and Goldman Sachs.
Admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong in 1992, Winter has extensive experience in a wide range of complex corporate transactions across Asia, including China, Korea, the Philippines and Indonesia. He has advised on a number of ground-breaking transactions, including representing SABMiller in relation to its US$750 million proposed takeover of Harbin Brewery, Hong Kong’s first contested takeover under the Hong Kong Takeovers Code; and, most recently, representing PCCW Limited in relation to the proposed spin-off and separate listing of its telecommunications business in the form of a novel structure involving a listed trust.
“Yi and Graham are highly regarded in the business and legal communities in Hong Kong and China, and their experience will enhance our ability to field the most complex transactions across most of Asia. Their arrival is another important step forward for our Asia strategy, which is focused on strengthening our Hong Kong and Singapore offices and looking for the right opportunities in China,” said Ken Doran, managing Partner and chairman of Gibson Dunn, in a statement. ALB
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