35 Asian Legal Business | January 2025 2024 ALB China Zhong Lun Top 15 In-House Teams awards ceremony “Navigating the Journey: The Role and Value of In-House Teams and Lawyers in Supporting Companies’ Global Ventures.” The panel featured distinguished speakers, including Kang Jinying, Global General Counsel, Midea Group; Bai Yu, Legal Affairs Director, Corporate Affairs Center, Zybio Inc.; and Cheng Bo, Maria Hou, both partners at Zhong Lun Law Firm. Xu remarked that in recent years, Chinese enterprises have strengthened their global competitiveness under intense pressure, with globalization becoming a prominent economic trend. After introducing the panelists, she invited them to share their perspectives on the current characteristics and trends of Chinese companies going global. Hou outlined three primary drivers for Chinese enterprises expanding internationally: resource acquisition, market expansion, and leveraging third-party bridges to navigate export controls targeting developed nations. Cheng emphasized the diversity of industries, transaction structures, and destinations in overseas ventures. This diversification necessitates new types of legal support, innovative approaches, and tailored structural arrangements from lawyers. Bai shared Zybio’s experience as a mid-sized medical device company based in Chongqing. The company has established subsidiaries in multiple overseas locations over recent years, facing challenges such as compliance, labor regulations, and operational hurdles, alongside opportunities. Kang reflected on over 20 years of trends in Chinese companies going global. Since 2023, Midea and similar enterprises have seen larger-scale, more flexible, and complex outbound ventures, including M&A, joint ventures, and greenfield investments. Xu then asked the panelists about key legal considerations for companies venturing abroad under current trends. Bai highlighted four focus areas: labor compliance, anti-bribery measures, export controls, and economic sanctions. She stressed the critical role of in-house teams in integrating compliance into business processes in partnership with external lawyers, aligning with company strategies and risk preferences to ensure stable operations. Kang noted specific challenges in M&A transactions, such as ensuring deal certainty amidst complex international environments and regulatory scrutiny. Factors like FDI reviews, merger filings, the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation, and CIFIUS investigations in the U.S. significantly complicate deals involving largescale target companies. Cheng likened Chinese lawyers in outbound projects to “strategists,” providing holistic, one-stop solutions that extend beyond traditional legal advice. Leveraging global legal resources, they help clients achieve their goals. Hou focused on greenfield investments, cautioning that local market nuances often render domestic experience ineffective abroad. She also noted challenges posed by China’s ODI reviews, which demand innovative legal strategies. The evening then peaked with the awards ceremony, where multiple Zhong Lun lawyers presented trophies to the winners, who delivered acceptance speeches to mark the occasion. The event concluded with a celebratory dinner, where award-winning teams and lawyers mingled in a relaxed atmosphere, reflecting on past achievements and looking forward to the coming year. In a toast, Zhong Lun partner Li Chongwen said, “Tonight is a shining moment. It’s an honor to celebrate these remarkable teams. Despite today’s complex domestic and international landscapes, Zhong Lun is proud to partner with ALB to support businesses and foster a legal ecosystem that unites media, lawyers, and in-house teams. Together, we will overcome challenges and forge ahead!” Looking ahead, ALB remains committed to its mission of providing diverse platforms for communication and collaboration among Chinese in-house counsel and lawyers, staying at the forefront of the legal industry to navigate its development! Li Chongwen, representative of Legal Affairs Department of China Orient Asset Management 中伦合伙人李崇文律师；中国东方资产管理股份有限公司 法律事务部代表 Li Chongwen, representative of Legal and Compliance Department, CITIC Pacific Special Steel Group 李崇文律师；中信泰富特钢集团股份有限公司法律合规 部代表 opening remarks by Zhong Lun partner Tang Zhoujun 中伦合伙人唐周俊致辞 From left to right: Xu Wei, Cheng Bo, Bai Yu, Kang Jinying, Maria Hou 由左至右：许苇律师，程博律师，白羽女士，康晋颖女士， 侯彰慧律师
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