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Iris Leung
Iris Leung is a seasoned lawyer with extensive experience advising on capital markets and M&A transactions across Asia and the United States. She has provided legal counsel to corporate and institutional clients, private equity funds, and international financial institutions on significant strategic investments, demonstrating a deep understanding of complex cross-border deals. Iris has led multiple high-profile global IPO projects, showcasing her expertise in navigating large-scale listings. She was formerly partners at two leading international law firms prior to joining EKC.
Iris has been widely recognized for her leading expertise. From 2015 to 2017, she was awarded the Rising Star Award by Euromoney Legal Media Group Asia. She was also named one of the Most Influential Women in Hong Kong Capital Markets by the Acquisition International from 2019 to 2022. Additionally, she has been recommended as a leading lawyer by the prestigious legal directory Legal 500. To recognize her excellence in corporate and transaction law, Iris was awarded the U.S. Lawyers of Distinctions in 2024.
EXPERIENCE
IPO TRANSACTIONS
- Advisor to multi-billion USD H share IPO of China Duty Free Group, with A-shares listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (the largest HK IPO in 2022 with significant cornerstone investments)
- Advisor to one of the largest consumer companies with leading technology on the proposed multi-million IPO on HKEx
- Advisor to a number of Chinese issuers, SOEs and investment banks on the proposed multi-billion USD overseas listings (including but not limited to the largest lithium materials company, Tier I pharmaceutical company, leading new energy material company, leading mining company, leading photovoltaic company etc) (innovative listings in overseas jurisdictions in Switzerland, London and Germany)
- Advisor to one of the largest lithium batteries material companies on its proposed multi billion USD IPO on HKEx
- Advisor to bulge bracket investments banks and other issuers on various SPAC listings and DESPAC transactions.
- Advisor to the first batch of Swiss GDR (listing of Keda, Ningbo Shanshan, GEM and Gotion) on the Switzerland Exchange through the China Switzerland Connect (raising multi-billion USD)
- Advisor to CICC, UBS and HSBC on the proposed multi-billion USD IPO of a leading new economy TMT consumer company in China
- Advisor to JPM, HSBC and CICC on the proposed multi-billion USD IPO of Biel Crystal, a leading TMT smart device and technology solutions provider in China
- Advisor to a leading EV company on its proposed multi-billion IPO on HKEx
- Advisor to UBS, CICC and China Renaissance on the IPO of a leading TMT AI technology company
- US$1.3 billion IPO of Blue Moon Group on the HKEx, a leading consumer-centric household care company in China (backed by Hillhouse Capital; largest consumer deal in 2020)
- US$1.8 billon GDR listing of China Yangtze Power on London Stock Exchange (via Shanghai-London Stock Connect) (IFRL Deal of the Year 2020; largest GDR deals in 5 years)
- Advisor to JPM, Huatai Securities, MS, HSBC and CS on the US$1.54 billon GDR listing of Huatai Securities on London Stock Exchange (first Chinese issuer to list via Shanghai-London Stock Connect on LSE) (Largest GDR deal in 2019)
- Advisor to JPM, CMS and CCBI on the US$860 million IPO of China Feihei Limited on HKEx, a leading dairy consumer product company in China (top 10 HK IPO in 2019)
- Advisor to GS, Citi and CMS on the proposed multi-billion IPO of Zhaogang.com, the largest TMT platform for steel trades in China (third HK IPO filing with weighted voting right structure)
- Advisor to Citi and HSBC on the proposed multi-billion USD IPO of Home Credit, one of largest TMT consumer finance companies with businesses spanning across nine countries
- Advisor to CLSA on the proposed multi-billion USD IPO of Douyi, one of the largest TMT gaming creators and operators in the PRC
- Advisor to MS, CSCI, CCBI and ICBCI on the H share HK$5.2 billion IPO of Shandong Gold Mining Co. Ltd, with A-shares listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (top 10 HK IPO in 2018)
- Advisor to GS and Citi on the US$1.0 billion H share IPO of China Orient Securities, with A-shares listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (top 10 HK IPO in 2016 and listing of Citi’s JV)
- Advisor to GS and BOCI on the US$1.0 billion IPO of BOC Aviation (top 10 HK IPO in 2016)
- Advisor to multi-billion USD HK IPO of Alibaba, leading operator of e-commerce platform in China
- Restructuring and merger of Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd. and Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.; listing of the combined property businesses from their parent companies; and exchange offer with Husky Energy (the largest corporate restructuring and merger in Asia in 2015 and spin off IPO)
- US$3.1 billion of business trust IPO of Hong Kong Electric Investments (“Equity Market Deal of the Year” for 2014 by Asian Legal Business; top 10 HK IPO in 2014)
- US$3.4 billion IPO of China Everbright Bank Company Limited, with A-shares listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (the largest HK IPO in 2013)
- US$2.0 billion IPO of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd., the largest jewellery retailer in China (Top 10 HK IPO in 2011)
- US$1.2 billion IPO of Sun Art Retail Group Ltd., a joint venture between a French conglomerate and a Taiwanese listed company (“Best Equity Deal” and “Best IPO” for 2011 by Finance Asia)
- US$1.5 billion IPO of MGM China Holdings Ltd., an integrated casino resort co-owned by MGM Resorts International (a NYSE-listed parent company) (Top 10 HK IPO in 2011)
- US$3.1 billion IPO of China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co., Limited, with A-shares listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (the largest PRC insurance IPO in 2009)
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
- Swiss Re’s US$500 million investment into China Pacific Insurance Company’s GDR offering
- China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co., Limited. on its US$1.3 billion capital raising through a consortium of sovereign wealth funds
- China Tobacco (top 10 Chinese SOE) on its acquisition of a majority stake in its Brazil JV and its related connected transactions (innovative acquisition waiver approval with HKEx)
- US$1.4 billion acquisition of 29.98% percent stake in Sino-Ocean Group Holdings Limited and the related SFC submission by a PRC insurance company
- Proposed acquisition by a prominent Chinese corporate of a majority stake of a listed company in Southeast Asia
- Proposed acquisition by a HKEx listed company of a minority stake of a leading healthcare group listed on the HKEx
- Proposed disposition of a controlling stake in the largest non-bank financial institution in Hong Kong valued in excess of US$ 1 billion
- Proposed restructuring of a PRC state-owned enterprise valued in excess of US$ 1 billion
- Alibaba on its US$5.9 billion capital raising to purchase its shares back from Yahoo (“Hong Kong Deal of the Year” for 2014 by Asian Legal Business; capital raising involved pre-IPO investments of 20 leading PE funds and sovereign wealth funds)
- Acquisition and Reverse Takeover of HK Parkview Group and Placing of Shares by COFCO Land Holdings (“Real Estate Deal of the Year” for 2014 by Asian Legal Business)
- China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited on its US$1.95 billion acquisition of 100% equity interest in Unicom New Horizon Mobile Telecommunications Company Limited
- Warburg Pincus on its US$800 million investment in Transpacific Industrial Group, the largest provider of waste management solutions in Australia and New Zealand (finalist for “Private Equity Deal of the Year” for 2009 by IFLR)
- Proposed US$ 1.7 billion consortium acquisition by a Chinese corporate, together with China Minsheng Banking Corp, of a leading financial services group listed on HKEx
- China Resources entities on their proposed acquisitions in various overseas companies
- TPG on its proposed acquisition of a leading TMT company listed on the NASDAQ valued in excess of US$ 1 billion
- Strategic cornerstone investments in (i) HKD 56.63 billion IPO of Postal Savings Bank of China Co. Ltd (1658:HK); (ii) HKD 13.67 billion IPO of China Resources Pharmaceutical Group Ltd (3320:HK); and (iii) HKD 2 billion IPO of Datang Environment Industry Group Co. Ltd (1272:HK)
US IPOs, DCM TRANSACTIONS AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS
- Advisor to a leading robotics company on its multi-million USD US IPO
- Advisor to a leading education tech on its multi-million USD US IPO
- Advisor to a leading TMT/Ai company on its multi-million USD US IPO
- Advisor to a leading intl gaming/IP company on its multi-million its pre IPO fund raising and its multi-million USD listing matter
- Advisor to a leading healthcare company on its pre IPO fund raising and its multi-million USD US IPO
- Advisor to a leading GPU related company on its pre IPO fund raising and its multi-million USD listing matter
- Advisor to a leading mining company on its multi-million USD US IPO
- Advisor to a leading international industry technology company on its proposed pre-IPO and IPO fund raising
- Advisor to selected cryto exchanges, digital assets/Web 3 companies on their proposed fund raising, new product structuring and licensing
- Advisor to CLSA and Nomura on the proposed US IPO of a leading SAAS solutions provider in China
- Advisor to a Citi on the follow-on SEC registered offering of HollySys, a leading automation and IT solutions provider in China
- Delisting and de-registration of a Nasdaq-listed company and its proposed cash merger
- Periodic reporting and compliance requirements of SEC registered companies/HK listed companies/London, Switzerland and Frankfurt listed companies
- The Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China (MOF) on its multi-billion dollar bond offering, one of the largest sovereign bond issuance
- China Cinda Asset Management on its $3.2bn 4.45% AT1 offshore preference shares – the first-issuance of AT1 capital by a PRC asset management company
- Bank of China, New York branch on its multi-billion bonds issuance, the first few US branch bond offering by a PRC issuer
- Xiaomi on its US$4bn combined equity-linked and equity issuance
- The Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) on the issuance of its multiple billion dollar bond
- The underwriters in connection with the $3 billion offering of investment-grade bonds by Sinopec Group
- CICC on its establishment of MTN program with multi-billion dollar note issuance
- Advise various HKEx listed corporate clients on their compliance matters and advise various corporate clients on US economic/trade restrictions, OFAC sanctions, trade regulations, custom tariff regulations and data privacy-related matters
