Mr. Lai is a partner of the firm and was educated in Hong Kong, the United States of America and England. He graduated with honours from King’s College London, England in 2004. He was admitted to practice in Hong Kong in 2007 and in England and Wales in 2008. He joined the firm as a partner in 2017. Prior to joining the firm, he worked for several leading international law firms.

Mr. Lai’s practice focuses on corporate matters including initial public offerings, mergers & acquisitions, financings and other general commercial matters.

Selected Representative Matters

Hong Kong IPOs

• Represented a leading Chinese conglomerate on its initial public offering on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with two leading international investment banks acting as sponsors, raising approximately US$1.96 billion globally.
• Represented a consumer electronics and imaging technology company on its initial public offering on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with a leading international investment bank acting as sponsor, raising approximately US$114 million globally.
• Represented two international investment banks in connection with the initial public offering of a leading global pork producer on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with a global offering size of approximately US$2.05 billion.
• Represented a Mongolian coking coal mining company on its initial public offering on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with two international investment banks acting as sponsors and a global offering of approximately HK$5.1 billion.
• Represented a Chinese gold mining company on its initial public offering on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with an international investment bank acting as sponsor and a global offering of approximately HK$1.1 billion.
• Represented a Chinese coking coal mining company on its initial public offering on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, raising approximately US$600 million globally.
• Represented an international investment bank in connection with the initial public offering of a Chinese gold mining company on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with a global offering of approximately HK$2.1 billion.
• Represented two PRC investment banks in connection with the initial public offering of a Chinese home improvement and bathroom equipment manufacturer on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with a global offering of approximately HK$224 million.

Overseas IPOs

• Represented a Cambodia-based leather goods manufacturer on its initial public offering on the Nasdaq Capital Market, with two U.S. securities firms acting as co-underwriters, raising approximately US$9.2 million.
• Represented a Malaysia-based wire harness and cable assembly manufacturer on its initial public offering on the Nasdaq Capital Market, raising approximately US$7.6 million.
• Represented a Hong Kong-based digital media and creator management company on its initial public offering on the Nasdaq Capital Market, raising approximately US$10 million.
• Represented a leading Indonesian private hospital operator on its initial public offering on the Indonesia Stock Exchange, with multiple international investment banks acting as global coordinators and underwriters, raising approximately US$128 million.

Banking, Loan and Debt Capital Markets Transactions

• Represented a Taiwanese packaging manufacturer in a refinancing involving a US$330 million term loan facility and a US$30 million revolving credit facility.
• Represented a PRC private equity fund in connection with US$560 million margin loan facilities.
• Represented an international steel group in relation to the issuance of S$300 million unsecured bonds through its wholly owned Singapore subsidiary.
• Represented an international banking group on its pre-IPO investment in a Hong Kong-listed Chinese automation equipment company, involving a US$21.7 million senior loan facility and subscription for up to US$35 million convertible bonds.
• Represented a Hong Kong-listed hotel group and its finance subsidiary in connection with a HK$1.225 billion term loan facility.
• Represented two international banks on a US$50 million loan note subscription facility.
• Represented an international bank on the restructuring of a borrower’s obligations under a US$100 million Murabahah financing into a US$96 million secured loan facility.
• Represented a leading international bank in relation to a US$60 million acquisition finance facility.

Venture Capital and Mergers & Acquisitions

• Represented a logistics service provider in a Series Pre-A financing of approximately US$1.2 million.
• Represented a U.S.-listed fashion and lifestyle group in the acquisition of intellectual property rights and research and development capabilities, with a transaction value of approximately US$2 million.
• Represented the vendors in the sale of the entire issued share capital of a mortar manufacturing company for approximately HK$200 million.
• Represented an e-commerce service provider in a Series B financing involving investors from China and Singapore, raising approximately US$66 million.
• Represented the lead investors in a Series A+ investment in a large-scale battery systems developer, with a transaction value of approximately US$2.2 million.
• Represented the lead investors in a Series A financing of a large-scale battery systems developer, with a transaction value of approximately US$12 million.
• Represented an indoor positioning and navigation technology company in a Series B financing of approximately US$5 million.
• Represented an indoor positioning and navigation technology company in a Series A+ financing of approximately US$7.5 million.
• Represented a co-investor in a Series A investment in an accommodation services operator, with a transaction value of approximately US$500,000.
• Represented an indoor positioning and navigation technology company in a convertible bond financing of approximately HK$15 million.

Qualifications

Solicitor of The High Court of Hong Kong (admitted on 8 December 2007)

Solicitor of The Supreme Court of Judicature in England (admitted on 1 May 2008)

Languages

English, Mandarin and Cantonese