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Shirley LU
Equity Partner / Shanghai
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Tel +86-21-6061-3566
Email shirleylu@zhonglun.com
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Practices
Financing, Cross-border Investment/M&A, Debt Restructuring & Non-performing Assets
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Industries
Banking & Financial Services
Shirley LU
Shirley LU has been specialized in providing legal services in the area of banking and finance for over 25 years to leading foreign and domestic financial institutions, renowned funds, transnational corporations and listed companies, with particular expertise in advising on transactions of cross-border financing, acquisition financing, project financing, privatization, trade financing and debt restructuring, covering a broad range of industrial sectors, especially focusing on real estate, energy, infrastructure, TMT, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, financial leasing, automotive financing, hotel, minerals, food and health products, among other.
Awarded as “Women Leaders” by IFLR1000 since year 2020 and “China Top Female Lawyers” by Asian Legal Business (ALB) in 2015. Advised on many prominent landmark financing transactions including Tianqi Lithium’s Acquisition of SQM, INVISTA Project Financing, Acquisition of Zhongguancun Dinghao Electronics Plaza, Focus Media Privatization, Acquisition of Atotech by Carlyle Group, Shanghai Disneyland Project and etc.
Representative Matters
Represented Tianqi Lithium Corporation (Stock Code: SZ002466) on its syndicated facilities in an aggregate amount of USD 3.5 billion from two international syndicates arranged by China CITIC Bank to acquire about 23.77% A shares of the global lithium giant SQM, such project has been the PRC’s largest overseas acquisition in lithium power industry; and further represented Tianqi Lithium Corporation on the financing related matters in relation to the acquisition transaction through a share capital increase and the introduction of IGO Limited, a listed Australian company
Represented two syndicates jointly arranged by China Construction Bank, Bank of Communication, China Merchants Bank, Bank of China and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China on the term loan facilities in an aggregate amount of approximately CNY 10 billion granted to INVISTA Nylon Chemicals (China) Co., Ltd. for its manufacturing facilities to produce adiponitrile and the expansion of Nylon 6,6 production located in the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park, which is one of the 2020 key construction projects in Shanghai
Represented Ascent Real Estate Investors (a real estate fund under Carlyle) and Sigma Delta Partners Investment, together with Partners Group and The Family Office Co., on the onshore-offshore linked financing in an aggregate amount of approximately CNY 6 billion from onshore and offshore syndicates for the acquisition of Beijing Zhongguancun Dinghao Electronics Plaza
Represented Advent International and Cinven on the onshore SBLC facilities in relation to the offshore financing granted by Deutsche Bank and Standard Chartered Bank respectively in an aggregate amount of several hundred million EURO, which is part of the offshore financing for the acquisition of Thyssenkrupp’s Elevator Technology business in 2020, which was the largest European buyout transaction by private equity fund since the 2008 financial crisis
Represented Blackstone Group on the loans in an aggregate amount of several billion RMB for the acquisition of the VivoCity Project located in Shanghai and its subsequent refinancing deal; and the loans in an aggregate amount of several billion RMB for the acquisition of a portfolio of logistics assets from Goldman Sachs which are located in Chengdu, Wuhan, Deqing and Zhengzhou respectively
Represented Tishman Speyer on the development syndicated loans as well as equity acquisition loans for various projects, including the Shanghai Spring Project, Shanghai Crystal Plaza Project, Shenzhen Houhai Harbour Project, Shanghai Crystal Bridge Project and etc.
Represented Carlyle Group on the loans of over USD 1.9 billion borrowed from the syndicate arranged by Barclays to finance USD 3.2 billion acquisition of Atotech B.V. from Total S.A, which is one of the most significant acquisition transactions in global chemical market in 2017; and further represented Carlyle Group on the re-financing syndicate loan arranged by Goldman Sachs in relation to the aforesaid financing in 2021
Represented J.P. Morgan Asset Management and New Ease on two cross-border syndicated loans in an aggregate amount of several billion RMB borrowed from the two cross- border syndicates for the acquisition of the onshore portfolio consisting of ten logistics assets and the re-financing of aforesaid acquisition loan
Represented International Finance Corporation and DEG – Deutsche Investitionsund Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH on the loans in an aggregate amount of approximately CNY 1 billion granted to onshore and offshore affiliates of Minsheng Education Group (Stock Code: HK01569) for acquisition of new schools and upgrades to existing schools
Represented the syndicate arranged by Barclays Bank, BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Credit Industriel & Commercial and Natixis on the cross-border security arrangements under the offshore loans in an aggregated amount of over EUR 1 billion granted to Compagnie Benelux Participations for the acquisition of Gerflor
Represented the syndicate arranged by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays Bank, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase Bank on the cross-border security arrangements under the offshore loans in an aggregated amount of several hundred million GBP granted to Travelex Group for its debt restructuring
Represented the syndicate arranged by Bank of East Asia on the syndicate loan in an amount up to CNY 2 billion granted to Shenzhen Tianlian Terminal Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Telling Telecommunication Holding Co., Ltd. (Stock Code: SZ000829)
Represented the syndicate consisted of Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank and HSBC on a cross-border facility granted to Provident Capital and Saratoga Group for the purpose of funding the telecommunication tower business of its onshore project companies
Represented OCBC Bank on the onshore-offshore linked financing in an aggregate amount of several hundred million RMB granted to InfraRed NF for the acquisition of an onshore company which owns Jindu Building in Shanghai and had gone through a reorganization proceeding
Represented Hines on the syndicated loan of several billion RMB granted by the syndicate consisting of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and Agricultural Bank of China to the financing and re-financing of the construction and development of One Museum Palace project in Shanghai
Represented GIC on the loan in an amount of several billion RMB granted by Industrial and Commercial Bank of China for the refinancing of Beijing AZIA Center
Represented Ascendent Capital Partners on the cross-border acquisition loans in an amount of approximately EUR 100 million provided by China Merchants Bank for the acquisition of Alutrim Group’s subsidiaries in Germany, Hongkong and mainland China
Represented CapitaLand on the cross-border financing arrangement involved in its sale of 20 shopping malls in the PRC to the consortium consisting of SCPG, Vanke and Triwater
Represented Phoenix Property Investors on the loans in an amount of several billion RMB from several syndicates arranged by Bank of Shanghai for the acquisition of four properties located in Rongtai Center of Financial Street, Shanghai from Financial Street Holding (Stock Code: SZ000402)
Represented Apollo Management on the onshore and offshore linked financing in an amount of several billion RMB from onshore and offshore banks for the acquisition of Shanghai Skyway Grand Hotel and the re-financing of its existing debts
Represented Investcorp and Viz Branz Holdings Pte. Ltd. on the cross-border security arrangements under the offshore loans granted by the syndicate jointly arranged by HSBC and ING Bank in an amount of several hundred million SGD for the refinancing of its existing debts
Represented the syndicate arranged by Coöperatieve Rabobank, National Westminster Bank, J.P. Morgan, BNP Paribas etc. on the cross-border security arrangements under the offshore loan in an aggregated amount of several hundred million USD to Genus PLC for the refinancing of its existing debts
Represented Shanghai Pudong Development Bank on the acquisition loan of an amount of several billion RMB granted to ByteDance for the acquisition of 100% equity interests in a property enterprise located in New Jiangwan City of Shanghai
Represented DBS Bank on the cross-border security arrangements under an offshore loan in an aggregate amount of USD 400 million granted to an offshore subsidiary of China Three Gorges Corporation
Represented Credit Suisse on the cross-border security arrangements under an offshore loan in an aggregate amount of USD 150 million granted to an offshore subsidiary of Healthcare Company Limited (Stock Code: SH 603313)
Represented United Overseas Bank on the loan in an aggregate amount of over SGD 200 million for privatization delisting of Sunningdale Tech Ltd from the Stock Exchange of Singapore
Represented the syndicate arranged by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citigroup and HSBC to grant an acquisition loan for privatization delisting (with a transaction value of over USD 660 million) of Pactera Technology International Ltd. (Stock Code: NASDAQ PACT), a global consulting and technology services provider; meanwhile, represented Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citigroup and HSBC acting as initial purchasers for the issuance of USD 275 million senior notes in relation to the aforesaid acquisition financing
Represented the onshore and offshore syndicates arranged by HSBC and United Overseas Bank on the onshore-offshore linked financing in an aggregate amount of several billion RMB for re-financing of the acquisition loan and financing of development and construction project of Florentia Village in Shanghai
Represented an offshore syndicate jointly arranged by Standard Chartered Bank and Australia and New Zealand Bank on the cross-border security arrangement under the refinancing facility of USD 550 million granted to Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd. (Stock Code: SH 600196, HK 02196)
Represented private equity sponsor Group (consisting of Carlyle Group, FountainVest Partners, CITIC Capital Partners and China Everbright Limited) in the acquisition financing arranged by CITI Bank, Credit Suisse, DBS and Deutsche Bank in an aggregate amount up to USD 1.525 billion for the privatization delisting of Focus Media (Stock Code: NASDAQ FMCN)
Represented Shanghai Shendi Group on the syndicated loan of over CNY 12.9 billion, arranged by China Development Bank, Bank of Communications and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and granted by the syndicate consisting of twelve domestic major financial institutions, to finance the construction and development of Shanghai International Tourism Resort (i.e. Shanghai Disneyland Theme Park)
Represented the syndicate consisting of J.P. Morgan Securities as arranger and HSBC as agent on the financing granted to Bain Capital for the acquisition of non-performing asset package composed of dozens of borrowers located in Jiangsu Province from China Cinda Asset Management
Represented an offshore subsidiary of Tianqi Lithium Corporation (Stock Code: SZ002466) on its issuance of USD 300 million senior guaranteed notes on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
Represented BIOSTIME (Stock Code: HK01112) on the issuance of USD 400 million and USD 200 million senior notes in the Singapore Exchange
Honors and Awards
For Individual
Named by Chambers Global/Chambers Asia Pacific as a top - ranking lawyer in the bank & finance area since 2013
Honored by IFLR1000 as a leading lawyer since 2011
Awarded by IFLR1000 as “Women Leaders” since year 2020
Awarded by Asian Legal Business (ALB) as “China Top Female Lawyers” for the year of 2015
Granted a full mark in Asialaw Profiles 2020 Customer Feedback Report
For Deal
Financing for Tianqi Lithium’s Acquisition of SQM
Finance Deal of the Year 2019: Acquisitions – by The Asian Lawyer
Deals of the Year 2019 – by China Business Law Journal
Finance Deal of the Year 2019 – by China Law & Practice
INVISTA Project Financing
Deal of the Year (Shanghai) 2021- by International Financial Law Review (IFLR)
Ascent Real Estate Investors / Sigma Delta Investment Partners Financing for Acquisition of Zhongguancun Dinghao Electronics Plaza
Deal of the Year 2020: Banking and Finance - by International Financial Law Review (IFLR)
Provincial Impact Deal of the Year (Beijing) 2020 - by International Financial Law Review (IFLR)
Acquisition of Atotech by Carlyle Group
Creative Financial Case in Shanghai Free Trade Zone of the Year 2017 – by PBOC Shanghai Head Office
Pactera Privatization
High Yield Deal of the Year 2015 – by International Financial Law Review (IFLR)
Focus Media Privatization
Deals of the Year 2013 – by China Business Law Journal
Deal of the Year 2013 – by Asian-Mena Counsel
TMT Deal of the Year 2013 – by Asia Law Business (ALB)
Private Equity Deal of the Year 2013 – by China Law & Practice
Best Asia Private Equity Deal of the Year 2014 – by International Financial Law Review (IFLR)
Global M&A Deal of the Year-China Private Equity – by American Lawyer
Shanghai Disneyland Project
2013 Project Finance Deal of the Year – by Asia Legal Business (ALB)
2013 the Best Syndicated Loan Project – by Shanghai Banking Association
Gansu Guazhou Wind Power Project
Project Finance Deal of the Year 2011 – by China Law & Practice
Asia Renewable Deal of the Year 2010 – by Project Finance International
Memberships & Affiliations
Committee Member, the First, Second and Third Session of the Administrative Reconsideration of Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Government
Related
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Deals Related
Zhong Lun Assists Foreign Banks in Providing Debut USD Syndicated Loan to CZB Financial Leasing
Zhong Lun acted as the PRC counsel for the syndicate and provided comprehensive legal services for this financing project.
2024-01-10 -
Awards Related
Three Zhong Lun Partners Lauded by IFLR1000 Women Leaders 2023 Guide
Three Zhong Lun Partners Lauded by IFLR1000 Women Leaders 2023 Guide.
2023-08-24
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Bar Admissions/Professional Qualifications
PRC Bar, 1993
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Education
EMBA. CEIBS, 2013
LL.B., East China University of Political Science and Law, 1992 -
Professional Experience
Partner, Zhong Lun Law Firm
Partner, Horizon Law Office -
Languages
Chinese
English