Wei-Yang Lim
Overview
Wei Yang Lim is the stand out lawyer who has earned his seat at the regional high table of restructuring. He is sharp as a razor blade, full of integrity and with an unswerving work ethic that is committed to his client’s best interests.’ - Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2024
Wei-Yang Lim is a partner in the restructuring group in Kirkland's Hong Kong office. Wei-Yang represents financial sponsors, investment funds and corporations in connection with some of the most complex and high-profile restructurings and special situations investments across the Asia Pacific region. He has extensive experience in utilizing and navigating international restructuring tools for distress situations involving Chinese, Indian and Southeast Asian businesses, including implementing successful restructurings involving PRC bankruptcy proceedings, Indonesian PKPUs, Indian Corporate Insolvency Resolution Processes, Singapore judicial management, schemes of arrangement in multiple jurisdictions, US Chapter 11 proceedings and UK pre-pack administrations.
Wei-Yang was named as a “Next Generation Partner” by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024, recognized as “Top 40 Under 40” for insolvency by Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2024, recognized as “Highly Regarded” for restructuring and insolvency by IFLR1000 2023 and 2024, named as a “Rising Star” by China Business Law Journal 2022 and ranked as an “Up and Coming” notable practitioner for restructuring and insolvency (China) by Chambers and Partners 2022 and 2023. Chambers Greater China recognized him as a leading lawyer and noted that he received praises for being “very responsive and very on top of the issues” and “technically up there with the best.” The guide also noted that he “has a notable practice, and continues to draw praise from market sources” as clients rely on Wei-Yang ‘to solve more complex negotiations,’ and that ‘he is creative and constructive in solution finding’.
Experience
Representative Matters
Since joining Kirkland, Wei-Yang's representative matters include advising:
- Ad hoc committee of noteholders in a successful restructuring of the New York-law governed US$275 million senior notes issued by Hong Seng Limited and guaranteed by Hong Yang Group Company Limited, the controlling shareholder of Hong Kong-listed companies Redsun Properties Group Limited (HKSE: 1996) and Redsun Services Group Limited (HKSE: 1971)
- Ad hoc group of noteholders of Country Garden in connection with its offshore restructuring. Country Garden is one of the world’s most indebtedness real estate developers in the world with a highly complex capital structure, including US$10.55 billion offshore notes
- Ad hoc group of holders of US$350 million zero coupon convertible bonds due 2026 issued by Tequ Mayflower Limited and guaranteed by Hope Education Group Co., Ltd. (now known as XJ International Holdings) in connection with any potential restructuring and/or enforcement actions
- Lenders under the US$1.5 billion term loan facility of Byju’s, an Indian educational technology company which at its peak was valued at US$22 billion and had over 150 million registered students. Kirkland led a complex global enforcement and litigation strategy which to date involved multiple litigation and insolvency proceedings in India at all levels including NCLT, NCLAT, Civil Court, Commercial Court and Supreme Court, voluntary and involuntary Chapter 11 proceedings in Delaware, litigation proceedings in Miami, Delaware and New York and Singapore receivership process
- Lenders under the US$500 million syndicated facilities of PT Visi Media Asia, Tbk, an integrated media company controlled by the Bakrie family, which is currently undertaking a reorganization process through the Indonesia PKPU proceedings (Suspension of Debt Payment Obligation)
- Ad hoc group of noteholders of China South City with respect to the proposed liability management exercises and enforcement actions in connection with its offshore notes in excess of US$1.35 billion, including commencement of enforcement proceedings against keepwell provider Shenzhen SEZ Construction and Development
- Ad hoc group of noteholders of Jinke Property Group in connection with any potential restructuring and/or enforcement actions and navigating the PRC bankruptcy process
- Ad hoc group of noteholders of KWG Group Holdings Limited in connection with a potential restructuring of the offshore indebtedness in excess of US$10.2 billion (including approximately US$4 billion in the aggregate principal amount of the senior notes)
- Ad hoc committee of offshore bondholders in a restructuring of over US$12 billion of offshore financial indebtedness issued by Kaisa Group Holdings Ltd. (HKSE: 1638)
- Ad hoc committee of offshore bondholders in a restructuring of around US$4.6 billion offshore bonds and perpetual securities issued by CIFI Holdings (Group) Co. Ltd. (HKSE: 0884)
- Sapura Energy Berhad (KLSE: SAPNRG), the Malaysian integrated oil and gas services provider with global operations in over 20 countries, with respect to its cross-border, comprehensive financial and operational restructuring
- iQIYI Inc. (Nasdaq: IQ) in connection with the refinancing and liability management options of US$1.2 billion of convertible notes
- Bondholders in a restructuring of the exchangeable bonds issued by China LVGEM Property Holdings Ltd, the controlling shareholder of the Hong Kong-listed, Chinese real estate developer LVGEM (China) Real Estate Investment Co Ltd (HKSE: 0095)
- A top-tier sponsor backed telecom tower infrastructure group in Myanmar in relation to the restructuring of over US$420 million of senior and mezzanine debt
- Certain financial creditors of offshore affiliates of Suning.com Co. (SH: 002024) in connection with the restructuring of its financial indebtedness
- Eqonex Limited (Nasdaq: Eqos), the digital asset technology company in relation to the restructuring of the group
- Certain investors of Uxin Limited (Nasdaq: UXIN) in connection the restructuring of its convertible notes
- Partners of KPMG as liquidators of Polestar Automotive Holding Limited, as part of a de-spac process, which involved an over US$21 billion solvent voluntary liquidation of the company in Hong Kong
- Syndicated lenders of PT Pan Brothers Tbk. in relation to the restructuring of US$138 million of syndicated loans and US$171 million of senior unsecured notes under a scheme of arrangement, which was sanctioned by the High Court of Singapore
- Noteholders in a restructuring of notes issued by GTI Statia Holdings N.V., one of the largest independent bulk liquid storage terminals serving the US Gulf Coast and Caribbean markets, located in St. Eustatius
- Global Brand Group Holding Limited (HKSE: 787) in connection with the group’s cross-border wind-down through US Chapter 11 proceedings, UK administration, liquidation processes in Bermuda, Singapore and Hong Kong
- A global real estate management and investment fund in connection with the enforcement and restructuring of debts owed by Yang Kee Logistics Pte Ltd (in receivership), the Singapore-headquartered global logistics company
- A private equity investor in respect of its US$240 million financing of Luckin Coffee Inc. to facilitate the implementation of the restructuring of Luckin Coffee’s US$460 million 0.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 through a scheme of arrangement to be implemented in the Cayman Islands
- An ad hoc group of noteholders in respect of the US$250 million notes issued by Wise Source International Limited and guaranteed by CEFC Shanghai International Group Limited
- China Singyes Solar in respect of the restructuring of two series of senior notes totaling US$425 million
- Bain Capital in respect of a mezzanine facility for its portfolio companies, ChinData, a leading operator of hyperscale data centers in China and Bridge Data Centres
- A global credit fund on the financing for the acquisition of non-performing loan portfolios in China
- Ad hoc group of lenders in connection with the restructuring and enforcement of a c. US$ 435 million dual tranche multi-currency term loan facility borrowed by certain subsidiaries of Goldin Financial Holdings Limited and guaranteed by Mr Pan Sutong
- CarVal Investors in its acquisition with Nithia Capital of Uttam Value Steel Limited and Uttam Galva Metallics Limited, the India-based manufacturers of steel and capital equipment products, as part of the corporate insolvency resolution process of the two companies in India
- Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd. and the administrator appointed by the Reserve Bank of India in relation to its landmark corporate insolvency resolution process in India, following the group’s default on approximately US$12 billion of its debt
- An ad hoc group of credit funds and banks in respect of the restructuring of US$370 million of indebtedness of Wollongong Coal Limited, a mining business listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and its controlling shareholder, Jindal Steel and Power (Australia) Pty Ltd (a subsidiary of Jindal Steel and Power Limited, a steel and power company listed in India) through schemes of arrangement sanctioned by the Supreme Court of New South Wales. This transaction was named “Insolvency & Restructuring Deal of the Year” by the Australasian Law Awards 2020
- A credit fund on its investment in certain non-convertible debentures issued by certain affiliates of GMR Infrastructure Limited, an operator and developer of airports listed in India
- Offshore senior secured lenders of PT Apexindo Pratama Duta Tbk., an offshore and onshore oil and gas drilling contractor listed in Indonesia, in connection with the restructuring of over US$445 million of debt by a Court-supervised Indonesian suspension of payments proceedings
- First lien and second lien private credit investors on the financing of Kinross International Group Limited’s acquisition of Mitsubishi Corporation’s joint venture interests in a variety of oil and gas fields in Eastern Java held through Kangean Energy Indonesia
- A consortium of private credit investors on the refinancing and restructuring of the US$235 million indebtedness of Nixon Investments Pte Ltd. (a subsidiary of PT Astrindo Nusantara Infrastruktur Tbk., an energy infrastructure company listed in Indonesia)
- Private credit investors on the financing and restructuring of the indebtedness of PT Energi Mega Persada Tbk., an upstream oil and gas company listed in Indonesia
- Asian based global commodities giant, Noble Group Limited on its multi-billion dollar global restructuring. This transaction was named “Restructuring Deal of the Year” by IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2019 and “Finance Deal of the Year: Insolvency and Restructuring” by The Asia Legal Awards 2019
Prior to joining Kirkland, Wei-Yang's representative matters have included:
- A syndicate of distressed debt/special situations funds and par lenders on the US$765 million debt restructuring of six separate offshore facility agreements of Jindal Steel and Power (Mauritius) Limited (a subsidiary of Jindal Steel and Power Limited, a steel and power company listed in India)
- A coordinating committee of pre-export facilities lenders in connection with Ferrexpo plc’s debt restructuring
- A variety of banks and funds that were secured vessel lenders in connection with the debt restructuring of Zim Integrated Shipping Services Limited
Prior Experience
More
Recognition
“Highly Regarded,” Restructuring and Insolvency – Hong Kong, IFLR1000 (2023–2024)
“Top 40 Under 40,” Insolvency, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific (2024)
“Future Star,” Insolvency, China and Hong Kong, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific (2024)
Leading Lawyer, Restructuring/Insolvency (International Firms) – China, Chambers Greater China (2024)
“Next Generation Partners,” Restructuring and Insolvency: Foreign Firms – China, Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2024)
“Up and Coming,” Restructuring/Insolvency (International Firms) – China, Chambers Greater China (2022–2023)
“Rising Star Partner,” Restructuring and Insolvency – Hong Kong, IFLR1000 (2022)
Wei-Yang was mentioned in August 2022 issue of Turnarounds & Workouts in which Kirkland was recognized as one of the top Asia-Pacific Restructuring Practices of U.S. Law Firms
“Rising Stars,” China Business Law Journal (2022)
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- Hong Kong, Solicitor
- Admitted to practice as a Solicitor of England and Wales
Languages
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Cantonese
- English
- Malay
- Mandarin
Education
- College of LawLegal Practice Course2011
- University of CambridgeM.A., LawHons.2010