Min Lu
Registered Foreign Lawyer (Kirkland & Ellis, Hong Kong) and Partner (Kirkland & Ellis LLP, U.S.)
Mergers & Acquisitions
Private Equity
Kirkland & Ellis
Overview
Min Lu is a registered foreign lawyer in Hong Kong and a partner in Kirkland & Ellis LLP (U.S.), focusing her practice on public and private companies, as well as private equity firms, in a variety of cross-border transactions, including, mergers and acquisitions (inbound and outbound), leveraged buyouts, take-privates and joint ventures.
Experience
Representative Matters
Since joining Kirkland & Ellis, Min has represented clients in the following selected transactions:
- Advised Morgan Stanley, as the financial adviser to the joint offerors, An Ke Technology Company Limited and China Ping An Insurance Overseas (Holdings) Limited, each being a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (HKSE: 2318; SSE: 601318), in the possible mandatory unconditional cash offers for all the shares, ADSs, outstanding options and performance share units of Lufax Holding Ltd (HKSE: 6623; NYSE: LU)
- Advised as the U.S. legal counsel to certain affiliates of Bain Capital on the US$3.16 billion take-private of Chindata Group Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: CD), a leading carrier-neutral hyperscale data center solution provider in Asia-Pacific emerging markets. This transaction was named “Best Private Equity Deal - China Offshore” by FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2023,
“Deals of the Year 2023” by China Business Law Journal and “Private Equity Deal of the Year” by IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2024 - Advised TH International Limited (“Tims China”; NASDAQ: THCH) on its acquisition of PLKC International (“Popeyes China”) to become the exclusive operator and developer of the Popeyes® brand in mainland China and Macau
- Advised TH International Limited (Tims China), the master franchisee and operator of Tim Hortons coffee shops in China, on its business combination with Silver Crest Acquisition Corporation (NASDAQ: SLCR), a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company. The transaction values the combined business at approximately US$1.4 billion. This transaction was named “Deals of the Year 2022” by China Business Law Journal
- Represented Near Intelligence Holdings, Inc., a global SaaS leader in privacy-led data intelligence on people, places and products, on its business combination with KludeIn I Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: INKA), a special purpose acquisition company
- Represented TH International Limited (Tims China), the exclusive master franchise of Tim Hortons coffee shops for Restaurant Brands International Inc. (TSX: QSR) (NYSE: QSR) in China, on a convertible note financing by a leading global asset manager
- Represented a consortium of investors, comprising Centurium Capital, PW Medtech Group Limited (HKSE: 1358), CITIC Capital, Hillhouse Capital, Temasek and Marc Chan, in the take-private of China Biologic Products Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBPO), a leading fully integrated plasma-based biopharmaceutical company in China, at a valuation of approximately US$4.6 billion. This transaction was named "Pharmaceuticals, Medical and Biotech M&A Deal of the Year" by Mergermarket China M&A Awards 2021,"2021 Deals of the Year" by China Business Law Journal, “M&A Deal of the Year” by China Law & Practice Awards 2021 and “Private Equity Deal of the Year” by IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2022
- Represented Bullish, a technology company focused on developing financial services for the digital assets sector, on its proposed agreement to go public on the New York Stock Exchange through a merger with Far Peak Acquisition Corporation (NYSE: FPAC), a special purpose acquisition company, for approximately US$9 billion
- Advised as International co-counsel for an investor consortium, comprising Warburg Pincus Asia LLC, General Atlantic Singapore Fund Pte. Ltd., Ocean Link Partners Limited, and Mr. Jinbo Yao, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of 58.com, in the take-private of 58.com Inc. (NYSE: WUBA), China’s largest online classifieds marketplace, at a valuation of approximately US$8.7 billion. This transaction was named Finance Deal of the Year: Acquisitions by The Asia Legal Awards 2021 and “Finance Deal of the Year” by China Law & Practice Awards 2021
- Advised as an international co-counsel and sole debt financing counsel for an investor consortium, comprising DCP Capital Partners II, L.P., Ocean Link Partners Limited, and Mr. Rick Yan, the Chief Executive Officer of 51job, in the take-private of 51job, Inc. (NASDAQ: JOBS) at a valuation of appropriately US$4.3 billion. This transaction was named “2021 Deals of the Year” by China Business Law Journal and “TMT Deal of the Year” by Asia Legal Awards 2022
- Representing Hammer Capital as a member of an investor consortium (the other member being Tencent Holdings (HKSE: 700)) in a proposed going private transaction to acquire Bitauto Holdings Limited (NYSE: BITA), as well as the investor consortium in the consequential mandatory general offer for the shares of Yixin Group Limited (HKSE: 2858) pursuant to the chain principle under the Hong Kong Takeovers Code
Prior to joining Kirkland & Ellis, Min represented clients in the following selected transactions:
- A leading food delivery business operating on the transfer of all of the issued shares to an affiliate of the largest e-commerce company in China for US$9.5 billion
- One of the world largest communications group in its GBP 39 million sale of 100% equity interest of its subsidiary in China
- Buyer consortium led by a Greater China healthcare-focused investment management group in its US$ 607 million acquisition of a NASDAQ-listed pharmaceutical corporation
- A Chinese state-owned oil and gas enterprise in its US$3.25 billion senior notes offering
- A multinational communications and information technology company in setting up a joint venture with a Chinese industrial investment company
- A Singapore sovereign wealth fund in its US$50 million investment in a Chinese electronics company
- A global alternative investments firm, in its equity financing for the US$1.1 billion acquisition of an American-based global marketing information services company
- A Shanghai Stock Exchange-listed company in its US$263 million acquisition of majority stake in a leading tech-focused e-retailer in North America
- A Shanghai Stock Exchange-listed company in its US$300 million acquisition of a British video game developer and publisher
- A Chinese online dating service company in its US$250 million acquisition of a NASDAQ-listed company
- A China-based fund, as equity sponsor, in the privatization of a NASDAQ-listed company, which is principally engaged in design, manufacture, and distribution of cast resin transformers
- The Special Committee of a NASDAQ-listed company, which is principally engaged in multi-channel retail business in China, in its going-private transaction
- Seller consortium consisting of multiple private equity funds in the RMB10 billion disposition of the shares in an economy hotel chain
- A Singapore sovereign wealth fund in its US$4.8 million investment in a Hong Kong-based investment holding company principally engaged in the manufacture and sales of medical products
- The Special Committee of a NASDAQ-listed company, which is a global mobile app and platform development firm, in its going-private transaction
- A leading provider of private educational services in China, invested by one of the leading private equity investors in Asia Pacific, in its recapitalization
- Multiple underwriters in the US$315 million SEC-registered follow-on primary/secondary equity offering of one of the largest manufacturers of plasma products in China
- One of the leading private equity investors in Asia Pacific, as equity sponsor in the privatization of a developer of natural gas distribution systems in China
More
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 2019Hong KongRegistered Foreign Lawyer
- 2015New York
Languages
- Mandarin
- English
Education
- University of Pennsylvania Carey Law SchoolLL.M.2014
- Renmin University of China Law SchoolLL.M.2011
- Renmin University of ChinaLL.B.2009
News &
Insights
Kirkland Represents Morgan Stanley in the MGOs Made By An Ke Technology and Ping An Overseas Holdings in respect of the Securities of Lufax Holding