PARTNER
| janeyao@zhonglun.com |
Jane Yao is a partner at Zhong Lun Law Firm’s Hong Kong office, specializing in investment funds and cross-border transactions. She has advised leading investment funds on the launch of over 300 investment funds across the full spectrum of structures, including private equity funds, hedge funds, Cayman SPCs, Hong Kong OFCs, and Hong Kong LPFs. Her practice also encompasses complex cross-border transactions, with significant expertise in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, leveraged buyouts, and securities regulatory compliance. She has led high-profile transactions across jurisdictions including Hong Kong, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Luxembourg, and Mainland China.
- Ranked as a "Leading Individual" for Investment Funds, International Financial Law Review (IFLR 1000), 2013–2024
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Investment Funds:
Jane has extensive experience representing Asia’s leading private equity fund sponsors in establishing a wide range of investment funds, including private equity funds, venture capital funds, leveraged buyout funds, infrastructure funds, hedge funds, Cayman SPCs, Hong Kong OFCs, and LPFs.
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Cross-Border M&A & Investments:
- Represented multiple leading private equity funds in their equity investments into ByteDance, with cumulative investments exceeding US$1.5 billion;
- Represented a leading private equity fund in its investments into DiDi, Meituan, Tencent Music, DJI, JD Logistics, China Media Capital, Guazi.com, Souche Holdings, and Burning Rock Biotech;
- Represented a leading private equity fund in its investments into Kingsoft Cloud, NetEase Cloud Music, and NIO;
- Advised Zhongchuang Zhiling (A-share: 601717; H-share: 00564) on its acquisition of assets from Bosch Group, including structuring offshore financing, establishing a Cayman acquisition fund, and advising on an offshore syndicated loan facility;
- Advised IFC on its subscription of shares in China WindPower Group (awarded “Asia Renewable Energy Deal of the Year”);
- Advised Want Want Holdings on its take-private transaction and related US$850 million acquisition loan (awarded “CFO Asia Deal of the Year”);
- Advised a UK/NY dual-listed company on its US$200 million acquisition of a Singaporean company, indirectly acquiring two Chinese companies.
English
Chinese (Cantonese)
Chinese (Putonghua)
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PRACTICE AREAS
Investment Funds
Mergers and Acquisitions
Private Equity
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION
Hong Kong Solicitor
New York Bar
PRC Bar
EDUCATION
Juris Doctor, University of Washington, USA
Diploma, EU-China Legal & Judicial Cooperation Program
Master of Laws (LL.M.), Sun Yat-sen University, PRC
Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, PRC