HONG KONG – October 4, 2012 – Morrison & Foerster is pleased to announce that Jeremy Hunt has joined the firm’s Hong Kong office as a partner in the corporate practice. Mr. Hunt represents private equity firms and other investors and advisors in mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, and related matters.
Mr. Hunt, who joins the firm from Allen & Overy, where he spent his entire 24-year legal career, brings a wealth of experience advising on capital investments, pre-IPO financings, and leveraged buyouts. His addition—together with the recent arrivals of corporate partner Thomas Man in Beijing, Melody He-Chen and John Moore in Hong Kong, and the promotion of Gregory Wang, also in Hong Kong, to partner earlier this year—enhances the firm’s premier corporate practice in Greater China.
“Expanding our corporate transactional capabilities in China and Southeast Asia, and particularly our work with private equity funds, is a top strategic priority of the firm,” said Keith Wetmore, Chair of Morrison & Foerster. “Jeremy has a very significant reputation in that space and we are delighted to welcome him.”
Added Ven Tan, Managing Partner of Morrison & Foerster’s Hong Kong office, “Jeremy joins our leading private equity partner Thomas Chou in Hong Kong to support the increasing volume, range, and sophistication of transactions being executed by our Asia-based private equity clients. His pan-Asia buyout experience, including his specialized expertise in Hong Kong PIPE investments, leveraged buyouts and public takeovers, will broaden and deepen what is already considered one of the one of the top tier private equity practices in the Asia Pacific region.”
Mr. Hunt sees Morrison & Foerster as an ideal platform for his practice. “It’s an exciting time to join the team in Hong Kong and more broadly in Asia. MoFo’s practice in the region is of the highest quality and I look forward to contributing to the continued success of the firm,” said Mr. Hunt.
Originally from the UK, Mr. Hunt is qualified to practice in England, Wales and Hong Kong. He has led leveraged buyouts in many European jurisdictions, including the UK, Germany, Sweden and Spain. Mr. Hunt’s recent work in Hong Kong has focused on investments and exits for several major private equity firms such as The Carlyle Group, Temasek, and Capital International. He has also worked in a general advisory role with a variety of investment banks and private companies. The following are representative samples:
- Represented Carlyle Group with its investment in C.P.Pokphand Co. Ltd., and its exit from China Pacific Insurance;
- Advised Deutsche Bank regarding an offer by Asko Nobel for the entire share capital in Schramm Holding AG, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange; and
- Represented Goldman Sachs Investment Partners in connection with its PIPE investment in Ho Chi Minh City Infrastructure Investment JSC.
Mr. Hunt earned his law degree from The College of Law, Lancaster Gate London and his B.A. in French and German from Bedford College, University of London. Mr. Hunt’s private equity work is highly ranked in Chambers UK, Legal 500, and IFLR 1000, and The Lawyer has named him among their Hot 100.
With full-service offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai, Morrison & Foerster is recognized as one of the leading private equity and venture capital practices in HK/China by Asia Pacific Legal 500, Asialaw, Chinalaw, Chambers Asia-Pacific, Chambers Global, IFLR 1000, and Practical Law Company. The firm was ranked Band 1 in Private Equity & Venture Capital in China in Chambers Asia-Pacific 2011, and ranked Band 1 for Investment Funds in Japan by Chambers Asia-Pacific 2012.