美国达维律师事务所在近日新增合伙人后将正式拓展其香港法律业务，突显了战略招聘的重要性。前富而德事务所北京办公室的执行合伙人Antony Dapiran，与香港证券交易所上市部门前资深副总裁陈翊庭在参加完中国农业银行高达192亿美元美股上市项目后被挖角到达维。
The fact that Davis Polk’s recent partner additions give it a ready-to-launch Hong Kong law capability underline the benefits of top-lead strategic hiring. The firm persuaded Antony Dapiran, formerly Freshfields’ Beijing managing partner, and Bonnie Chan, who comes from a role as senior vice-president of the listing division at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, to join its partnership after working alongside them on the huge US$19.2bn IPO of Agricultural Bank of China recently.
According to Asia managing partner, William Barron, Davis Polk plans to launch in Hong Kong after taking nearly two years to identify suitable candidates to lead the effort. Both Dapiran and Chan’s relationships with Davis Polk go back to 2007, where they first worked together on China Construction Bank’s IPO. Davis Polk was then co-counsel with Freshfields, advising underwriter Morgan Stanley – where Chan worked as in-house counsel.
With 11 years at Freshfields, Dapiran will bring with him a long list of clients, consisting mostly of Chinese corporates and investment banks. Some of the many IPOs he has handled include China Construction Bank, China Longyuan Power, Yingde Gases Group, Want Want China Holdings, China Huiyuan Juice Group, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation and China Oilfield Services.
Given that Chan has been the main regulator for Hong Kong IPOs, responsible for reviewing prospectuses and drafting rules and policies relating to listings, she will bring to Davis Polk inside knowledge. “Bonnie is going to be able to tell us what the HKSE wants and is looking for in a prospectus. She can advise Chinese corporates on potential issues in proposals and how they can expect the stock exchange regulators to react to specific tenants,” said Barron.
Recent movement by some veteran Asia partners, like Rocky Lee’s move from DLA Piper to Cadwalader, indicate that it is becoming increasingly difficult for larger firms to retain talent. “The market has been developing rapidly, with more UK and US firms setting up offices both in the mainland and in Hong Kong, and now with many US firms launching Hong Kong law practices,” said Dapiran.
“That means that there are a lot more opportunities, and many new challenges, in the market. In this sort of environment it is difficult for the more established firms to retain people,” he said. ALB
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