Ricky Ip

What do you focus on?

I currently work in the Corporate and Commerical department focusing on a variety of corporate matters including corporate finance and M&A. Prior to joining Nixon Peabody CWL, I was a Legal Manager at a family office where I was involved in all legal and compliance aspects of the company’s principal investments, corporate and financing transactions, SFC license application, and fund formation. Prior to that I was the APAC Regional Documentation Specialist for the Global Transaction Services department of Bank of America Merrill Lynch and before that as an Asia Legal Manager in the Legal and Business Affairs department of Electronic Arts. I began my career as a legal assistant at a leading Wall Street law firm in Hong Kong where I focused on capital markets and M&A transactions including international offerings for Chinese companies.

What do you see on the horizon?

Hong Kong will play an indispensable role under China’s Belt and Road and the Greater Bay Area Initiatives. Hong Kong’s well established legal framework, attractive tax system and its status as an international legal and dispute resolution services center in the Asia Pacific region will help promote and support the development of these initiatives. The legal profession who is well versed in both the international and the PRC’s legal and regulatory landscape will play an important role in the progress of such initiatives.

One particular area is the rise of blockchain technology. The development of blockchain technology will fundamentally change the way many commercial transactions are conducted. Benefits of such technology include, among others, lowering transaction costs and reducing human labor and error. The Hong Kong Government and industry leading companies have already announced initiatives to use blockchain technology for trade and financing so I expect to see legal and regulatory innovations to accommodate blockchain technology.

Representative Experience

Prior to joining Nixon Peabody CWL, Ricky has been involved in a number of significant transactions including the following:

Mergers & Acquisitions and other matters

• A PRC conglomerate in its US$450 million investment in a third largest airline company in Brazil (2016)
• A HK based investment company in its investment in a logistics and warehousing company in Vietnam (2016)
• A PRC conglomerate in its US$800 million acquisition of a leading global container leasing company (2015)
• A HK based investment company in its investment in a coal hauling and logistics company in Indonesian (2014–2015)
• A HK based investment company in its investment in an equipment rental and leasing company in India (2016)
• Electronic Art’s license and distribution agreements with various game publishers including Tencent as well as game licensing, operational, intellectual property and regulatory issues (2007-2011)
• Electronic Art’s US$300 million acquisition of a leading creator of social network games (2009)
• Electronic Art’s US$167 million acquisition of 15% of the common shares in The9 Limited (2007)
• Bank of China in a (i) a US$3.1 billion equity investment in the Bank by a consortium led by the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, (ii) a US$ billion equity investment in the Bank by Temasek Holdings, (iii) a US$500 million equity investment in the Bank by UBS AG, and (iv) a US$75 million equity investment in the Bank by the Asian Development Bank (2005–2006)
• Shanda Interactive Entertainment in its acquisition of a 19.5% equity interest in Sina Corporation, both Nasdaq-listed companies in the PRC (2005)
• R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. in its acquisition of Asia Printers Group (2005–2006)
• DP World (formerly known as Dubai Ports International) in its US$1.14 billion acquisition of CSX’s international port and marine terminal business (2004–2005)
• DP World (formerly known as Dubai Ports International) in its HK$1.58 billion acquisition (through CSXWT Terminal 8 Limited) of 39.1% of Asia Container Terminals Holdings Limited (2004)
• Thomson S.A. in its €540 million combination of the worldwide television business of Thomson and TCL to create the then world’s largest producer of televisions (2004)

Securities Offering

• Bank of China Limited in its US$2.2 billion initial public offering, which included a public offering and listing in Hong Kong and a Rule 144A offering in the United States (2006)
• Ping An Insurance (Group) Company Ltd. in its US$1.84 billion initial public offering, which included a public offering and listing in Hong Kong and a Rule 144A offering in the United States (2005)
• Shenhua Energy Co. Ltd. in its US$3.3 billion initial public offering, which included a public offering and listing in Hong Kong and a Rule 144A offering in the United States (2005)
• Shanda Interactive Entertainment in its US$152 million initial public offering (2004)
• Kongzhong Corporation in its US$100 million initial public offering and Nasdaq listing (2004)