Dr. Mengyu Lu
Overview
She is very knowledgeable and experienced, as well as very client-focused and easy to work with. She is critical to keeping the transaction going, giving very good advice.” - Chambers Global 2021
Dr. Mengyu Lu is a corporate partner in the Firm’s Hong Kong office. Dr. Lu has extensive experience advising on initial public offerings and listings on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (“HKEx”), pre-IPO financings of issuers, mergers and acquisitions, and post-listing compliance matters.
IFLR named Dr. Lu to its list of 2021 “Asia Best Lawyers”. According to Chambers Asia-Pacific, a client praised her that “she managed the whole process and worked very hard. She's been very prompt, responsive and time-efficient, and has done a very good job.“ Asian Legal Business named her to its 2021 Asia “40 Under 40” list. Dr. Lu was also listed in China Business Law Journal “China’s Elite 100 Lawyers” in 2016–2018 and 2020–2021, and in Asian Legal Business “Top 15 Rising Lawyers” in 2017. Chambers Global and Chambers Greater China recognized Dr. Lu as a “Leading Lawyer” for China equity capital markets. IFLR1000 named her as a “Highly Regarded” lawyer for Hong Kong capital markets. Legal 500 ranked her as a “leading individual” Hong Kong equity capital markets.
Dr. Lu is a native Mandarin speaker and is fluent in English and Cantonese.
Experience
Representative Matters
Dr. Lu has advised on the followings (including matters prior to her rejoining to Kirkland & Ellis):
IPOs & SPAC Listings
- SPAC
- Vision Deal HK Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), on its listing of shares (HKSE: 7827) and warrants (HKSE: 4827) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on June 10, 2022. This marks the second Hong Kong SPAC listing, the first Hong Kong SPAC listing led by promoters with substantial entrepreneurial and private equity background, and the largest Hong Kong SPAC listing by offering size at the time of listing
- Healthcare
- The joint sponsors and underwriters on the global offering and listing of ImmuneOnco Biopharmaceuticals (Shanghai) Inc. (HKSE: 1541), a leading science-driven biotechnology company dedicated to the development of immuno-oncology therapies in China, on the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited on September 5, 2023
- Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (HKSE: 6990) on its US$174 million global offering and listing on the The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited on July 11, 2023
- ADICON Holdings Limited (“ADICON”) (HKSE: 9860) on its initial public offering and listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on June 30, 2023. ADICON owns and operates more than 30 diagnostic laboratories in China that offer health care testing services
- Yunkang Group Limited (HKSE: 2325), a leading medical operation service provider in China that offers a full suite of diagnostic testing services for medical institutions, on its approximately US$140 million global offering and listing on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
- Jiangsu Recbio Technology Co., Ltd. (HKSE: 2179), a vaccine company dedicated to the research, development and commercialization of subunit vaccines, on its global offering and listing of H-shares on the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited on March 31, 2022 — the first HPV vaccine stock in Hong Kong
- Arrail Group Limited (HKSE: 6639), the largest dental services provider in the premium private dental service market in China by revenue, on its global offering and listing on the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited on March 22, 2022
- The joint sponsors and underwriters on the global offering and listing of CANbridge Pharmaceuticals Inc. (HKSE: 1228), a rare disease-focused biopharmaceutical company committed to the research, development and commercialization of biotech therapies, on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited on December 10, 2021
- Beijing Airdoc Technology Co., Ltd. (HKSE: 2251), a global leader and pioneer in providing AI-empowered retina-based early detection, auxiliary diagnosis and health risk assessment solutions, on its US$215 million global offering and listing on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
- Clover Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd. (HKSE: 2197), a global clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to developing novel vaccines and biologic therapeutic candidates for infectious disease as well as cancer and autoimmune diseases, on its US$258 million global offering and listing on the The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
- The joint sponsors and underwriters on the US$400 million global offering and listing of Keymed Biosciences Inc. (HKSE: 2162), a biotechnology company focuses on the in-house discovery and development of innovative biological therapies in the autoimmune and oncology therapeutic areas, on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited on July 8, 2021
- Zhaoke Ophthalmology Limited (HKSE: 6622), a spin-off of Lee’s Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited (HKSE: 0950), on its US$270 million global offering and listing on the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited on April 29, 2021. Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C. and Jefferies Hong Kong Limited were joint sponsors and joint representatives for this IPO
- Suzhou Basecare Medical Corporate Limited (HKSE: 2170), an innovative platform of genetic testing solutions for assisted reproduction in China, in its US$233 million global offering of H-shares and listing on the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited
- MicroPort CardioFlow Medtech Corporation (HKSE: 2160) in connection with its US$322 million initial public offering and listing on the Main Board of HKEx. The listing is a spin-off from Hong Kong-listed MicroPort Scientific Corporation. MicroPort CardioFlow is a medical device company in China focusing on the research, development, and commercialization of innovative transcatheter and surgical solutions for valvular heart diseases
- Ocumension Therapeutics (HKSE: 1477), in its HK$1.4 billion (approximately US$182.5 million) IPO on the Main Board of HKEx. Ocumension Therapeutics, which started its business in 2017, is an ophthalmic pharmaceutical platform company dedicated to identifying, developing, and commercializing first or best-in-class ophthalmic therapies
- Kangji Medical Holdings Limited (HKSE: 9997) on its HK$3.1 billion (approximately US$404 million) IPO on the Main Board of HKEx as Hong Kong and U.S. legal counsel. Goldman Sachs (Asia) LLC, CLSA Capital Markets Limited and Merrill Lynch Far East Limited acted as joint sponsors for the transaction
- Alphamab Oncology in connection with its US$234 million IPO on the Main Board of HKEx. Alphamab Oncology is a leading clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company in China
- China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited, Merrill Lynch Far East Limited, CMB International Capital Limited, Fosun Hani Securities Limited and Citigroup Global Markets Asia Limited as joint sponsors; China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited, Merrill Lynch (Asia Pacific) Limited, BOCI Asia Limited, UBS AG Hong Kong Branch, CMB International Capital Limited, Fosun Hani Securities Limited and Citigroup Global Markets Asia Limited as the joint global coordinators; and several other underwriters in connection with Shanghai Henlius Biotech, Inc.’s US$397 million IPO and spin-off listing of H-Shares on the Main Board of HKEx. Shanghai Henlius Biotech, Inc. is a leading biopharmaceutical company in China
- China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited as sole sponsor and China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited, J.P. Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Limited, Nomura International (Hong Kong) Limited, BOCI Asia Limited, China Renaissance Securities (Hong Kong) Limited, Haitong International Securities Company Limited, Daiwa Capital Markets Hong Kong Limited and First Shanghai Securities Limited as underwriters in connection with Viva Biotech Holdings’ US$195 million IPO on the Main Board of HKEx. Viva Biotech Holdings is a leading open-access and innovation-driven technology platform company
- CanSino Biologics Inc., in connection with its US$161 million IPO and listing of H-Share on the Main Board of HKEx. CanSino Biologics Inc. is a bio-tech leader in research and development, manufacturing and commercialization of vaccine products for human use in China
- Ascletis Pharma, Inc., in connection with its US$457 million IPO on the Main Board of HKEx. Ascletis is the first biotechnology company successfully listed on the HKEx since HKEx’s new rules took effect on April 30, 2018, which opened the door to pre-revenue biotechnology companies
- Consumer & TMT
- ZX Inc. (HKSE: 9890), a leading online game products publisher in China, on its global offering and listing on the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited on September 28, 2023
- Citigroup Global Markets Asia Limited and China International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited, the joint sponsors of 360 DigiTech, Inc. (HKSE: 3660; NASDAQ: QFIN), a leading credit-tech platform in China, on the global offering and secondary listing on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
- The joint sponsors and underwriters on the global offering and listing of STAR CM Holdings Limited (HKSE: 6698) on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited on December 29, 2022. STAR CM is the largest variety program IP creator and operator in China in terms of revenue in 2021, owns and operates a large library of Chinese film IPs and is a music IP creator and operator in China
- Super Hi International Holdings Ltd. (HKSE: 9658) on its listing by way of introduction on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited on December 30, 2022, which constituted a spin-off of Super Hi from the hotpot giant Haidilao International Holding Ltd. (HKSE: 6862) and its separate listing on the Stock Exchange. Super Hi is a leading international Chinese restaurant brand. Morgan Stanley Asia Limited and Huatai Financial Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited were the joint sponsors
- The sponsors and underwriters on the US$655 million global offering and listing of Nayuki Holdings Limited (HKSE: 2150), a leading premium modern teahouse brand in China, on the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited
- Yum China Holdings, Inc. (HKSE: 9987, NYSE: YUMC) in its HK$17 billion (US$2.2 billion) secondary listing on the Main Board of HKEx. Yum China is the largest restaurant company in China with flagship brands including KFC and Pizza Hut, as well as emerging brands such as Little Sheep, Huang Ji Huang, COFFii & JOY, East Dawning, Taco Bell, and Lavazz
- Haidilao International Holding Ltd. in connection with its US$964 million IPO on the Main Board of HKEx. Haidilao International Holding Ltd is a globally leading and fast-growing Chinese cuisine restaurant brand focusing on hot pot cuisine
- The joint sponsors and underwriters in connection with the HK$975 million (US$125.74 million) IPO on the Main Board of HKEx of Strawbear Entertainment Group (HKSE: 2125)
- Joy Spreader Interactive Technology. Ltd (HKSE: 6988) in connection with its IPO on the Main Board of HKEx. The offering raised net proceeds of HK$1.56 billion (approximately US$200 million). Joy Spreader is one of the leading performance-based we-media marketing service providers in China
- BabyTree Group in connection with its US$218 million IPO on the Main Board of HKEx. BabyTree Group is one of the largest and most active M&C-focused community-based platforms in China
- BofA Merrill Lynch, Standard Chartered, Guotai Junan and ICBCI as joint bookrunners in the US$66 million H-share listing of Xiao Nan Guo Restaurants Holdings Limited on the HKEx
- Education
- The sole sponsor and underwriters in connection with the IPO of China Chunlai Education Group Co., Ltd listed on the Main Board of HKEx with a total offering amount of approximately US$80 million. China Chunlai Education Group Co., Ltd. is a leading provider of private higher education in China
- The sole sponsor and underwriters in the US$198 million IPO and listing of China YuHua Education Corporation Limited on the Main Board of HKEx
- Financial Institutions
- Noah Holdings Limited (HKSE: 06686; NYSE: NOAH), a leading and pioneer wealth management service provider in China, on its secondary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, which includes a global offering
- The underwriters and joint sponsors in the H-Share IPO and listing of Bank of Jiujiang Co., Ltd., on the HKEx with a total offering amount of approximately US$468 billion (approximately HK$3.7 billion)
- The joint sponsors and underwriters in the H-Share IPO of Guangzhou Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd., on the Main Board of HKEx with a total offering amount of approximately US$1 billion (approximately HK$7.8 billion)
- The joint sponsors and underwriters in the US$2.3 billion H-Share listing of China Huarong Asset Management Co., Ltd., on the Main Board of HKEx
- Other Industries
- The joint sponsors and underwriters on the global offering and listing of TUHU Car Inc. (HKSE: 9690), a leading online and offline integrated platform for automotive service in China, on the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited on September 26, 2023
- The joint sponsors and underwriters on the US$1.52 billion global offering and dual primary listing of Li Auto Inc. (HKSE: 2015) on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
- Rizhao Port Jurong Co., Ltd., in connection with its US$70 million IPO and spin-off listing of H-Shares on the Main Board of HKEx. Rizhao Port Jurong Co., Ltd. is the largest port for grain and woodchip imports in China
- Shandong Gold Mining Co., Ltd., an A-share listed company, in connection with its US$594 million offering and listing of H-Shares on the Main Board of HKEx. Shandong Gold is engaged in the mining and smelting of gold
- China Railway Signal & Communication Corporation Limited in its US$1.4 billion H-share listing on the Main Board of HKEx
- Qinhuangdao Port Co., Ltd. in its US$560 million H-share listing on the Main Board of HKEx
- J.P. Morgan, CITIC Securities, UBS and Goldman Sachs as joint global coordinators in the US$1.78 billion H-share listing of Sinopec Engineering (Group) Co., Ltd. on the Main Board of HKEx
- NVC Lighting Holding Limited in its US$210 million H-share listing on the HKEx
Other Securities Offerings
- Will Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Shanghai (SHA: 603501), a global leading fabless semiconductor company, in its US$445 million offering of 31,000,000 global depositary receipts. This transaction marked the largest offshore listing by a China-based semiconductor company since 2005
- Clover Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd. (HKSE: 2197) on its entry into a placing agreement with the placing agent, pursuant to which Clover allotted and issued 128,000,000 shares at the price of HK$3.95 per share. The total transaction amount was approximately HK$510 million
- Alphamab Oncology (HKSE: 09966), a leading China-based biopharmaceutical company, on the raising of approximately HK$380.5 million by way of top-up placing of 25 million existing shares and issuing the same amount of shares under general mandate
- Joy Spreader Group Inc. (HKSE: 6988), a leading China-based marketing technology company, on the raising of approximately US$77.5 million by way of top-up placing of existing shares. Goldman Sachs was the sole placing agent
- Haidilao International Holding Ltd. (HKSE: 6862), a leading Chinese hotpot restaurant chain, on the raising of approximately US$300 million by way of top-up placing of 115 million existing shares
- CICC, as underwriter’s counsel, in the issuance of US1.9 billion new H-Shares by China Cinda, with a total consideration of approximately RMB5.5 billion (US$800 million)
- Goldman Sachs, China Galaxy International and Nomura as joint global coordinators in the US$3.1 billion H-share placement of China Galaxy Securities Co., Ltd
- China Merchants Securities (HK) Co., the financial adviser, in connection with the H-share issuance of Datang International Power Generation Co., Ltd. Completion of the H-Share Issuance took place on March 19, 2018. The gross proceeds raised from the H-Share Issuance amounted to approximately HK$6.2 billion (approximately US$800 million)
- The seller in connection with the placement of 14,500,000 existing shares of Alphamab Oncology (HKSE: 9966). The total transaction value is approximately HK$239.3 million (US$30 million). Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc acts as the sole placing agent of the transaction
- The sellers in connection with the placement of 47 million existing shares of Haidilao International Holding Ltd. (HKSE: 6862). The total transaction value is approximately HK$1.56 billion
Bonds & Senior Notes Issuance
- NIO Inc. (NIO) (NYSE: NIO; HKEx: 9866; SGX: NIO) in its offering of $500 million in aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes due 2029 (2029 Notes) and $500 million in aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes due 2030 (2030 Notes)
- Viva Biotech Holdings in its offering of US$180 million guaranteed convertible bonds due 2025 through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Viva Incubator Investment Management Limited, pursuant to Regulation S
- Hilong Holding Limited, a leading integrated oilfield equipment and service provider operating in the PRC and international markets, in an offer to purchase its outstanding 7.25% senior notes due 2020, subject to a maximum acceptance amount and featuring an allocation priority in a concurrent new notes issuance, and the concurrent new issuance of 8.25% senior notes due 2022
Private Equity, M&A & Other Corporate Matters
- ZG Group, a leading iron & steel e-commerce platform in China, on its business combination with Aquila Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company. The negotiated value of ZG Group in this transaction is HK$10,004,000,000, and the committed PIPE investment as of the signing date is approximately HK$605 million. This is the first de-SPAC transaction in Hong Kong since the introduction of the SPAC listing regime in Hong Kong on 1 January 2022
- Suzhou Ribo Life Science Co., Ltd. (Ribo), a clinical stage company developing innovative RNAi technologies and oligonucleotide therapeutics, on the successful completion of its $40 million Series E1 financing
- Carlyle on its US$210 million investment, as a cornerstone investor, in connection with HUTCHMED’s primary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. HUTCHMED has primary listings on NASDAQ and on AIM
- Bain Capital in its US$200 million strategic investment in Newlinks Technology Limited, a fast-growing online energy technology platform in China
- Airdoc, a global market leader and pioneer in providing AI-empowered retina-based early detection, diagnosis and health risk assessment solutions, in the successful completion of its Series D financing. Lilly Asia Ventures, Lake Bleu Capital and OrbiMed jointly participated in this investment
- Clover Biopharmaceuticals, a global clinical-stage biotechnology company developing transformative biologics as vaccines and therapeutics for the world’s most debilitating diseases, on the successful completion of an oversubscribed US$230 million Series C financing. The financing round was co-led by GL Ventures and Temasek, with participation from Oceanpine Capital, OrbiMed and existing investor Delos Capital
- EDDA Healthcare and Technology Holding Limited, a pioneer in the field of intelligent robotic solutions for precision surgery, on the successful completion of a US$150 million financing round. Softbank Vision Fund 2 led this investment round with participation from OrbiMed and 3W Fund
- Ocumension Therapeutics (HKSE: 1477) in connection with its subscription of shares in EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: EYPT). Upon completion of the transaction, Ocumension holds approximately 16.6% of the enlarged total outstanding shares of EyePoint. Ocumension Therapeutics is an ophthalmic pharmaceutical platform company
- Pre-IPO investments of AlphaMab Oncology, Zhaoke Ophthalmology Limited and Microport Cardioflow
- Advaccine in a collaboration and license agreement with INOVIO for COVID-19 DNA vaccine candidate INO-4800. Advaccine is an emerging biotech company with next-generation technology in vaccines, both preventive and therapeutic
- Babytree Group, a leading online parenting services platform in China, on a strategic investment by Alibaba Group
- Xiwang Foodstuffs Co., Ltd., in its US$730 million acquisition of Kerr Investment Holding Corp / Iovate Health Sciences International, Inc
- CICC, as the sole financial advisor to CGN Mining Company Limited, in relation to CGN Mining’s acquisition of 19.99% equity interest in the TSX-listed Fission Uranium Corp. for CA$82 million (equivalent to approximately HK$450 million)
- CFLD International Holdings Limited (CFLD) in its borrowing of US$100 million from China CITIC Bank International Limited
Prior Experience
Sidley Austin, 2015–2021
Kirkland & Ellis, 2011–2015
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, 2008–2010
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Recognition
“Leading Individual”, Capital Markets (Equity) – Hong Kong, Legal 500 (2023–2024)
“Leading Lawyer”, Capital Markets: Equity (International Firms) – China, Chambers Greater China (2022–2023)
“Leading Lawyer”, Capital Markets: Equity (International Firms) – China, Chambers Global (2022–2023)
“Highly Regarded”, Capital Markets: Equity, IFLR 1000 (2022–2023)
“Highly Regarded”, Capital Markets: Debt, IFLR 1000 (2022–2023)
“A-List China’s Elite 100 Lawyers”, China Business Law Journal (2021)
“Best Asia Lawyer”, IFLR Asia Best Lawyers (2021)
Asia “40 Under 40”, Asian Legal Business (2021)
“Up and Coming”, Capital Markets: Equity – China, Chambers Asia-Pacific (2021)
"Top 15 Rising Lawyers", Asian Legal Business (2017)
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- New York
- Hong Kong (Solicitor)
Languages
- English
- Mandarin
- Cantonese
Education
- Chinese Academy of Social SciencesPh.D., Economics
- Duke University School of LawLL.M.
- China University of Political Science and LawLL.B.