Jesse Sheley

Partner Mergers & Acquisitions Private Equity
Kirkland & Ellis

Hong Kong +852 3761 3344

Jesse Sheley

Overview

He has strong technical competencies, excellent leadership skills to ensure his team meets or exceeds our expectations, and a commercial mindset to achieve the ideal outcome for his clients. - Chambers Greater China, 2025

Jesse Sheley is a partner in the Hong Kong office of Kirkland & Ellis. Jesse focuses on mergers and acquisitions where he represents private equity firms and public and private companies in a variety of public and private cross-border transactions. Jesse’s transactional practice spans the range of M&A activity, including LBOs, take private transactions, PIPEs, equity investments and other complex cross-border transactions.

Jesse has spent more than a decade based in Asia advising global private equity sponsors on their complex and multi-jurisdictional transactions and investments.

Chambers Greater China 2025 recognized Jesse as a leading lawyer in Private Equity: Buyouts & Venture Capital Investment. Chambers Asia-Pacific highlights Jesse’s adeptness “at handling cross-border M&A transactions in the Asia-Pacific region” and cites his focus on representing private equity sponsors in innovative and sophisticated business transactions while noting that clients praise him as “very diligent, extremely responsive and detail-oriented” and “truly in his element when it comes to U.S.-related transactions.” Who’s Who Legal 2024 recognized Jesse as a “Global Leader” for M&A and Governance. In 2015, Law360 selected Jesse as one of five Private Equity “Rising Stars” in its list of top attorneys under 40.

Significant Private Equity Representations

  • The Carlyle Group in its:
    • acquisition of KFC Holdings Japan, the operator of the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) fast-food franchise in Japan, together with the related long term franchise arrangements with brand owner, Yum! Brands
    • US$1.8 billion sale of its stake in the strategic partnership that operates and manages McDonald's franchised businesses in China, Hong Kong and Macau to McDonald’s Corp
    • US$2.08 billion acquisition, together with, CITIC Limited and CITIC Capital Holdings, of the master franchisee for McDonald’s in China and Hong Kong
    • leveraged buyout of VXI Global Solutions
    • take private of NYSE-listed 7 Days Inn, together with Sequoia Capital China and Actis
  • Bain Capital Asia in its:
    • leveraged buy-out of VXI Global Solutions
    • take private of NASDAQ-listed China Fire & Security
    • acquisition of ASIMCO Technologies
    • PIPE investment into HKSE-listed GOME
  • KKR in its:
    • investments in Joulon Group
    • investment in Mandala Energy
  • Warburg Pincus in its investment in Xuyen A, a leading private tertiary general hospital group in Vietnam
  • Advantage Partners in its:
    • acquisition of TeleGuam Holdings and subsequent proposed sale to state-run PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk
    • sale of TeleGuam Holdings to Huntsman Family Investments
    • acquisition of GST AutoLeather
    • acquisition of Seton Company
  • Crescent Point Capital on is sale of the Crescent Point Capital Platform to Ares Management Corporation
  • Silver Lake Partners in connection with its acquisition of Allyes Online Media
  • Multiple other private equity sponsors in connection with confidential M&A matters throughout Asia

Significant Public M&A Representations

  • GLP: A consortium comprising Hillhouse Capital Management, HOPU Investment Management, Global Logistic Properties Limited (GLP) founder Ming Mei’s SMG, Bank of China Group Investment and China Vanke Co. in its US$11.6 billion take private of GLP (SGX: MC0)
  • Qihoo360: A consortium consisting of CITIC Guoan, Golden Brick Silk Road Capital, Sequoia Capital China, Taikang Life Insurance, Ping An Insurance, Sunshine Insurance, New China Capital, Huatai Ruilian and Huasheng Capital in the their US$9.3 billion take private acquisition of NYSE-listed Qihoo360 Technology Co
  • Nord Anglia Education: The Special Committee of NYSE-listed Nord Anglia Education in connection with its take private acquisition by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Baring Private Equity Asia
  • Focus Media: The Special Committee of NASDAQ-listed Focus Media in connection with its US$3.7 billion take private by The Carlyle Group, FountainVest, CITIC Capital, China Everbright and Focus Media’s chairman
  • Tudou: NASDAQ-listed Tudou in connection with its US$1.1 billion stock-for-stock merger with NYSE-listed Youku Inc.
  • AutoNavi: The Special Committee of NASDAQ-listed AutoNavi in connection with its sale to Alibaba Group Holding Limited in a transaction that valued AutoNavi at US$1.5 billion
  • TH International Limited: Advised TH International Limited (“Tims China”; NASDAQ: THCH) on its acquisition of PLKC International (“Popeyes China”) to become the exclusive operator and developer of the Popeyes® brand in mainland China and Macau
  • Qunar: The Special Committee of NASDAQ-listed Qunar Cayman Islands Limited in connection with its take private by a consortium led by Ocean Management Limited in a transaction implying an equity value of approximately US$4.44 billion
  • Trina Solar: The Special Committee of NYSE-listed Trina Solar Limited in connection with its take private by a consortium led by Mr. Jifan Gao, its chairman and CEO
  • Giant Interactive: CDH as a consortium member in its US$3 billion take private of NYSE-listed Giant Interactive
  • Agria Corporation: the Special Committee of NYSE-listed Agria Corporation in connection with its proposed take private by a buyer group led by the executive chairman Mr. Guanglin Lai
  • Youku Tudou: J.P. Morgan, as financial advisor to the Special Committee of NYSE-listed Youku Tudou, in connection with its take private by NYSE-listed Alibaba Group
  • Bona Film Group: A consortium including Sequoia, Fosun, SAIF, Alibaba Pictures Group Limited and Tencent in connection with their take private of NASDAQ-listed Bona Film at an implied enterprise value of approximately US$1 billion
  • iDreamSky: A consortium of investors including V Capital, Prometheus Capital, Legend Capital, We Capital and Star VC in their take private of NASDAQ-listed iDreamSky Technology Limited
  • Country Style Cooking Restaurant Chain: The Special Committee of NYSE-listed Country Style Cooking Restaurant Chain in connection with its take private by a buyer group including the company’s co-founders, Ms. Hong Li and Mr. Xingqiang Zhang
  • eLong: The Special Committee of NASDAQ-listed eLong in connection with its take private by a consortium that included Tencent Holdings Limited, Ctrip.com and certain other existing shareholders of eLong
  • Vimicro: The Special Committee of NASDAQ-listed Vimicro in connection with its take private by Zhonghan (John) Deng and Zhaowei (Kevin) Jin, co-chief executive officers of Vimicro
  • AirMedia Group: The Special Committee of NASDAQ-listed AirMedia in connection with its take private by Herman Man Guo, chairman and chief executive officer of AirMedia, and certain other members of management
  • China Mobile Games and Entertainment: NASDAQ-listed CMGE in connection with its take private by Orient Securities Company Limited, Changjiang Securities and Beijing HT Capital Investment Management
  • Ganji.com: Ganji.com and certain of its shareholders in the sale of an approximately 43% equity stake in Ganji to NYSE-listed 58.com Inc. for a combination of cash and 58.com shares valued at over US$1.6 billion
  • iSoftStone: The Special Committee in connection with the take private of NYSE-listed iSoftStone by China Everbright and iSoftStone’s chairman and CEO
  • Montage Technology: Shanghai Pudong Science and Technology Investment Co., Ltd., a state-owned enterprise under the direct administration of Pudong New Area government of Shanghai, in its US$693 million take private of NASDAQ-listed Montage Technology Group Limited
  • Vipshop Holdings Limited: NYSE-listed Vipshop Holdings Limited in its acquisition of a 75% equity interest in Lefeng.com Limited and its acquisition of a 23% equity interest in Ovation Entertainment Limited
  • China Nuokang Bio-Pharmaceutical: Advised the Company’s founder and China Grand in connection with its leveraged buyout of NASDAQ-listed China Nuokang Bio-Pharmaceutical
  • ShangPharma: J.P. Morgan, as financial advisor to the Special Committee of NYSE-listed ShangPharma, in connection with the take private by TPG and a group of ShangPharma management
  • Biomet: NASDAQ-listed Biomet in connection with its US$11.4 billion take private by Blackstone, Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, KKR and TPG
  • Nuveen Investments: Madison Dearborn Partners in connection with its US$6.3 take private of NYSE-listed Nuveen

De-SPAC Representations

  • Webull Corporation, a leading digital investment platform, in its business combination with SK Growth Opportunities Corporation
  • AP Acquisition Corp. in its proposed business combination with JEPLAN, Inc., a global leader in chemically recycled PET technology
  • MoneyHero Group in its business combination with Bridgetown Holdings Limited
  • L Catterton Asia Acquisition Corp. in its business combination with Lotus Technology Inc., a leading global luxury electric vehicle maker that operates under the iconic British brand, Lotus
  • TH International Limited (Tims China), the master franchisee and operator of Tim Hortons coffee shops in China, in its business combination with Silver Crest Acquisition Corporation
  • Asia Innovations Group Limited, a leading mobile social company across emerging markets, in its proposed business combination with Magnum Opus Acquisition Limited
  • Magnum Opus Acquisition Limited in its proposed business combination with Forbes Global Media Holdings Inc., the iconic business information brand, and subsequent strategic investment from Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency and blockchain infrastructure providers
  • Poema Global Holdings Corp. in its business combination with Gogoro Inc., a global technology leader in battery swapping ecosystems that enable sustainable mobility solutions for cities
  • Artisan Acquisition Corp. in its business combination with Prenetics Group Limited, a global leader in genomic and diagnostic testing

More

Thought Leadership

Seminars

Moderator, “Exits and Liquidity,” Asia Private Equity Forum 2015, Hong Kong, 21 January 2015

Instructor, “Deal Protection and Risk Allocation,” Private Equity Fundamentals Course 2014, The Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, Hong Kong, 8 October 2014

Instructor, “Principal China Regulatory Issues,” Private Equity Fundamentals Course 2014, The Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, Hong Kong, 18 September 2014

Panelist (chair), “Mergers & Acquisitions,” Asialaw, Asia-Pacific In-house Counsel Summit, Hong Kong, 22 March 2012

Panelist, “Taking US-Listed Chinese Companies Private,” Chinese Financial Executive Institute, The CFO Forum, Shanghai, China, 1 December 2011

Speaker, “Cross-border M&A – Structures, Issues and Pitfalls to be Avoided,” Association Internationale des Jeunes Avocats, Mumbai, India, 3 December 2010

Lecturer, “Doing the Deal: Emerging Issues in M&A by Outbound Chinese Investors,” Tsinghua University China Center of Financial Research, Private Equity and Venture Capital Institute, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, 14 May 2010

Lecturer, “Doing the Deal: Minority Private Equity Investments in China,” Tsinghua University China Center of Financial Research, Private Equity and Venture Capital Institute, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, 23 March 2010

Panelist, “How to Make Cash in 2010,” International Financial Law Review, Asia Private Equity Forum 2009, Hong Kong, 15 September 2009

Publications

Author, “The Evolution of Entrepreneurialism: An Introduction to Private Equity,” Private Equity, Does China Need It? April 2007 (with David Patrick Eich and Chuan Li)

Recognition

Recognized as a Leading Lawyer for Private Equity: Buyouts & Venture Capital Investment (International Firms) – China, Chambers Greater China (2025)

Recognized as “Highly Regarded” in M&A – Hong Kong by IFLR1000 (2022–2024)

Recognized as “Highly Regarded” in Private Equity – Hong Kong by IFLR1000 (2022–2024)

Recognized as a “Global Leader” for M&A and Governance, Who's Who Legal (2024)

Recognized as a “National Leader” for M&A – Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR & Macao SAR, Who's Who Legal (2024)

Recognized as a key individual in Private Equity: Buyouts by Chambers Asia-Pacific (2012–2018)

Recognized as a 2015 Rising Star in Private Equity by Law360

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • 2011Hong Kong
  • 2003Illinois

Languages

  • English
  • Mandarin

Education

  • Indiana UniversityJ.D.cum laude2003
  • Indiana UniversityM.P.A., International Affairs2003
  • Indiana UniversityB.A., Political Sciencewith High Distinction1999