ENG

  • David WANG

    Equity Partner / Shanghai

  • Tel +86-21-6061-3186

    Email davidwang@zhonglun.com

  • Practices

    Investment/M&A & Corporate Governance, Compliance & Investigation, Litigation & Arbitration

CV

David WANG

Mr. Wang's major practice areas include mergers and acquisitions, foreign direct investment, corporate, compliance, financing, as well as litigation and arbitration.

As a trailblazing lawyer to engage in foreign-related legal practice in Shanghai, China, Mr. Wang has been providing international legal services for nearly 30 years. Years of substantial track record enables him to represent multinational companies in various business sectors in a wide range of matters, including foreign direct investment, corporate matters, commercial transactions, cross-border M&A, joint venture, financing, reorganization, compliance, business trust, and dispute resolution. For his stellar work, Mr. Wang has been recommended by a wide range of international appraisal organizations as "Asia Leading Lawyer" and "Recommended Lawyer in M&A Area" for consecutive years. Notably, in 2017, he advised clients on the USD 11.6 billion acquisition of all the issued and paid-up ordinary shares of Global Logistic Properties Limited. It is so far the largest private equity buy-out deal in Asia and the largest cross-border transaction completed by Chinese entities since 2017.

Mr. Wang's clients spread over different industries, including equipment manufacturing, automobile, logistics, financing, healthcare, education, hotel, steel, restaurant and catering, chemical, shipping, sports and entertainment, leasing, consulting and etc., and cover different regions in North America, Europe, and Asia.

In addition, Mr. Wang has participated in many complicated domestic and international litigation and arbitration cases, and as a member of the panel of arbitrators of well-known arbitration centers both at home and abroad, he has participated and handed down decisions in many international arbitration cases. In the meantime, Mr. Wang has also been serving as a PRC law expert to provide PRC law expert opinion in foreign litigation proceedings and arbitration hearings. Mr. Wang's many years of commercial transaction experience enables him to offer profound and ingenious insight when settling commercial disputes, and his abundant dispute resolution experience also equips him to adopt a proactive, preventive approach in commercial transactions, anticipating and mitigating potential conflicts.

Representative Matters

Mergers and Acquisitions

  • Represented Mativ Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MATV) in its sale of engineered papers business and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented Crane Holdings, Co. in its reorganization demerger as a NYSE listed company and acquisition of Baum lined piping GmbH and its Chinese subsidiary, as well as the reorganization after the acquisition, and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) on the carve-out and sale of its technical inspection and verification business and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented Converge Technology Solutions Corporation in its acquisition of TIG Group and the post-acquisition liquidation and dissolution of the Chinese subsidiary and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented Advanced Energy Industries in its acquisition of SL Power Electronics Corporation and SL Delaware Holdings, Inc. and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented Emerson Electric Co. in its acquisition of Mita-Teknik, a leading company in the wind power industry, and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented BOCOM Wealth Management Co., Ltd. in its formation of joint venture company with Schroders and provided full-spectrum legal services, including but not limited to feasibility study, conducting due diligence, drafting and revising transaction documents, attending contract negotiation, and providing other legal consultation

  • Represented American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) in its acquisition of the equity interests held by the Chinese partner in ABS's joint venture company in China, and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented Gultech China Pte. Ltd., the subsidiary of an associated company of Tuan Sing Holdings Limited (SGX Symbol: T24), in its divestment of approximately 15.5% of the total shares in the issued share capital of Gultech (Jiangsu) Electronics Co., Ltd to eight China-based private equity investors, and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented ReSource Pro, LLC in the China part of the sales of its business process outsourcing services and business practice management services worldwide and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) in its indirect acquisition of two logistic real estate projects in China and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented The Jackson Laboratory in its establishment of a joint venture with Anitech for manufacturing of laboratory animals and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented Purolite Corporation in its restructuring and sale of its resin business and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services including due diligence, restructuring, and transactional documents 

  • Represented Omni Logistics, LLC in its acquisition of AGW Group companies and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services including due diligence, transactional documents drafting, review, etc.

  • Represented Omni Logistics, LLC in its acquisition of Trinity Logistics and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services including due diligence, restructuring, and transactional documents

  • Represented a pharmacy chain to accept equity investment from a renowned pharmaceutical industrial investment fund

  • Represented Tyrolit Group in selling shares in its PRC subsidiary, a company that engaged in production of grinding tools

  • Represented DEKRA in its divestment of PRC vehicle inspection business and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented Western Digital Cooperation in its full disposal of its PRC subsidiary and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented Armstrong World Industries in its full disposal of its PRC subsidiary and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented TKH Group NV in its full disposal of its PRC subsidiary and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented TKH Group NV in its acquisition of one foreign-invested high-tech sensor company in China

  • Represented a large multi-national company in Germany in its internal restructuring in the Greater China region and provided full-spectrum PRC legal services

  • Represented Helvetica Capital AG in its acquisition of two foreign-invested bearing companies in China

  • Represented a Swiss private equity fund to acquire a business unit of a well-known multinational company, with presence all over the world, and provided PRC legal advice regarding certain top-level managers' investment along with the fund

  • Represented VIKING Life-Saving Equipment A/S in its acquisition of Norsafe, a Norwegian boatbuilder

  • Represented Aboitiz Equity Ventures in its acquisition of Gold Coin Group

  • Represented Colfax Corporation in its acquisition of Gas Control Equipment

  • Represented Acuity Brands in its sales of a domestic company and a HK subsidiary to a PRC buyer

  • Represented Acuity Brands, Inc. in its acquisition of IOTA Engineering and its subsidiaries

  • Provided legal services to HAVI in its formation of a joint venture with SF Holding

  • Represented Project Management Institute, Inc. (PMI) on the renewal of its cooperation agreement with the Training Center of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, P.R. China

  • Represented the consortium comprising HOPU, Hillhouse Capital, SMG, BOCGI, and Vanke in its USD 11.6 billion acquisition of all the issued and paid-up ordinary shares of Global Logistic Properties Limited, with the mandate being the largest private equity buy-out deal in Asia so far and the largest cross-border transaction completed by Chinese entities in 2017

  • Represented PineBridge Investments, a US PE firm, in providing acquisition loan to a US company for acquiring several Chinese IT service companies and assisted the client also in investigating labor issues, liabilities issues, and compliance of the target companies

  • Represented SCHMOLZ + BICKENBACH AG on its establishment of a joint venture with Decent Group (one of the Tsingshan Group companies)

  • Represented Outokumpu on its divestment of its PRC joint venture, Shanghai Krupp Stainless Co., Ltd., in two tranches, which included equity transfers both domestically and offshore and price adjustment mechanism

  • Represented TAGAL, a joint venture of Anseel and ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG, in its formation of a Sino-foreign joint venture in Chongqing with Pansteel and ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG

  • Represented TAGAL in its formation of a Sino-foreign joint venture in Guangzhou with Ansteel and Guangzhou Automobile Group Business Co., Ltd (GAC)

  • Represented ASPAC Land Development (Shanghai) Limited in its equity acquisition of Virtuous Land Development Co., Ltd.

  • Represented ASPAC Land Development (Shanghai) Limited in its sale of equity interest in the project "Dijie International City" to Vanke Group in Shanghai

  • Represented NETS [Network of Electronic Transfers (Singapore) Pte Ltd.] in its sale of equity interest in an equity joint venture (developing electronic payment system) to several state-owned companies

  • Represented International Paper in its PRC entities' restructure and divestments of its business departments

  • Represented SPX Corporation in its joint venture projects, manufacturing project, sale of business units, equity transfers, etc.

  • Represented Middleby Corporation in its acquisition of a leading manufacturer of induction cooking equipment for the commercial food service industry

  • Represented Middleby Corporation in its acquisition of a beverage-dispensing equipment manufacturer

  • Represented a Chinese private company in its sale of equity and formation of joint venture with Stanley Black & Decker

  • Represented Tyco in its acquisitions of PRC companies, establishments of new entities, manufacturing project, restructure of its PRC entities, sale of business units, etc.

  • Represented Yara, a leading Norwegian fertilizer company, in establishment of an equity joint venture in Guizhou with its Chinese partner

  • Represented Yara in its equity acquisition of a fertilizer company from Sinochem

  • Represented Magna in its asset acquisition of an automobile parts supplier in China

  • Represented Visteon in its acquisitions of Chinese auto system supplier

  • Represented Visteon in its acquisition of the automotive electronics business of Johnson Controls

  • Represented Richline Group, Inc. in its acquisition of The Aaron Group's business in China

  • Represented Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor Co., Ltd. and Sunpower Manufacturing Corporation Limited in their establishment of a joint venture with Dongfang Electric Corporation

  • Represented Givaudan S.A. in establishing its aroma products manufacturing joint venture in China

 

Banking and Finance

Syndicated Loan and Project Finance

  • Represented the consortium comprised of HOPU, Hillhouse Capital, SMG, BOCGI, and Vanke in its financing strategy for acquiring Global Logistic Properties, with the mandate being the largest private equity buy-out deal in Asia so far and the largest cross-border transaction completed by Chinese entities in 2017

  • Represented a leading steel company in its CNY 1 billion syndicated term loan and revolving facility financing and CNY 1.1 billion syndicated term loan and revolving facility

  • Represented Industry and Commerce Bank of China in its CNY 380 million syndicated term loan and revolving facility financing to fund a water utility construction project

  • Represented Bank of China in its CNY 385 million syndicated term loan financing to fund a real estate development project in Shanghai

  • Represented China Construction Bank Hong Kong Branch in its HKD 187 million term loan financing to fund a real estate development project in Shanghai

  • Represented China Agricultural Bank on its CNY 580 million syndicated term loan financing to fund a real estate development project in Shanghai

  • Represented CITIC Bank on its HKD 103 million term loan financing to fund the acquisition a real estate project in Shanghai

  • Represented Industry and Commerce Bank of China on its refinancing for a real property project in Shanghai

  • Represented Bank of America Shanghai Branch on its USD 425 million syndicated term loan and revolving facility financing to fund a copper manufacturing project

  • Provided PRC legal opinions for several bank financing projects


Working Capital Facility

  • Represented DBS Shanghai Branch in its revolving facility in USD to a Chinese airline company

  • Represented the Chinese subsidiaries of Magna in their working capital facilities extended by Citibank, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Bank of Communications

  • Represented the Chinese subsidiaries of ThyssenKrupp in their working capital facilities extended by Agricultural Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Commerzbank, etc.

  • Structured Finance  

  • Drafted templates for DBS's account receivables purchase business in PRC

  • Represented DBS in its purchase of account receivables

  • Represented various telecommunication equipment/service providers and banks in several off-balance-sheet financings with respect to the account receivables and notes

  • Represented Shanghai International Trust and Investment Company in its structured deposit deal with Société Générale

  • Reviewed and revised for Alcatel-Lucent the supply chain trade financing documents with the banks

  • Represented various domestic and foreign banks in their accounts receivable factoring as well discounted notes with several clients

  • Drafted for DBS templates of warehouse receipt pledge financing

  • Drafted for ABN AMRO and DBS templates of account receivables financing

  • Provided legal advice to many clients with respect to letter of credit and other international trade settlement related matters

 

Business Trust

  • Represented over 50 MNCs in respect of their trust establishment and the following restructuring matters, including drafting trust contract and ancillary documents, providing PRC legal advice regarding the validity of the China business trust, providing advices on trust structure, providing advices on trust management and operation, trust restructuring, as well as trust termination and trust property distribution


Employment

  • Assisted various foreign-invested entities conducting labor due diligence; advised clients on daily HR matters, including drafting and reviewing labor contracts, employment handbooks, and internal rules, advising on labor dispatch and employment of foreigners, etc.; advised clients on termination of senior management personnel, including providing legal risk and litigation strategy analysis, designing severance packages and termination process, etc.; represented clients in massive layoffs

  • Represented a global leading stainless-steel company in terminating labor relationship with more than 400 employees of its subsidiary, services including negotiating with employees and the company, designing termination process and severance packages

  • Represented a Swiss company in terminating labor relationship with more than 300 employees of its subsidiary, services including negotiating with employees and the company, designing termination process and severance packages

  • Represented an Italian company in terminating labor relationship with more than 100 employees of its subsidiary, services including negotiating with employees and the company, designing termination process and severance packages

  • Negotiated for a global leading logistic company a termination plan with an executive employee and reached a settlement during the labor arbitration

  • Represented a global language evaluation institute in an employment dispute against an examiner and won the case

 

Dispute Resolution

  • Provided legal service to a PRC subsidiary of a globally recognized company in auto parts manufacturing industry in an arbitration on contractual dispute with its Chinese supplier

  • Provided legal service to a globally recognized company in Italy specializing construction and engineering with respect to a series of disputes in China (including but not limited to disputes on construction and engineering, loan and labor)

  • Provided legal service to a subsidiary of Shanghai Electric Group in two litigation cases over contractual disputes with its supplier and client respectively

  • Represented a US invested automotive parts company in an arbitration proceeding against one of its suppliers regarding overdue payment

  • Provided legal service to the subsidiaries of an internationally renowned company in Italy specializing in manufacture of polyurethane and rubber belts in two litigation cases over a contractual dispute and a product quality dispute, respectively

  • Provided legal service to an internationally renowned  US asset management company to deal with the dispute with its counterparty in relation to an equity transfer agreement

  • Represented a wholly foreign invested entity of a well-known French company in a brokerage contract dispute lawsuit against a broker and in a lease contract dispute with an annual rental around CNY 30 million

  • Provided legal opinion to a Singaporean bank client in relation to litigation, acknowledgement, and enforcement of a Singaporean court judgment in the PRC court with respect to the disputes on loan agreements with its several Chinese clients

  • Represented a wholly foreign invested entity of a well-known US manufacturing company in an arbitration case before CIETAC regarding an engineering construction contract

  • Provided legal opinion to a well-known company in Iceland in relation to an international trade dispute with a PRC company

  • Provided legal service to a well-known film and television production company in Germany in relation to its dispute with a film and television company in Zhejiang over a license agreement of TV shows

  • Represented Shanghai Zhadian Gas Turbine Power Generation Co., Ltd. in a tort dispute

  • Represented a giant US carrier in an administrative case in relation to the customs fraud before Shanghai Customs and Shanghai Intermediate People’s Court, respectively

  • Advised foreign companies on the customs-related disputes in China with their opposing parties

  • Represented various P&I Clubs and carriers for dozens of the cases before PRC maritime courts

  • Represented a well-known company in manufacture industry in an international trade dispute arbitration case and two anti-unfair competition lawsuits against its Chinese partner before CIETAC

  • Represented a famous company in India in an international goods sales contract arbitration case before CIETAC

  • Represented a Malaysian real estate company in a construction contract arbitration case before CIETAC

  • Represented a world-leading energy management and automation company in several construction contract arbitration cases before Shanghai Arbitration Commission

  • Represented a Malaysian real estate company in a share transfer dispute lawsuit against other former shareholders

  • Represented a well-known company in tourist and resort industry in two lawsuits against its Chinese joint venture partner in relation to a joint venture contract dispute

  • Represented a world leading company in pharmaceutical industry in a contract dispute lawsuit against its Chinese partner

  • Represented a Sino-foreign joint venture in steel industry in a shareholder derivative lawsuit against its shareholder

  • Represented a world leading company in software industry in an entrustment contract dispute lawsuit against its agent

  • Represented a joint venture company in two litigations against its Chinese shareholder regarding a profit distribution dispute and transfer of land use right, respectively

  • Represented an international school in dealing with anonymous online defamation articles (settled before litigation and articles removed)

  • Represented a US leading valve manufacturing company in handling its subrogation litigation in China

  • Represented an Italian belt manufacturing company in handling its product quality lawsuit in China

  • Represented CMC in handling several domestic lawsuits in China

 

Expert reports issued for arbitrations/litigations

Arbitration before CIETAC

  • As a special China procedural law expert invited by CIETAC and both parties, provided the opinion to the tribunal for a distributorship agreement dispute governed by German law


Arbitration before Hong Kong International Arbitration Center

  • Provided expert opinion in an equity acquisition contract dispute between an American public company (acquirer) and the French seller


Arbitrations before Singapore International Arbitration Center 

  • Provided expert opinion in a joint venture dispute between a Malaysian automaker and its Chinese partner

  • Provided expert statement as PRC lawyer for a leading multinational company in game industry with respect to game license


Arbitration before American Arbitration Association

  • Provided expert opinion in a contract dispute between a US company and its Chinese counterparty, involving confidentiality issue


Litigations before the Hong Kong High Court

  • Provided expert opinion in financial derivatives disputes between international banks and Chinese corporate clients


Litigations before the High Court of the Republic of Singapore

  • Provided expert opinion with respect to the parallel PRC litigation proceedings associated with the lawsuit between a Singapore citizen and a Chinese citizen before the High Court of the Republic of Singapore

  • Provided expert opinion under the PRC law in a dispute with respect to service of foreign court proceeding to Chinese companies

  • Provided expert opinion under the PRC law in a property trust dispute between a Chinese citizen and Singapore citizen

  • Provided expert opinion in a dispute with an individual as the counterparty of the case carrying out of China the cash which much exceeded the maximum amount allowed by the PRC Customs

  • Provided expert opinion in an international goods trade dispute between overseas buyer and seller

  • Provided expert opinion in a dispute over corporate acquisition between an Australian company and an England and Wales company

  • Provided expert opinion in a dispute under the Bond Subscription Agreement among Singaporean parties and other various parties

  • Provided expert opinion in disputes arising from the Agreements on the Transfer of Contractual Rights among Singaporean and Chinese parties


Litigation before the Superior Court of the State of California 

  • Provided expert opinion in dispute over professional malpractice between a prestigious US law firm and its client


Litigation before the High Court of Justice in England and Wales

  • Provided expert opinion in dispute over a performance guarantee between two Chinese companies in terms of a long-term time charter party

Honors and Awards

The A-List-The Visionaries, China Business Law Journal, 2024-2025

Recommended Lawyer (Highly Regarded), IFLR 1000, 2022-2023/24

Leading Individual (Highly Regarded) in Corporate, IFLR 1000

Leading Individual in M&A: PRC Firms, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2022-2025

One of The A-List China's Elite 100 Lawyers, China Business Law Journal, 2021-2022

Leading Individual in Corporate/M&A, LEGALBRAND, 2017 and 2020

Market-leading Lawyer, asialaw Profiles, 2019

A legal expert on foreign-related matters, PRC Ministry of Justice

Leading Lawyer in Corporate/M&A, Banking & Finance, Dispute Resolution & Litigation, asialaw Leading Lawyers, 2018

Leading Lawyer, IFLR1000, 2014-2017

Leading Lawyer, The Legal Media Group, 2015

Leading Lawyer, China Law/Asia Law, 2014

Memberships & Affiliations

Arbitrator, Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)

Arbitrator, Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC)

Arbitrator, Shanghai International Arbitration Centre (SHIAC)

Arbitrator, Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC)

Legal Expert on Foreign-related Matters, PRC Ministry of Justice

Publications

"Legal Consultation for HR Whole Process (Third Edition)", member of Advisory Committee

Related

  • Bar Admissions/Professional Qualifications

    PRC Bar
    New York State Bar

  • Education

    LL.M., New York University, 2001
    LL.M., Fudan University, 1999
    LL.B., Fudan University, 1990

  • Professional Experience

    Equity partner, Zhong Lun Law Firm, November 2017 to present
    Managing partner, Broad & Bright Shanghai Office, 2008-2017
    Partner and associate, Shanghai Jin Mao Law Firm, 2003-2008
    Visiting attorney, Holland & Knight New York Office, September 2001
    Visiting attorney, Ince & Co. Hong Kong Office, August to November 1998
    Partner and associate, Pu Dong Law Office, 1994-2002
    In-house counsel, Shanghai Medicines & Health Products Import & Export Corporation, 1990-1993

  • Languages

    Chinese
    English