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  • George JI

    Equity Partner / Shanghai

  • Tel +86-21-6061-3666

    Email georgeji@zhonglun.com

  • Practices

    Cross-border Investment/M&A, Financing, Litigation & Arbitration

  • Industries

    Real Estate, Tourism & Hospitality

CV

George JI

Mr. Ji focuses on real estate and infrastructure industries as well as cross-border investment, mergers and acquisitions, and financing. Over his twenty years of practice, Mr. Ji has provided top-notch legal services to many domestic and foreign enterprises in the real estate domain for matters including joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, foreign investment, financing, and day-to-day operations. His services span due diligence, negotiation, and review of transaction documents, and he has completed deals concerning projects located in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Urumqi, Wuhan, Guiyang, and other cities across China. His clients include CapitaLand, Metro Holdings, GuocoLand, InfraRed NF, BentallGreenOak, Oaktree Capital, SOHO China, OCP Asia, CBRE Investment Management, Tishman Speyer, Blackstone, etc. In the hospitality sphere, he represents owners to negotiate hotel management agreements with major hotel managers such as Marriott, Four Seasons, Intercontinental, Mandarin Oriental, Hyatt, Accor, and others. He also acts for Club Med Group, Radisson Hotels Group, Louvre Hotels, Pierre & Vacances Group, Huazhu Group, Jinjiang Hotels China Region as their external counsel, responsible for reviewing and negotiating contracts for development projects and providing legal advice on matters relating to the day-to-day hotel management.

Representative Matters

  • Acted for Tishman Speyer and its managed RMB fund for acquisition of Frasers serviced apartment in Beijing with value of over CNY 2 billion

  • Acted for InfraRed Nanfung for acquisition of Shanghai Jindu Building and related financing deal with value of over CNY 1.2 billion

  • Acted for InfraRed Nanfung for acquisition of Shanghai Graceland Hotel with value of over CNY 500 million 

  • Acted for the joint venture among Hualing Group, Metro Holdings and Sunac in acquisition of Shanghai Plaza with value of over CNY 2.5 billion

  • Acted for GuocoLand China in divestment of a five-star hotel in Shanghai with value of over CNY 1.4 billion 

  • Acted for CapitaLand in divestment of 20 shopping malls in China with value of over CNY 8 billion

  • Acted as PRC counsel for Oaktree Capital Management in financing deals with local PRC developers

  • Acted as PRC counsel for BentallGreenOak in financing deals with local PRC developers 

  • Acted as PRC counsel for BGO in financing projects to inbound developers

  • Acted as PRC counsel for OCP Asia in financing deals with local PRC developers 

  • Acted as external counsel for Club Med Group for development projects in relation to Club Med and Club Med Joyview brands in China

  • Advised Jin Jiang Hotels (China), a subsidiary of Jin Jiang Group, on project operations (including Vienna, Platinum and other brands), corporate matters, and disputes with franchise investors

  • Provided legal services for the operation of Jin Jiang Global Innovation Center (GIC) and Jin Jiang Metropolis under Jin Jiang Group, as well as corporate affairs 

  • Provided legal services to Shanghai Jin Jiang Capital Co. 

  • Advised Radisson Hotel Group on its Radisson and Radisson Select branded hotel projects in China

  • Provided legal services to Huazhou's Global Premium Brands Division in connection with project operations (including brands such as Hua Ma Tang and Xi Yue), drafting of standardized versions of management contracts, and joint ventures

  • Advised Yongle Huazhou Hotel Management Co., Ltd. (a joint venture between Huazhou Group and Rongchuang Culture & Tourism) on its project operations (including brands such as Hanamadang, Shibaige and Shibaige Daguan)

  • Provided legal services to Farley Rural Tourism Development Company Limited (formerly known as HNA Puwei Tourism Co., Ltd.) in relation to its project development in China, including assisting in drafting standardized versions of project contracts and providing legal analysis and opinions

  • Acted for Junfa Group in negotiation with Banyan Tree, Four Seasons, Hyatt, Accor, Marriott, Sri Panwa and other management companies on hotel management agreements

  • Acted for ZhaoDe Properties in negotiation with Hyatt on hotel management agreements in relation to Hyatt Place and Hyatt House in Hongqiao Hub

  • Acted for Hang Lung Group in negotiation with world famous hotel management companies on hotel management agreements

  • Acted for Sun Hung Kai Group in negotiation with world famous hotel management companies on hotel management agreements

  • Acted for Nanjing Yuhua Construction and Development in negotiation with world famous management companies on hotel management agreements

  • Acted for CITIC Urban Development and Operation in negotiation with hotel management companies on hotel management agreements for projects in Hainan and Jiangsu


Honors and Awards

Acted for Tishman Speyer and its managed RMB fund for acquisition of Frasers serviced apartment in Beijing valued at over CNY 2 billion

Acted for InfraRed Nanfung for acquisition of Shanghai Jindu Building and related financing deal valued at over CNY 1.2 billion

Acted for InfraRed Nanfung for acquisition of Shanghai Graceland Hotel valued at over CNY 500 million

Acted for the joint venture among Hualing Group, Metro Holdings, and Sunac in acquisition of Shanghai Plaza valued at over CNY 2.5 billion

Acted for GuocoLand China in divestment of a five-star hotel in Shanghai valued at over CNY 1.4 billion

Acted for CapitaLand in divestment of 20 shopping malls in China valued at over CNY 8 billion

Acted as PRC counsel to Oaktree Capital Management in financing deals with local PRC developers

Acted as PRC counsel to BentallGreenOak in financing deals with local PRC developers

Acted as PRC counsel to BGO in financing projects to inbound developers

Acted as PRC counsel to OCP Asia in financing deals with local PRC developers

Acted as external counsel to Club Med Group for development projects in relation to Club Med and Club Med Joyview brands in China

Advised Jin Jiang Hotels (China), a subsidiary of Jin Jiang Group, on project operations (including Vienna, Platinum, and other brands), corporate matters, and disputes with franchise investors

Provided legal services for the operation of Jin Jiang Global Innovation Center (GIC) and Jin Jiang Metropolis under Jin Jiang Group, as well as for corporate affairs

Provided legal services to Shanghai Jin Jiang Capital Co.

Advised Radisson Hotel Group on its Radisson and Radisson Select branded hotel projects in China

Provided legal services to Huazhou's Global Premium Brands Division in connection with project operations (including brands such as Hua Ma Tang and Xi Yue), including drafting templates of management contracts, and joint ventures

Advised Yongle Huazhou Hotel Management Co., Ltd. (a joint venture between Huazhou Group and Rongchuang Culture & Tourism) on its project operations (including brands such as Hanamadang, Shibaige, and Shibaige Daguan)

Provided legal services to Farley Rural Tourism Development Company Limited (formerly known as HNA Puwei Tourism Co., Ltd.) in relation to its project development in China, including assisting in drafting project contract templates and providing legal analysis and opinions

Acted for Junfa Group in negotiation with Banyan Tree, Four Seasons, Hyatt, Accor, Marriott, Sri Panwa, and other management companies on hotel management agreements

Acted for ZhaoDe Properties in negotiation with Hyatt on hotel management agreements in relation to Hyatt Place and Hyatt House in Hongqiao Hub

Acted for Hang Lung Group in negotiation with world famous hotel management companies on hotel management agreements

Acted for Sun Hung Kai Group in negotiation with world famous hotel management companies on hotel management agreements

Acted for Nanjing Yuhua Construction and Development in negotiation with world famous management companies on hotel management agreements

Acted for CITIC Urban Development and Operation in negotiation with hotel management companies on hotel management agreements for projects in Hainan and Jiangsu

Related

  • Bar Admissions/Professional Qualifications

    PRC Bar, 2000

  • Education

    Graduate Certificate on Real Estate Finance, National University of Singapore, 2016
    LL.M., University of Manchester, 2004
    LL.B., Fudan University, 2000

  • Professional Experience

    Equity partner, Zhong Lun Law Firm, 2011 to present
    Associate, CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre, 2007-2010
    Associate and China Law Advisor, CMS von Erlach Henrici, 2008-2008
    Partner and associate, Shanghai Pudong Law Office, 1999-2007

  • Languages

    Chinese
    English