PROFE​SSIONAL  INTEGRITY

         CLIENT FOCUS  

               INNOVATIVE THINKING

                          QUALITY CONTROL​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

EXPERT CONSULTANT

T. T. Chen   

Board Adviser, Operating Partner & Executive Coach

WORK EXPERIENCE

17 years in US in R & D and new product/business development; 30 years of hands-on general management experience throughout Asia for business start-ups, joint ventures and turnarounds.

1. 12 years with Avery Dennison in US as R&D/Product Development Director for the corporation’s most profitable, growth businesses—sustained 25+% new products ratio.

2. 12 years with Avery Dennison building, growing and turning around industrial and consumer businesses in China/Asia. Spearheaded greenfield startup of Material Business in 1994, growing it to $30M and profitability within 4 years; it is a $500M business today.

3. 18 years of Operating Partner experience with CITIC Capital Partners, EQT, Blue Point Capital Partners, Harbour Group, American Industrial Partners, Vector Capital Partners and other firms. During 2008 downturn, in 2 years as CEO, right-sized an unprofitable global business. Led business to 15+% EBITDA amidst 30% sales reduction.

4. Completed 14 interim GM/CEO assignments in Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Medical Devices and general industries over last 16 years, half for PE firms, 12 are turnaround cases, and one including acquisition. Example: stabilized a Medical Devices business in 6 months, raising gross margin 2%, lowering expenses 7%, reducing headcount 20%, halting a misguided $1.5M capital expansion while bolstering the business.

5. Served as Legal Rep, Board Member or Supervisor in many client companies.

6. Coached 80+ executives in Automotive, Food, Agricultural, Pharmaceutical, Medical Devices, Electronics and Cruise Liner industries.  

7. 16 years as Chairman or Vice Chair of Manufacturers Committee in Am Cham Shanghai.

8. Board Member of Asia Transformation & Turnaround Association since 2019.

WORKING LANGUAGES

English, Chinese

LEAD CONSULTANT

Ellen Xie

Lawyer Admitted in China and the United States

Member of Shanghai Bar Association

Member of the State Bar of California

Member of American Bar Association

China Compliance Professional

Member of Forensic Certified Public Accountant Association

International Mediation Institute Qualified Mediator 

Singapore Mediation Centre Accredited Mediator

Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Associate Member of CPA Australia

Executive Member of ATTA

Member of Foreign-Related Legal Affairs Committee of Beijing Entertainment Law Society

Completed 2024 Advanced Course (Asset Recovery and Mutual Legal Assistance in Civil and Criminal Law) for Senior Legal Practitioners at Jesus College, Cambridge University, UK for Pudong District, Shanghai, China

Attended 41st International Symposium on Economic Crime at Jesus College, Cambridge University, UK

Completed 2025 Fudan University and Singapore Mediation Centre’s International Commercial Mediator Training Program for Pudong District, Shanghai, China

T: +86 21 6299 9152

ellen.xie@huixiaolaw.com

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

1. Has 22 years’ work experience with leading international and domestic law firms and multi-national companies (including Fortune Global 500s) as complex and cross-border mergers & acquisitions, business restructuring, transformation, rebuild, change of management, crisis management, compliance and governance, government investigation, asset recovery, other corporate and commercial transactions, intellectual property, labor law and dispute resolution (litigation, arbitration and mediation) legal consultant or counsel; 

2. Acted as mediator at a national wide renowned Shanghai district court mediation center;

3. Has good experience in providing effective non-contentious dispute resolution solution to multinational companies;

4. Has good experience in providing effective legal solution to foreign companies with respect to outbound investment disputes;

5. Has records of winning or dismissing foreign-related commercial arbitration cases at several well-known domestic and international arbitration institutions when acting as counsel of applicant or respondent, civil or commercial litigation cases at China courts when acting as counsel of claimant or defendant as well as labor arbitration cases when acting as respondent's counsel;

6. Has good experience in assisting clients in handling and properly resolving civil cases at the United States courts;

7. Has good experience in providing various compliance matters and criminal cases related legal services which may involve one or multiple jurisdictions to multinational clients and high net worth clients; and

8. Has rich experience in providing effective contentious and non-contentious legal and compliance solutions to wealth creators, rich families, high net worth clients and leading, top-notch and urgently needed talents from various industries in the areas such as cross-border family law, employment, trust, investment, recovery of assets and debts, other personal matters and taxes related legal matters and disputes.

PRACTICE AREAS

Have a broad legal practice with a focus on cross-border investments, foreign direct investments, mergers and acquisitions & restructurings, business transformation and rebuild, private equity & venture capital investments, corporate governance & compliance, government investigation & crisis management, commercial transactions, employment, technology transfer and licensing, property transfer and leasing/mortgage, dispute resolution, international commercial mediation, data protection, asset and debt recovery as well as private wealth & fiduciary.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

1."GLOBAL: 2022 Annual Legal Report on Global Digital Developments in Culture and Entertainment Sector", Chinese version, February 2023,the Second Session Foreign-Related Legal Affairs Committee of Beijing Entertainment Law Society.

2.“CHINA & SINGAPORE: Mutual Recognition and Enforcement of Money Judgments in Commercial Cases between China and Singapore Courts”, Chinese & English versions, September 2018, Hui Xiao / Shanghai Hui Xiao Law Group.

WORKING LANGUAGES

Chinese, English, Basic Korean and Basic Russian.

CLIENT INDUSTRIES

A wide range of industries such as Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, CROs, Foods, Agricultural Products, Energy, E-Commerce, Commercial & Retails, Chemical Products, Automobile Parts, Mechanical Manufacturing, Civil & Commercial Aviation, Agricultural Machinery, Financial Institutions including Banks and Insurance Companies, Hi-Tech, Renewable Energy, Woods, Luxury Goods, Cruise Tourism, Logistics, Sportswear, Tobacco, Architecture & Construction, Testing, Fintech, Social Governance/Public Sector, Legal Services, Education, Advertisement & Media, Human Resources, Consulting Services, Foundations and Charity industries and International Private Clients.

LIST OF PROJECTS HANDLED (Non-Exhaustive)

1. Advised a world leading enterprise on the global merger and acquisition and business restructuring projects.

2.Advised a Fortune Global 500 healthcare company on its merger with U.S. NASDAQ listed corporation/group and post-merger integration and restructuring (including due diligence, merger, PRC anti-trust filing, integration and restructuring etc.).

3.Advised a Fortune Global 500 healthcare company (including pharmaceutical, healthcare and biotechnology businesses) on joint venture, licensing and outsourcing, cross-border technology transfer projects.

4. Advised a Fortune Global 500 healthcare company (including pharmaceutical and healthcare businesses) on its China and Asia Pacific daily operation, contract management, third-party cooperation, clinical trial and compliance matters.

5. Advised on a Fortune Global 500 food manufacturer’s acquisition of a large PRC privately-owned food manufacturer/distributor and establishment of multi-parallel joint ventures (including due diligence, merger and acquisition, joint venture and anti-trust merger filing etc.);

6.Advised on a global asset acquisition by a major leading medical device manufacturer of one of its competitors’ business and assets;

7.Advised on a global equity acquisition by a leading PE investor of a world leading heat product manufacturer.

8.Advised on an offshore acquisition of a leading PRC department store group by share sales.

9.Advised on an acquisition by a Fortune Global 500 Chemical manufacturing corporation of certain chemical products and related business from a large PRC chemical manufacturing and distribution company.

10.Advised a leading international industrial raw material manufacturer on its PRC and Asia Pacific corporate, commercial, intellectual property, regulatory, anti-trust and employment compliance matters.

11. Advised on the investment and deal structure by an international strategic investor in PRC aviation industry.

12. Provided legal due diligence service for a leading Chinese food company’s IPO at Hong Kong Main Board Listing.

13. Advised on the establishment of a HR service joint venture by a global leading HR service provider.

14. Advised on the restructuring of a world leading sportswear manufacturer’s China operations.

15. Advised an auto-parts manufacturing Sino-foreign joint venture on its equity transfer, non-compete and labor contract matters. 

16. Advised a leading international testing and certification company on its PRC corporate and employment matters.

17.Advised clients on employment and stock option / SAR matters.

18.Provided compliance investigation and employment legal services for a world leading pharmaceutical manufacturer.

19.Advised a leading multinational company on resolving its commercial dispute in China through effective non-contentious dispute resolution solutions.

20. Represented/acted as respondent’s defense counsel for a Fortune Global 500 company’s commercial contract dispute with local supplier arbitrated at the tribunal of the Shanghai International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission/the Shanghai International Arbitration Center and won the arbitration award including compensation of legal costs in client’s favor.  

21. Represented/acted as claimant’s counsel for a Fortune Global 500 company’s civil dispute with its service provider at court and won the court judgment in client’s favor.

22. Represented/acted as defense counsel for a leading international CRO company’s labor arbitration dispute with senior employee arbitrated at the District Labor Tribunal of Shanghai Municipality and won the arbitration award in client’s favor.

23.Represented/acted as attorney for a foreign company to resolve its outbound investment and cooperation disputes.

24. Represented/acted as counsel of claimant in winning complex cross-border jurisdictional challenge proceeding, appeal proceeding and substantive law trial proceeding of an intellectual property litigation case against foreign companies and individual in China courts and won good judgment and mediation results in favor of claimant.

25. Represented leading corporate client in a personal death/injury dispute with its supplier, promptly solved the dispute through non-contentious approach and achieved favorable results for client.

26. Advised a leading multinational company on resolving a cross-border criminal fraud case.

27. Advised a leading multinational company on resolving a property criminal case.

28. Advised clients on cross-border employment legal issues and dispute resolution solution involving multi-jurisdictions.

29. Advised an international leading service provider on government investigation and crisis management.

30. Advised clients on their investment in the United States and real property purchase in France.

31. Provided effective legal solution and service to rich families and high net worth clients on the cross-border family law disputes and family trusts.

EXPERT CONSULTANT

Sunny YIP

Chartered Professional Accountant of Canada

Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional- International

Alumni of International Anti-corruption Academy (joined several summer programs across Asia)

WORK EXPERIENCE

20 years’ experienced international professional working for several leading multinational companies and in handling complex ethics and compliance issues, adept in corporate investigation and risk assessment, especially in the Northern Asia region; possess strong business acumen and a teamwork mentality.

LIST OF PROJECTS HANDLED (NON-EXHAUSTIVE)

1. Pre-investment and Pre-IPO related reputation due diligence for several ride-hailing and autonomous driving companies in the PRC and Taiwan.

2. Reputation due diligence in Taiwan includes large conglomerates, religious organizations, and local commercial service companies.

3. Corporate investigation (from research to interview management) in the PRC for a global pharmaceutical company regarding their multiple head-office construction issues in Shanghai.

4. Investigative due diligence into multiple financial brokerage companies in Hong Kong.

5. Reputation Due Diligence: For a property investment firm, conducted multiple due diligences for warehouse investments in China.

6. Compliance Risk Assessment: Successfully conducted a compliance review of a Fortune 1000 industrial motor company's China and APAC operations on following the Code of Conduct and FCPA guidelines.

7. Corporate Investigations: Managed the relationship and led over ten corporate investigations for a top 3 global chemical company, supporting investigations in senior management level conflicts of interest and supplier fraud in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

8. Export Sanction Investigation: Played a vital role in a global investigation and completed several tasks to review commercial activities with sanctioned countries, focusing on the defendant's transactions with sanctioned countries.

9. Forensic Accounting Investigation: Conducted a focused forensic accounting investigation for an auto parts manufacturer, identifying suspicious transactions involving a scrap metal business partner and investigated thoroughly, including a review of bank transactions and accounting records, business practices (through multiple interviews), and an on-site visit at the scrap metal company.

10. Arbitration Support: Provided expert support to a Japanese cosmetic company, conducting intellectual property investigations on unapproved products sold on eCommerce sites and delivering findings to external counsel.

11. In-depth pre-investment due diligence into several significant Chinese private equity funds, medical devices, FMCG, materials, and energy companies.

12. Conducted In-depth corporate investigations related to conflict of interest, bid rigging, intellectual property violation, and violation of non-compete clause (post-acquisition related).

WORKING LANGUAGES

Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese), English, Japanese (advanced Intermediate, passed JLPT- N2).

OTHER EXPERT CONSULTANT

(A list of our expert consultants and their practice area or speciality is available upon request.)

SUPPORTING TEAM

Liyan Wu

Risk Control and Compliance Accountant & Company Secretary 

China Senior Compliance Professional Certificate

China Junior Accounting Certificate

Work Experience

Has 17 years' work experience in practising risk control, credit review, due diligence and accounting in the industries of commodity trading, manufacturing and auto vehicle financing and leasing.

Education

BA, East China University of Science and Technology, majored in Business Management.

College Diploma, Wu Han Polytechnic University, majored in Foreign Secretary 

Working Languages

Chinese, English

Recent Publications

• "GLOBAL: 2022 Annual Legal Report on Global Digital Developments in Culture and Entertainment Sector", Chinese version, February 2023, the Second Session Foreign-Related Legal Affairs Committee of Beijing Entertainment Law Society.

Log Wang

Junior Accountant & Tax Filing Clerk

Work Experience

China junior accountant and tax liaison staff has more than 38 years' accounting work experience (including more than 15 years' experience in serving foreign-invested companies in China as junior accountant and tax liaison staff). 

Working Languages

Chinese