Herbert Smith has recently advised China National Offshore Oil Corporation (“CNOOC”) on its acquisition of a 25% participating interest of Shell’s offshore exploration blocks BC9 and BCD10 in Gabon (“Transaction”), Africa. CNOOC will reimburse Shell for 25% of certain part of the exploration costs and carry part of the future exploration costs. Shell will remain operator with a 75% participating interest. The Transaction was announced on 25 July 2012 and is subject to government approval.

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Ashurst announces the appointment of Dominic Gregory as a partner in the Hong Kong office.

Dominic joins from Skadden, Arps’ Hong Kong office. He advises on a broad range of banking and financematters, including acquisition finance, asset finance, restructuring and project finance.

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A team of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP attorneys has been retained by Roth Capital Partners LLC, as financial adviser to the independent committee of Yucheng Technologies (Nasdaq: YETC), in relation to its proposed merger agreement with New Sihitech Limited, a British Virgin Islands company wholly owned by Mr. Weidong Hong, Yucheng Technologies’ chairman and CEO, and New Sihitech Acquisition Limited, a British Virgin Islands company wholly owned by New Sihitech Limited.

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King & Wood Mallesons has acted for Australia’s largest steelmaker, BlueScope Steel Limited (BlueScope), on its US$1.36bn joint venture agreement with Japan’s Nippon Steel Corporation (Nippon).

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The Hong Kong office of the Firm represented J.P. Morgan in the offering of US$254.4 million principal amount of Zero Coupon Convertible Bonds (the “Bonds”) by Cathay Financial Holding Co., Ltd. (“Cathay”). Cathay is the largest financial holding company in Taiwan. The common shares of Cathay are traded on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under the trading code “2882”. The Bonds are listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

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The global law firm Jones Day has announced that Maria Tan Pedersen has joined as a Banking & Finance Practice partner. Formerly a partner with K&L Gates, she will be based in the Firm’s Hong Kong Office.

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The Firm is representing Focus Media Holding Limited (“Focus Media”) in connection with a proposal by a consortium for a going private transaction valued at approximately $3.5 billion. The consortium includes Mr. Jason Nanchun Jiang, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Focus Media, and his affiliates, FountainVest Partners, The Carlyle Group L.P., CITIC Capital Partners, CDH Investments and China Everbright Ltd. The consortium intends to finance the proposed transaction with a combination of debt and equity capital.

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The Firm is representing hiSoft Technology International Limited (“hiSoft”) in connection with its proposed merger with VanceInfo Technologies Inc. (“VanceInfo”). Under the terms of the merger agreement, the companies will be combined in a tax-free, all-stock merger of equals with a combined equity value of approximately US$875 million. VanceInfo and hiSoft shareholders will each own approximately 50% of the combined company. The combined company will continue to be traded on the NASDAQ as hiSoft shares.

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Davis Polk advised Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C., Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc, CCB International Capital Limited and Mizuho Securities Asia Limited as initial purchasers in connection with the $500 million Regulation S offering by Sinopec Group Overseas Development (2012) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of China Petrochemical Corporation, of its 3.9% senior notes due 2022. The notes are to be consolidated and form a single class of notes with the $1 billion principal amount of 3.9% senior notes due 2022 issued on May 17, 2012.

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David K. Cho, a Hong Kong corporate partner, has joined Dechert as of Wednesday, August 8.  Cho focuses his practice on transactional and finance work, with a particular emphasis on cross-border M&A and U.S. securities. More >>