SNR Denton announced today that Daniel Liew has become a corporate and project finance partner in the Energy, Transport and Infrastructure team in Asia, resident in Hong Kong. Liew was most recently the Asia Managing Partner of SJ Berwin.

O’Melveny & Myers LLP represented client Standard Chartered Bank as arranger and various Citibank entities as note trustee (and related roles) in the US$300 million securitization of Korean Air’s US$ receivables arising from the sale of airline tickets and related services where customers pay using MasterCard or Visa cards.  The Korea Development Bank further provided a credit facility of approximately US$316 million as well as an interest rate swap.

Davis Polk is advising Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CPF) and its wholly owned subsidiary in connection with its $2.174 billion acquisition of a controlling 74.18% interest (on a fully diluted basis) in C.P. Pokphand Co. Ltd. (CPP) from two indirect wholly owned subsidiaries of Charoen Pokphand Group Company Limited, a major shareholder of CPP, and a related shareholder. The transaction is expected to be completed in mid-March 2012 and is subject to the shareholders’ approval of CPF and customary closing conditions.

Davis Polk is advising Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited on a going-private transaction which will result in its being taken private by Premium Lead Company Limited, a company jointly owned by Tianqiao Chen, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President of Shanda, his wife Qian Qian Chrissy Luo, a non-executive director of Shanda, and his brother Danian Chen, Chief Operating Officer and a director of Shanda (the Buyer Group). In connection with the transaction, each of Shanda’s ordinary shares will be converted into the right to receive $20.675 in cash per ordinary share without interest, except for shares held by the Buyer Group. The Buyer Group intends to fund the transaction through a combination of proceeds from a loan facility in the amount of $180 million from JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., cash in Shanda and its subsidiaries, and a cash contribution from the Buyer Group. The transaction is expected to close before the end of the first quarter of 2012 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Shanda’s shareholders. The transaction values Shanda’s equity at approximately $2.3 billion on a fully diluted basis.

Shearman & Sterling is representing Premium Lead Company Limited and its direct wholly-owned subsidiary, New Era Investment Holding Ltd., in the privatization of Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited (Nasdaq: SNDA). The transaction is expected to close before the end of the first quarter of 2012.

Simpson Thacher is representing Bank of America Merrill Lynch as the financial advisor to the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited (“Shanda”), in connection with a going private transaction involving Shanda proposed by Mr. Tianqiao Chen, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President of Shanda, his wife Ms. Qian Qian Chrissy Luo, who is a non-executive director of Shanda and his brother Mr. Danian Chen, who is the Chief Operating Officer and a director of Shanda (collectively the “Buyer Group”). Shanda has entered into a definitive agreement with Premium Lead Company Limited (“Parent”), which is a newly-formed entity owned by the Buyer Group, and New Era Investment Holding Ltd. (“Merger Sub”), pursuant to which Parent will acquire Shanda for $20.675 per ordinary share or $41.35 per American Depositary Share, each representing two ordinary shares. The transaction values Shanda’s equity at approximately $2.3 billion on a fully diluted basis.

The Hong Kong office of international law firm Eversheds has advised New World China Land Limited on a rights issue to raise up to HK$4.3 billion.

DLA Piper today announced that it acted as the Hong Kong legal advisers to Schramm Holding AG (HKSE: 00955) (“Schramm”) on its €142 million (HK$ 1.566 billion) public takeover by AkzoNobel, the largest global paints and coatings company in the world. Partner JC Lee and Esther Leung led the deal. Other core members in the team included Phil Lam, Yeti Ho, Richard Lee and Jada Soyun Lee, all from DLA Piper’s Hong Kong office.

Global law firm White & Case LLP has represented China Development Bank Hong Kong Branch (CDB) in a US$400 million financing for the take-private transaction of NASDAQ-listed Harbin Electric, Inc. The financing enabled Tech Full Electric Company Limited, an entity controlled by Harbin Electric founder and Chairman, Mr. Tianfu Yang, other management investors and Abax, to acquire the publicly-held shares of Harbin Electric.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that Yi Zhang and Graham Winter will join the firm as partners.  Zhang was formerly with O’Melveny & Myers, and Winter will join the firm from Reed Smith Richards Butler.  Both Zhang and Winter will be based in Hong Kong.