Christopher Kelly
Christopher Kelly
Biography
Christopher Kelly leads our Mergers & Acquisitions practice in Asia-Pacific, based in Hong Kong.
Chris has over 30 years of experience advising clients on a wide range of M&A, private equity, corporate finance and commercial matters, including public and private M&A, equity offers, joint ventures and strategic partnerships.
Experience
- Gentari International Renewables Pte. Ltd., a subsidiary of Gentari Sdn Bhd (the renewable energy business of PETRONAS), on its NT$23 billion (US$750 million) acquisition of 49 percent of the Hai Long offshore wind project in Taiwan from Northland Power, a Canadian-listed renewable power producer, and on two subsequent OSW investments in related projects in Taiwan with Northland Power (Northwind and Canwind).
- Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) on various transactions, including:
- on the divestment of a 10 percent stake in the 495 MW Fengmiao 1 offshore wind farm located off the coast of Taichung County in Taiwan, to Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), a Japanese shipping company with global operations;
- on its 49 percent indirect acquisition of Taean Wind Power Co., Ltd., in order to partner with Vena Energy to develop a large-scale 500MW offshore wind farm in South Korea; and
- the equity sale of a strategic stake in the US$3 billion (NT$90 billion) 589 MW Changfang and Xidao (CFXD) offshore wind project in Taiwan.
- Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners on the acquisition of Swancor Renewable Energy Co. Ltd, including its 25 percent interest in the Formosa 2 offshore wind farm project in Taiwan.
- Macquarie Digital Tower Pte. Limited and Phil-Tower Consortium Inc. in the auction sale for the acquisition and leaseback of telecommunication infrastructure assets in Visayas and Mindanao, Philippines from Globe Consortium Inc.
- The Carlyle Group on multiple transactions, including its:
- US$490 million acquisition of a strategic 20 percent stake in Piramal Pharma, the pharmaceutical division of Piramal Enterprises Limited, one of India's leading diversified companies, with a presence in financial services, information management and pharmaceuticals;
- US$240 million acquisition of a controlling stake in SeQuent Scientific Limited, the largest pure-play animal healthcare company in India;
- IPO and subsequent exit from Yashili International Dairy (by way of a general offer by Mengniu Dairy); and
- US$137 million strategic investment in HK-listed Haier Electronics, through new equity, CBs and warrants, and subsequent sell-down by way of a block trade of the CBs.
- Noble Group on multiple transactions, including its US$3.5 billion debt-for-equity restructuring of Noble Group and the subsequent sales of its commodities trading business to Vitol, Jamalco (aluminum smelting business in Jamaica) to Glencore / Century Aluminum and its 8 percent stake in U.K. listed Harbour Energy. The restructuring deal was awarded "Restructuring Deal of the Year" at the IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2019 and "Finance Deal of the Year: Insolvency and Restructuring" at the Asia Legal Awards 2019.
- Noble Group Holdings Limited on the sale of Noble Resources Trading Limited (representing Noble Resources' global commodities trading business) to Vitol B.V. for ~US$208.9 million on a cash free debt free basis.
- Kohler Co. in the multi-jurisdictional carve-out and sale of its energy business to Platinum Equity and its continued investment in its energy business in partnership with Platinum Equity.
Registered Foreign Lawyer, The Law Society of Hong Kong
England and Wales, Solicitor
Queensland
LLB
University of Queensland
BCom
Accounting and Business Finance
University of Queensland
English
Ranked 'Leading Individual' for Corporate/M&A in Hong Kong by Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2025
Recommended practitioner for Corporate and M&A in China: Hong Kong-based (International Firms) by Chambers Greater China 2025
Recommended practitioner for Private Equity in China by Chambers Greater China 2024
