A problem solver. Practical and professional.

Chambers Greater China 2023

Biography

Based in Beijing since 2006, David is natively fluent in both English and Chinese, and has been widely recognized as one of the few leading finance veterans in China.

David regularly advises private credit funds, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, financial sponsors, and multilateral organizations on a wide array of cross-border event-driven public and private credit and equity capital solution transactions in China and elsewhere in Asia Pacific. His extensive experience includes leveraged acquisition financings; structured or mezzanine, equity, equity-linked and credit investments, including PIPEs.

For over a decade, David has been recognized as a Leading Individual in "China Banking & Finance" and "China Projects & Infrastructure" by both Chambers and Legal 500. A grateful client remarked, "The locations we work in always have grey areas and uncertainties, and the only way we've solved them is due to David's advice".

Clients consistently commend David as "a very good technical lawyer" (Chambers 2024), "a problem solver. Practical and professional." in addition to having "a strong grasp of structuring." (Chambers 2023). He also "remains a respected practitioner in the market. He is capable of handling inbound and outbound transactions, advising on both equity and debt financing." and "regularly assists with complex project financing". David was also described as “‘professional, practical and has a deep knowledge of the market.”(The Asia Pacific Legal 500 2023).

Experience

Logan Group debt restructuring
Advising the restructuring of overseas debts for the HK-listed, leading Chinese real estate developer Logan Group Company Limited. The restructuring will be implemented through complex multiple restructuring process.

RRJ syndicated mezzanine financing
Advised RRJ Capital, as arranger and anchor lender on a syndicated US$1 billion extendable bridge PIK mezzanine term financing Global Sea Containers Two Limited. This is a highly structured complex transaction.

Syndicated blue loan for Bank of Qingdao
International Finance Corporation (IFC), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (DEG) and Société de Promotion et de Participation pour la Coopération Economique (Proparco) on a US$150 million syndicated blue loan for Bank of Qingdao, one of the first blue loans in Asia and globally.

Haier social bonds issuance
Advised International Finance Corporation (IFC), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) on an investment of up to US$200 million in five-year social bonds issued by Haier Financial Services Co., Ltd., a first of its kind by a non-bank financial institution in China.

Recapitalization buy-out merger of Fullerton Health
Advised RRJ Capital on its recapitalization buy-out merger of Singapore-based Fullerton Healthcare Corporation Limited.This deal was shortlisted as "Loan Deal of the Year" and "Private Equity Deal of the Year" by IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2023.

CMOC niobium mining bridge and pre-export financing
Advised CMOC Group, one of China's largest state owned mining companies and world’s second largest producer of niobium, on a ground-breaking US$600 million bridge and five year pre-export financing (PXF) arranged by China Construction Bank (Asia) Corporation Ltd. and provided by a syndicate consisting of People's Republic of China and international lenders. This is one of the first PXF transactions by a Chinese mining company and has one of the longest international PXF terms. The transaction was awarded "Deal of the Year" for 2022 by China Business Law Journal.

Zhanatas wind farm financing
Advised AIIB, EBRD, ICBC and the Green Climate Fund on the project financing for the construction and operation of the 100 MW Zhanatas wind farm in Kazakhstan. The transaction was awarded "Deal of the Year" for 2021 by China Business Law Journal, and the "Projects & Energy Deal of the Year" by The In-House Community.

Gategroup buyout
Advised RRJ Capital in connection with its buyout acquisition and related acquisition financing of gategroup Holding AG from HNA Aviation (Hong Kong) Air Catering Holding Co., Limited.

China Molybdenum debut bond offering
Advised China Molybdenum, a leading global diversified mining conglomerate in China dual-listed on the Shanghai and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges, on its debut Regulation S offering of unrated US$300 million 5.48% guaranteed bonds due 2022.

Significant structured equity-linked debt investment HNA Aviation (Hong Kong) Air Catering Holding Co., Limited
Advised RRJ Capital in connection with its US$930 million senior secured guaranteed mandatory exchangeable bond financing and US$600 million senior secured guaranteed bridge term financing for HNA Aviation (Hong Kong) Air Catering Holding Co., Limited, the sole shareholder of gategroup Holding AG, a Zurich headquartered global leader in airline catering, retail-on-board and hospitality products and services.

IFC venture financing
Advised IFC in various equity investments and loans in the infrastructure sector, including Zhaoheng Hydropower(infrastructure), Tian Lun Gas (infrastructure), Everbright Water (infrastructure), United Water (infrastructure), Jiangsu Linyang Energy Co., Ltd. (Infrastructure), Sound Global Ltd. (infrastructure), and Protelindo Finance BV (new infrastructure), Awan Tunai (new infrastructure), Kita Bisa (new infrastructure) and Mogli Labs (new infrastructure).

Solicitor of England and Wales
Advocate and Solicitor, Singapore
Supreme Court of Singapore
LLB
(Honors)
National University of Singapore
English
Mandarin

Leading Partner: China – Banking & Finance
Legal 500, Greater China, 2025

Dealmakers of Asia
Asian Legal Business 2024

The A-List: Visionaries
China Business Law Journal 2023/24, 2024/25

Ranked Individual – China, Banking & Finance: China-based (International Firms) and
China, Projects & Infrastructure (International Firms)
Chambers Global 2018-2024

Leading Individual – China, Banking and Finance: Foreign Firms
Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020-2024

Service areas