Vivian Tsoi

Partner, Shanghai

Biography

Vivian Tsoi is a go-to counsel for US-China and Europe-China cross-border deals, as well as big-ticket, multi-jurisdictional matters..

“Vivian is always impressive, responsive and particularly knowledgeable about Chinese regulatory matters.”
Legal 500 Asia Pacific, 2023 / Chambers Greater China Region, 2023

Overview

Vivian Tsoi advises multinational corporations on their operations and activities in China and China-based clients on strategies for entering overseas markets.

Recognized by professional directories as a leading practitioner in her field, Vivian's reputation is based on her significant track record, supporting clients with major mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions across the globe.

Drawing on her deep insight into the market environment in China with her international deal-making experience, Vivian steers clients through complex, cross-border transactions to help them achieve their expansion objectives.

Her client portfolio includes a number of major domestic and international corporations, including SDIC Fund, Haier, Saudi Aramco, Nestle and SSAB Svenskt Stal AB.

Vivian is the chair of the Firm's Global Women's Initiative Committee.

Bars and Courts
California State Bar
Hawaii State Bar
Education
JD
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
BSFS
Georgetown University
Languages
English
Cantonese
Mandarin

Experience

Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco on its heads of agreement with China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) to build a refinery and petrochemical project in Gulei in China's southeastern Fujian Province. The greenfield project comprises a 16 million metric tonne per year (320,000 barrels per day) refining and petrochemical facility with a 1.5 million metric tonne per year ethylene unit. The project is expected to commence commercial operations in 2025.

Nestlé S.A.
Nestlé S.A. on the sale of Yinlu peanut milk and canned rice porridge businesses in China to Food Wise Co., Ltd., a company controlled by the family of Yinlu's founder.

Nestlé Waters
Nestlé Waters, the no.1 bottled water company worldwide, on the sale of its water business in the mainland China to Tsingtao Brewery Group Company Limited, China's second-largest beer maker. This transaction was awarded "Deal of the Year 2021" by China Business Law Journal, and was shortlisted as the "M&A Deal of the Year" by China Law & Practice Awards 2021.

Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation, in its investment of approximately US$400 million in Bilibili Inc., a China-based provider of online entertainment services, through subscription of new shares. As a condition to closing, Bilibili and Sony Corporation entered into a business collaboration agreement to pursue collaboration opportunities within the area of entertainment business in the Chinese market, including anime and mobile games.

Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco on the following:

  • its formation of a joint venture with North Huajin Petrochemical and Panjin Xincheng (Panjin) to develop a US$10 billion fully integrated refining and petrochemicals complex located in the northeastern province of Liaoning, China.
  • its proposed joint venture with PetroChina to acquire from PetroChina and operate a new 260,000 bpd grassroots, full conversion refinery at Kunming in China’s Yunnan province where the crude oil will be supplied via a pipeline from Myanmar to China.

SDIC Fund's various investments:
SDIC Fund Management Co., Ltd. in its various investments including:

  • as its regulatory advisor on their investment in Key Safety Systems, a subsidiary of Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corporation, to acquire the US assets of the Japan-based airbag manufacturer Takata Corporation.
  • in an ownership stake in Maxwell Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: MXWL), a leading developer and manufacturer of capacitive energy storage and power delivery solutions.

Haier Group
Haier Group, the Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer, in the US$5.4 billion acquisition of GE Appliances unit from GE through an auction process. This is one of the largest acquisitions of a US company by a Chinese entity to date. This transaction is named "Cross-Border Deal of the Year" and "M&A Deal of the Year" by M&A Advisor Awards in 2016, and "M&A Deal of the Year" by ALB China Law Awards 2017.

A multinational group
A multinational group, as one of the 25 domestic and foreign investors, in a financing to subscribe for part of the 29.99% shareholding interest in Sinopec Marketing Co., Ltd. which amounts to an aggregate of RMB107.094 billion. Sinopec Marketing Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of the listed Chinese oil company Sinopec.

Publications

New M&A Rules in China Formalize Existing Policy, Corporate Counsel, February 2007, (co-authored with John Leary and Xiaoming Li)

Awards and Recognition

Leading Individual: China – Corporate and M&A (Foreign Firms),
Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020-2021

One of the 2020 ALB China Top 15 Female Lawyers,
Asian Legal Business

Leading Individual Corporate/M&A: China-based (International Firms), Chambers Asia Pacific, Chambers Global 2017, 2019-2021

Leading Individual: Mergers and Acquisitions – Foreign Firms
IFLR 1000 2014