Salans To Open Hong Kong Office

Finance Asia is reporting that…

International law firm Salans is growing its business in  China by opening a Hong Kong office .

The firm has been in Shanghai since 2003 and opened an office in  Beijing since last year, and has now received regulatory approval from the Hong Kong authorities, it said in a statement Friday. It will operate out of premises in Citibank Tower in the Central district of the city.

Finance Asia goes on to report

Despite its physical presence in China, Salans says the intention is that Hong Kong "will provide a gateway for foreign investment into mainland China and will focus on corporate, capital markets and institutional real estate transactions". Also, the office will "act as a hub for Salans’ future growth in other parts of Asia".

The Hong Kong operation will be headed by Andrew Lui, who formerly led Pinsent Masons’ corporate practice in mainland China. Lui specialises in commercial and corporate finance, both in Hong Kong and the PRC, and has a wide sector focus on investment banks, manufacturing, trading and logistics companies, according to the statement. He is fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and English.

Recruitment of other partners and associates is apparently "well advanced". Lui says that the firm has "already recruited a strong team in Hong Kong, and will be announcing more appointments shortly." He adds that "this is an exciting time for Salans, and I look forward to growing the Hong Kong office with my Greater China colleagues in Beijing and Shanghai".

http://www.financeasia.com/article.aspx?CIaNID=101734