Sean Zhang

Kirkland & Ellis is advising GL Capital as the offeror on its proposed privatization of SciClone Pharmaceuticals (Holdings) Limited (HKSE: 6600), a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The privatisation will be implemented by way of a scheme of arrangement. SciClone Pharmaceuticals is principally engaged in developing and commercializing a portfolio of marketed products and pipeline with potential in its focused therapeutic areas including oncology and severe infection. The transaction was announced on March 28, 2024. Read GL Capital and SciClone Pharmaceuticals' joint announcement The Kirkland team was led by corporate partner Joey Chau, with assistance from corporate associate Serene Lu. The team also included debt finance partners Jacqueline Zheng and Sean Zhang and investment funds partners Jennifer Feng and Shinong Wang and registered foreign lawyer Nicole Yang.

Mar 28

1 min

Kirkland & Ellis advised an ad hoc group of offshore noteholders on the successful restructuring of approximately USD8.1 billion offshore liabilities of CIFI Holdings (Group) Co. Ltd. (HKEX: 0884), a leading property developer in the PRC. The restructuring closed on December 29, 2025, following a three-year negotiation process that commenced in late 2022 and culminated in the sanction of a scheme of arrangement by the Hong Kong Court. Widely regarded as one of the largest and most complex real estate restructurings in Asia, the deal involved a suite of implementation mechanisms – including a Hong Kong scheme of arrangement and parallel consent solicitations – to restructure CIFI's offshore loan facilities, senior notes, convertible bonds, and perpetual securities. The Kirkland team included restructuring lawyers Neil McDonald, Wei-Yang Lim, Zhao Wang Teo and Yvette Zhou; litigation lawyer Kevin Leung; capital markets lawyers Cedric Van den Borren, Rohan Sahai and Connor Anear; debt finance lawyers Sean Zhang, Johnson Man and Rachel Naylor; and derivatives lawyer Scott Gordon.

Jan 8

1 min

Kirkland & Ellis is advising J.P. Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Limited as exclusive financial adviser to the offeror, L’Occitane Groupe S.A., on the proposed privatisation of L’Occitane International S.A. (HKSE: 973). L’Occitane is a global leader in the premium beauty market with more than 3,000 retail outlets, including approximately 1,300 owned stores across 90 countries. The transaction will be funded through a combination of external debt facilities provided by Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (CA-CIB), with additional financing capital provided by funds managed by Blackstone Inc. and its affiliates and Goldman Sachs Asset Management International or its affiliates. Read L’Occitane’s announcement The Kirkland team is led by corporate partner Joey Chau, with support from corporate partner Brian Ho and debt finance partners Jacqueline Zheng and Sean Zhang.

Apr 30

1 min

Kirkland & Ellis advised the ad hoc group of noteholders on the successful restructuring of approximately USD 17.7 billion offshore liabilities of Country Garden Holdings Company Limited (HKEX: 2007), a leading PRC property developer. The restructuring became effective on December 30, 2025, following a multi-year negotiation and implementation process and the sanction of a scheme of arrangement by the Hong Kong Court on December 4, 2025. Country Garden’s offshore restructuring represents one of Asia’s most significant and largest restructurings of Chinese property developers in the current sector-wide crisis. It is one of the largest schemes of arrangement by value ever sanctioned by the Hong Kong Court to date. This transaction marks another landmark mandate for Kirkland and reinforces the firm’s market-leading role in Asia advising on the most significant and complex offshore restructurings in the region. Kirkland advised the ad hoc group throughout the restructuring process, including in negotiations with Country Garden and other stakeholders in relation to the restructuring terms and the post-restructuring debt and equity instruments. The Kirkland team included restructuring lawyers Neil McDonald, Wei-Yang Lim, Anthony Wijaya, Zhao Wang Teo, Su Yi Yeoh and Yvette Zhou; debt finance lawyers Sean Zhang and Johnson Man; corporate lawyers Pierre-Luc Arsenault and Yawen Li; capital markets lawyers Cedric Van den Borren and Rohan Sahai; and litigation lawyer Kevin Leung.

Jan 7

1 min

Kirkland & Ellis advised Hilong Holding Limited (HKEX: 1623) on its restructuring of approximately $379 million offshore secured senior notes. Hilong is a leading PRC-based integrated oilfield equipment manufacturer and service provider. Hilong’s restructuring proposal (which included disposal of assets, cash paydowns, enhanced credit protections and revised governance arrangements) ultimately received overwhelming support from its diverse creditor base. With such creditor support, the Hong Kong proceedings for the winding-up of the company was promptly withdrawn upon the successful completion of the restructuring. The transaction closed on February 5, 2026, following the consent solicitation launched on December 11, 2025 and approved on February 3, 2025 by holders representing 96.28% of the aggregate principal amount of the offshore notes. This transaction marks another successful representation by Kirkland and further reinforces our market-leading role in Asia advising on the most significant and complex restructurings in the region. The Kirkland team included restructuring lawyers Wei-Yang Lim, Anthony Wijaya, Yvette Zhou and Rebecca Zhou; debt finance lawyers Sean Zhang and Johnson Man; capital markets lawyers Cedric Van den Borren, AJ Brown, Alejandro García, Patrick Wieser and Younes Mahmoudieh; and litigation lawyer Kevin Leung.

Feb 13

1 min