Qi Yue is a partner in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Beijing office and a member of the firm’s Corporate Department and its Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice Groups.

Mr. Yue was named by China Business Law Journal a Rising Star in 2022 which identifies 20 prominent up-and-coming foreign firm lawyers for China-related business, and by Asian Legal Business in its 2021 China Top 15 Rising Lawyers list, which showcases the most accomplished lawyers in China under the age of 40.  Mr. Yue has extensive experience in China-related public and private M&A and Private Equity transactions, including complex cross-border mergers and acquisitions, business combinations and carve-outs, strategic and private equity buyouts, minority investments and venture capital transactions, offshore and onshore joint ventures and other strategic cooperation.  Mr. Yue has also represented diverse participants in going private transactions involving Chinese companies listed in the United States, including special committees, buyer consortiums, founders, co-investors and other financing sources.

Mr. Yue has worked on a number of landmark transactions, including the representation of CITIC PE in the $4.8 billion going private transaction of China Biologic Products Holdings; the representation of the special committee of Sina Corporation in the company’s $2.6 billion going private transaction; the representation of NetEase in the sale of its cross-border e-commerce platform Kaola to Alibaba for $2 billion; the representation of Tsinghua Unigroup in the acquisition of a majority stake in Hewlett-Packard’s China-based server, storage and technology services businesses for $2.5 billion and the related joint venture; and the representation of Danone in the formation of chilled yogurt joint ventures with Mengniu and the strategic investment in Mengniu’s Hong Kong Listco for approximately $420 million.

Mr. Yue’s private equity and sovereign wealth funds clients include Affinity Equity Partners, AGIC Capital, Anchor Equity, Apax Partners, Blackstone Real Estate Partners, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, CITIC Capital, CITIC PE, CITIC Securities Investment, Davidson Kempner Asia, Goldman Sachs, Hillhouse Capital, I Squared Capital, JPMorgan Asset Management, KKR, Kuwait Investment Authority, Macquarie, Primavera Capital and Silver Lake Partners, among others.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn in 2015, Mr. Yue worked at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP where he spent two years in its New York office and three years in its Beijing office.

Mr. Yue received his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 2010, his Master of Science from the University of Washington in 2007 and his Bachelor of Science from Peking University in 2002.  He is admitted to practice in the state of New York and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and English.

Recent Recognition and Awards

• Named one of China’s Top 20 Rising Stars (Foreign Firm) by China Business Law Journal in 2022.
• Named one of China’s Top 15 Rising Lawyers by Asian Legal Business in 2021.
• Representation of CITIC PE in the $4.8 billion going private transaction of China Biologic Products Holdings. Nominated for 2021 “M&A Deal of the Year” by China Law and Practice; Named 2021 “Capital Markets Deal of the Year” by China Business Law Journal.
• Representation of the Special Committee of Sina Corporation in the Company’s $2.6 billion going private transaction. Named 2020 “Deal of the Year” by China Business Law Journal; Nominated for 2021 “TMT Deal of the Year” by China Law and Practice.
• Representation of NetEase in the sale of its cross-border e-commerce platform Kaola to Alibaba for $2 billion.  Named 2020 “TMT Deal of the Year” by China Law and Practice; Nominated for 2020 “M&A Deal of the Year (Premium)” and “TMT Deal of the Year” by Asian Legal Business.
• Representation of Beijing NAURA Technology in the acquisition of Akrion Systems, a leading supplier of advanced wafer surface preparation solutions in the U.S.  Named 2017 “M&A Deal of the Year” by China Business Law Journal.
• Representation of Tsinghua Unigroup in the acquisition of a majority stake in Hewlett-Packard’s China-based server, storage and technology services businesses for $2.5 billion and the related joint venture. Named 2016 “M&A Deal of the Year” by China Law and Practice.
• Representation of Danone in the formation of chilled yogurt joint ventures with Mengniu and the strategic investment in Mengniu’s Hong Kong Listco for approximately $420 million. Named 2013 “Joint Venture Deal of the Year” by China Business Law Journal.

Selected Experience in Significant Private Equity Transactions

• AGIC Capital:
  • in its sale of Fotona, a manufacturer of medical laser systems, to Vitruvian Partners;
  • as the lead member of a consortium with Humanwell Healthcare, in the $605 million acquisition of The Ritedose Corporation, a leading manufacturer of unit-dose pharmaceutical products in the U.S., from Olympus Partners.
• Anchor Equity in multiple minority investments in Chinese companies.
• Apax Partners:
  • in its sale of Golden Jaguar, a Chinese high-end restaurant chain, to Carnival Group (996.HK);
  • in its cornerstone investment in Zhaopin (NYSE: ZPIN), a leading career platform in China;
  • in its investment in a major PRC asset management company for over $100 million.
• Blackstone Real Estate Partners:
  • in its joint real estate development projects with Vanke Group;
  • in the financing of its acquisition of an office tower in China.
• CITIC Capital:
  • as the lead member of a consortium with Caixin Global, in the acquisition of a top tier international financial information provider from Euromoney Institutional Investor for over $180 million, and its subsequent exit;
  • in its $100 million PIPE investment in China Biologic Products Holdings (NASDAQ: CBPO).
• CITIC PE:
  • in the proposed $1 billion acquisition of Hollysys Automation Technologies (NASDAQ: HOLI);
  • in its $450 million investment in the $4.8 billion going private transaction of China Biologic Products Holdings (NASDAQ: CBPO), as a member of a consortium of multiple private equity investors, including Centurium Capital, Hillhouse Capital, Temasek Holdings and CITIC Capital, among others.
• CITIC Securities Investment in its exit from a U.S. provider of digital clinical solutions.
• Davidson Kempner Asia in various real estate related investments in the PRC and Hong Kong.
• Goldman Sachs Global Private Opportunities Group in its Series D investment in an Indian logistics company.
• Hillhouse in a co-investment in connection with a going private transaction valued at $1.5 billion.
• JPMorgan Asset Management in its acquisition from Warburg Pincus and others of a majority stake in a $600 million portfolio of logistics assets in China and the related joint venture with New Ease.
• Kuwait Investment Authority in its Series D investment in Megvii Technology, a major developer of facial recognition and other AI technology.
• Primavera Capital:
  • in its investment in a Chinese restaurant chain;
  • in its proposed investment in a PRC fintech company.
• Silver Lake Partners in connection with its convertible note investment in Qunar (NASDAQ: QUNR) for $330 million.
• Shah Capital in its PIPE investment in ReneSola (NYSE: SOL).
• China Logistics Property Holdings (01589.HK):
  • in its debt and equity investments by RRJ Capital in an aggregate amount of $500 million;
  • in its investment by Carlyle.
• Founder in connection with the sale of a majority stake in South Beauty, a Chinese high-end restaurant chain, to CVC Capital Partners for over $250 million.

Selected Experience in Significant Strategic Transactions

• A European Fintech company in its proposed investment in a China SOE.
• A leading U.S. early education provider in its proposed joint venture with a major Chinese technology company.
• A PRC company listed on Shanghai Stock Exchange in the proposed bid acquisition of over $1 billion American assets of a listed Sweden pharmaceutical company.
• A semiconductor company listed on STAR Market in multiple cross-border investments and acquisitions in the U.S. and the U.K.
• Alibaba (NYSE: BABA; 9988.HK):
  • in its acquisition of a majority stake in AdChina, an internet advertising platform;
  • in its investment in UCWeb, a Chinese mobile Internet company;
  • in its acquisition of a majority stake in Glamour Sales, a luxury e-commerce flash sales site.
• Beijing NAURA Technology in the acquisition of Akrion Systems LLC, a leading supplier of advanced wafer surface preparation solutions in the U.S.
• Bona Film and its founder in various corporate and financing transactions.
• Bosch in the disposal of its worldwide automotive steering and transmission pump business, including the sale of its majority interest in a Chinese joint venture.
• Danone:
  • in its formation of chilled yogurt joint ventures with Mengniu and the strategic investment in Mengniu’s Hong Kong Listco for approximately $420 million;
  • in its subscription of a minority stake in Yashili (1230.HK) for HK$4.38 billion
• EnPro Industries (NYSE: NPO) in its $305 million acquisition of LeanTeq, a Taiwan based refurbishment service provider for semiconductor components.
• Kuaidi in its strategic merger with Didi (NYSE: DIDI).
• NetEase (NASDAQ: NTES; 9999.HK):
  • in the spin-off Hong Kong IPO of NetEase Cloud Music (9899.HK);
  • in its sale of Kaola, China’s largest cross-border e-commerce platform, to Alibaba (NYSE: BABA; 9988.HK) for $2 billion;
  • in the proposed combination of its cross-border e-commerce business with the Chinese business of one of the world’s largest online retail companies;
  • in various investments in the United States and the U.K.;
  • in its mobile games joint venture with Mattel (NASDAQ: MAT).
• Ningbo Joyson in its $920 million acquisition of Key Safety Systems, a global leader in the design, development and manufacturing of automotive safety components, from FountainVest Partners.
• Phoenix New Media (NYSE: FENG):
  • in its strategic investment in Particle;
  • in the sale of its stake in Particle for approximately $350 million;
  • in the sale of its majority stake in Tadu for RMB313.6 million.
• Sanpower Group:
  • in its acquisition of a majority stake of China Cord Blood Corporation (NYSE: CO) for approximately $860 million;
  • in its acquisition of a majority stake in Mecox Lane Limited (NASDAQ: MCOX).
• Sellers in connection with the sale of ShanghaiMart, a landmark building in Shanghai, to Shanghai Industrial Urban Development Group (0563.HK) for $579.3 million.
• Special Committee of China Xiniya Fashion Limited (NYSE: XNY) in share and assets swap transactions.
• Tsinghua Unigroup in the acquisition of a majority stake in Hewlett-Packard’s China-based server, storage and technology services businesses for $2.5 billion and the related joint venture.

Recent Experience in Going Private Transactions

• A consortium consisting of Mr. Dang He and CMC Capital Partners in connection with the going private transaction of Charm Communications (NASDAQ: CHRM).
• CITIC PE in the $4.8 billion going private transaction of China Biologic Products Holdings (NASDAQ: CBPO).
• China Grand Enterprises in connection with its financing of the going private transaction of China Nuokang Bio-pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: NKBP), and the acquisition of a majority stake in Nuokang’s PRC operating subsidiaries after the consummation of the going private transaction.
• Controlling shareholders of Sky-mobi (NASDAQ: MOBI) in the company’s going private transaction.
• Founder in the going private transaction of Bona Film Group (NASDAQ: BONA).
• Hillhouse in a co-investment in connection with a going private transaction.
• Special Committee of China Zenix Auto International Limited in the company’s going private transaction.
• Special Committee of eFuture Holding (NASDAQ: EFUT) in the company’s going private transaction.
• Special Committee of JA Solar Holdings (NASDAQ: JASO) in the company’s going private transaction.
• Special Committee of Jinpan International (NASDAQ: JST) in the company’s $144 million going private transaction.
• Special Committee of Sina Corporation (NASDAQ: SINA) in the company’s $2.6 billion going private transaction.
• Special Committee of SORL Auto Parts (NASDAQ: SORL) in the company’s going private transaction.