John Baptist specialises in corporate finance, capital markets and mergers and acquisitions law. He has practised law in the jurisdiction of Hong Kong for nearly 20 years. His clients include Hong Kong, PRC and multinational companies as well as leading investment banks and financial institutions.
John Baptist is an expert legal advisor in equity capital markets transactions and has successfully closed over 40 IPOs and secondary offerings, with a total value of an excess of US$30 billion, including landmark IPOs such as HTSC, Bank of Communications and Haitong Securities. Many of these transactions were awarded "Deal of the Year" in various awards.
Prior to joining KWM Hong Kong office, John Baptist worked in other leading international law firms and investment banks. He has had the opportunity to work in Beijing, Shanghai, and London for over five years.
John Baptist speaks fluent Mandarin, Cantonese and English and is proficient in negotiating and drafting legal documents in Chinese and English.
Recent IPO experience includes:*
- HK$68.1 million IPO of Left Field Printing, representing issuer in 2018 (the former company OPUS Group was delisted from ASX and listed in HK through a first-of-its-kind scheme of arrangement)
- US$5 billion H share IPO of Huatai Securities Co., Ltd., representing issuer – Top 3 worldwide and largest Hong Kong IPO in 2015 and awarded "IPO of the Year" in the Asia Legal Awards, by The American Lawyer
- US$1.8 billion H share IPO of Haitong Securities Co., Ltd., representing JP Morgan, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and other underwriters – Top 2 Hong Kong IPO in 2012 and awarded "Equity Deal of Year 2012" by China Law & Practice
- US$335 million IPO of Sunac China Holdings Limited, representing Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and other underwriters – Awarded "Deal of the Year 2010" by China Business Law Journal
- HK$424 million IPO of Homeland Interactive Technology Limited, representing 5 underwriters including China Everbright Capital Limited
- HK$220 million IPO of LH Group Limited, representing issuer in 2018
- US$2 billion H share IPO of Bank of Communications Co., Ltd., representing issuer in 2005 – First PRC bank listed in Hong Kong market
- US$315 million IPO of Haichang Holdings Ltd, representing BNP Paribas, Merrill Lynch and other underwriters in 2015 – First PRC theme park operator listed in Hong Kong market
- US$239 million H share IPO of Hanhua Financial Holding Co., Ltd., representing issuer in 2014 – First PRC guarantee financing provider listed in Hong Kong market
- US$120 million H share IPO of Luzheng Futures Company Limited, representing issuer in 2015 – First PRC futures company listed in the Hong Kong market
- US$1.1 billion H share IPO of China Galaxy Securities Co., Ltd., representing 27 underwriters including China Galaxy International, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan – Top 6 Hog Kong IPO in 2013
- US$1.4 billion H share IPO of Huishang Bank Corporation Limited, representing 21 underwriters including CITIC Securities, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley and UBS – Top 5 Hong Kong IPO in 2013
- Other IPOs in the industries of finance, real estate, energy, manufacturing, medicine, TMT and retails: Hospital Corporation of China Limited in 2017; China Merchants Securities Co., Ltd in 2016; Bank of Qingdao Co., Ltd and Xinte Energy Co. Ltd. in 2015; BAIC Motor Corporation Ltd., China CNR Corporation Limited and Central China Securities Co. Ltd. in 2014; China Huishan Dairy Holdings Company in 2013; Zhengzhou Coal Mining Machinery Group Company Limited and Future Land Development Holdings Limited in 2012; Changfeng Axle (China) Company Limited and ShiFang Holdings Limited in 2010; Intime Department Store (Group) Co. Ltd. in 2007; Jilin Qifeng Chemical Fiber Co., Ltd. in 2006; China Netcom Group Corporation (Hong Kong) Limited in 2004; PICC Property and Casualty Company Limited in 2003
Recent secondary offering / placing experience includes:*
- Advise China Merchants Securities on (1) A share repurchase program, (2) employee stock ownership plan; and (3) A and H share rights issue plan
- HK$880 million of share placing and issuance by C&D International Investment Group Limited, representing Issuer in 2017
- Xinte Energy Co., Ltd.: issuing RMB 1.2 billion domestic shares to TBEA Co., Ltd. in the form of directional additional issuance
- US$1.74 billion top-up placing of China Taiping Insurance Holdings Co. Ltd., representing placing agents HSBC, Citi, UBS, CCBI, CICC and CMBI in 2015– Largest top-up placing in 2015
- US$326 million H share placing of Central China Securities Co., Ltd., representing placing agents CCBI, Qilu International, HSBC and Pan Asia in 2015
- US$224.5 million H share placing of Huaneng Renewables Corporation Limited, representing placing agent Credit Suisse in 2014
- US$182 million H share placing of Huadian Power International Corporation, representing the placing agent UBS in 2014
- US$142 million placing of Sihuan Pharmaceuticals Holdings, representing placing agent Morgan Stanley in 2014
- US$117 million H share placing of Beijing Jingneng Clean Energy Co., Limited, representing placing agents UBS, Essence International and CMS in 2014
Recent regulatory compliance experience with listed companies in Hong Kong includes:*
- H share companies: China Merchants Securities Co., Ltd, Xinte Energy Co. Ltd., The People's Insurance Company (Group) Of China, China Reinsurance Group, Luzheng Futures Company Ltd
- A+H share companies: China Construction Bank, Huatai Securities Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou Coal Mining Machinery Group Co., Ltd., China CITIC Bank
- Hong Kong listed companies: China Taiping Insurance Group, C&D International Investment Group Limited, Dadi International Group Limited, China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited, China Netcom Group Corporation Hong Kong Limited
Recent merger and acquisition and other experience includes:*
- Cheung Kong Property Holdings Limited, Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings Limited and Power Assets Holdings Limited: A$7.3 billion acquisition of 100% equity interest in ASX-listed energy company DUET Group
- Dadi International Group Limited: HK$57 million subscription for the listed equity of Zhi Cheng Holdings Limited
- C&D International Investment Group Limited: its several very substantial acquisitions, very substantial disposals, major transactions and connected transactions.
- LH Group Limited: its HK$128 million acquisition of 100% equity interests in Sanwang Development Co., Ltd and Tremendous Luck Restaurant Limited.
- Sino-Ocean Land Capital Finance: its US$900 million issuance of perpetual subordinated convertible securities – Awarded "Debt and Equity-Linked Deal of the Year 2011" by China Law & Practice
- NWS Holdings Limited: its US$302 million acquisition of 8.84% of the total issued share capital of Beijing Capital International Airport Co., Ltd.
- China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited: acquisitions of (i) China Resources Peoples Telephone, a voluntary conditional cash offer and (ii) mobile telecommunication assets in China
- Citibank: its acquisition of 5% shareholding in Shanghai Pudong Development Bank
- Copenhagen Airports: its strategic investment in Hainan Meilan International Airport
*Includes transactions completed prior to joining KWM
