Christopher W.H. Bickley

Partner, Head of Hong Kong Office

Christopher Bickley is a Partner and Head of the Hong Kong office of Conyers. Christopher joined Conyers in 1994.

His practice includes all aspects of corporate law with specialist expertise in corporate finance. Christopher is particularly experienced in initial public offerings and listings of shares of companies on the Main Board and the Growth Enterprise Market of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, and stock exchanges in other jurisdictions including Australia, London, Singapore and NASDAQ. His experience extends to debt financings, schemes of arrangements, restructuring exercises, fund raising exercises and private equity investment. Christopher has also advised in a number of shareholder disputes and offshore contentious matters.

Christopher is the author of “Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands Company Law” by Thomson Reuters/Sweet & Maxwell Asia, now in its fourth edition.

Chris has been recognised as an outstanding lawyer in the Offshore Client Choice list by Asian Legal Business in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023, and the A-List Top 50 Offshore Lawyers 2022 by Asia Business Law Journal.

Experience

  • Advised on the privatisation of Haier Electronics Group Co., Ltd. by way of a scheme of arrangement (under Section 99 of the Companies Act 1981 of Bermuda) and its subsequent delisting from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This matter has been shortlisted at the SSQ ALB China Law Awards 2021 for Equity Market Deal of the Year – Premium.
  • Advised ZJLD Group Inc. in connection with its HK$5.3 billion IPO on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (Stock Code: 6979). This IPO is the largest IPO on the HKEX to date in 2023 and is the second successful debut of a Chinese liquor company since 2016. This matter has been nominated for “Equity Market Deal of the Year” by ALB Hong Kong Law Awards 2023.
  • Advised MBK Partners HK Limited in connection with the privatisation of eHi Car Services Limited by way of merger. This matter was named M&A Deal of the Year by Asian Legal Business Hong Kong Law Awards 2019 and won the M&A Deal of the Year by IFLR Asia-Pacific awards 2020. It has also been shortlisted as M&A Deal of the Year – Midsize by The 17th SSQ ALB China Law Awards 2020.
  • Advised Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation in connection with its RMB46.2 billion (US$6.6 billion) initial public offering of RMB shares to investors in China and listing of the A Shares on the Sci-Tech Innovation Board of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, or SSE STAR Market. This is China’s largest contract chip manufacturer as of March 2020 and this record-breaking IPO has become the first dual listing of a Cayman company on both the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and SSE STAR Market, and the largest A Shares IPO in China since the listing of Agricultural Bank of China in 2010. This matter won the China Business Law Journal’s Deals of the Year 2020. It has also been shortlisted at the ALB China Law Awards 2021 for Equity Market Deal of the Year.

Qualifications

Education

  • Southampton University, LLB (Hons), 1990

Bar Admissions

  • British Virgin Islands, Solicitor, 2000
  • Hong Kong, Solicitor, 1997 (not currently practising)
  • Bermuda, Barrister & Attorney, 1994
  • England & Wales, Solicitor, 1993 (not currently practising)

Awards & Accolades

  • Recognised as “The Visionaries (International)” in The A-List 2023-24 by China Business Law Journal
  • Recognised as a “Highly Regarded” lawyer in the 2024 edition (and since 2014) of IFLR1000 (Financial & Corporate: Offshore)
  • Recognised as a “Highly Regarded” lawyer in the 2024 edition (and since 2014) of IFLR1000 (Investment Funds: Offshore)
  • Recognised as a leading individual in the 2024 edition (and 2011 – 2013, 2015 – 2018 and since 2020) of Legal 500 Asia-Pacific (Offshore Law)
  • Recognised in the 2024 edition of Legal 500 Caribbean (foreign based expertise)
  • Recognised in the 2023 edition (and 2013 – 2015, 2017 – 2019 and since 2021) of Chambers Global (Offshore: Corporate & Finance including Investment Funds)
  • Recognised in the 2024 edition (and 2012, 2017 and since 2020) of Chambers Asia-Pacific (Offshore: Corporate & Finance including Investment Funds)
  • Recognised in the 2023 edition (and since 2019 – 2022) of Offshore Client Choice List Top 10 by Asian Legal Business
  • Recognised as “The A-List Top 50 Offshore Lawyers 2022” by Asia Business Law Journal