Yao Yang is an associate in the Hong Kong office of Latham & Watkins and a member of the Corporate Department. Ms. Yang advises on cross-border corporate transactions, particularly mergers and acquisitions. She has experience representing public and private companies in a variety of industries and private equity firms in connection with mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance matters.

Prior to joining Latham, Ms. Yang worked in the New York office of a leading international firm and also served as a judicial law clerk to Chancellor Andre G. Bouchard of the Delaware Court of Chancery.

Ms. Yang’s recent representative experience includes advising:

  • International games and e-sports company Savvy Games Group on its US$265 million investment in China-based leading e-sports company VSPO (formerly VSPN)
  • Loscam on its acquisition of CHEP China, a China-based subsidiary of Brambles and provider of pallet and automotive pooling operations
  • Silicon Motion Technology, a Taiwan-based developer of NAND flash controllers, on the proposed US$3.8 billion take-private acquisition by MaxLinear, a California-based integrated circuits provider
  • Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency and blockchain infrastructure providers, on its proposed US$200 million strategic investment in Forbes, the iconic business information brand in the US 
  • A leading state-owned investment firm on:
    • an investment into a Hong Kong-based gamification and blockchain leader
    • Series A-3 financing of an AI company based in China
  • Primavera on Series A financing for a Chinese biomedical company
  • Boyu Capital on Series B and B+ financing of J&T Global Express, a global logistics and express delivery company
  • The Carlyle Group on:
    • Series D financing of Abbisko Therapeutics, a clinical-stage oncology-focused biotech company in China
    • an acquisition through its fund, CAP V Mauritius, of a 5% stake in Shenzhen Salubris Pharmaceuticals, an A-share listed biopharmaceutical company
  • A buyer consortium led by Mr. Bing Zhang, the chief executive officer and chairman of Glory Star New Media Group Holdings Limited (GSMG), on the proposed going private of GSMG
  • The buyer consortium on the US$1.1 billion privatization of Bitauto Holdings Limited, an US-listed internet content and marketing service provider focusing on the automobile industry, and Tencent as a joint offeror on the consequential mandatory general offer for Yixin Group Limited, Bitauto’s Hong Kong-listed subsidiary, as triggered by the Bitauto privatization
  • Genting Malaysia Berhad and Kien Huat Realty III Limited on their joint acquisition of Empire Resorts Inc., a US listed company*
  • Warburg Pincus on its acquisition of Pregis LLC from Olympus Partners*
  • América Móvil S.A.B. de C.V. in connection with its US$905 million acquisition of Nextel Telecomunicações Ltda.*
  • Agilent Technologies Inc. on its US$250 million acquisition of ACEA Biosciences Inc., a US pharmaceutical company with major operations in China*
  • International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. on connection with its US$7.1 billion acquisition of Frutarom Industries Ltd., an Israeli-based flavors and ingredients company*
  • General Mills, Inc. in the acquisition financing in connection with its US$8 billion acquisition of Blue Buffalo Pet Products, Inc.*
  • Goldman Sachs and Barclays Capital Inc. as financial advisors on multiple public merger transactions totaling approximately US$25 billion*
  • Suzano Papel e Celulose S.A. on certain US securities law issues in connection with its acquisition of Fibria Celulose S.A.*
  • The underwriters on a series of registered debt offerings by American International Group, Inc. totaling approximately US$2.5 billion*

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham

Bar Qualification

  • Hong Kong (Registered Foreign Lawyer)
  • New York

Education

  • JD, University of California, Berkeley, 2016
  • BS, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013

Languages Spoken

  • English
  • Chinese (Mandarin)
  • Chinese (Cantonese)