Deacons houses a broad team known for its strong focus on private M&A, venture capital investments, and joint ventures. The group assists a diverse client roster of state-owned corporations, global companies, and partnerships. Ronny Chow jointly leads the team alongside Machiuanna Chu; Chow is noted for his longstanding expertise in takeovers and privatisations, while Chu is recommended for her deep knowledge of cross-border M&A and investment mandates. Alexander Que is a key contact for Hong Kong listed companies and banks, while Maynard Leung routinely acts for real estate, telecoms, and financial services clients in mandates involving corporate reorganisations and voluntary general cash offers.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Profile
Work Department
Corporate Commercial practice group
Position
Partner
Career
Machiuanna has over 23 years’ experience specialising in cross-border M&As, private equity and venture capital investments, joint ventures, and investment structure and advisory.
She has extensive experience in cross-border M&A and investment projects involving Hong Kong and mainland China.
Highlights
Her practice has a particular focus on new economies tech sector, she is accredited as Certified Information Privacy Professional for Asia by International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). She has substantial experience in advising technology proprietors in commercialisation of technological inventions and building digital businesses. This ranges from providing commercial regulatory advice, advising clients on fund raising, share subscriptions, share swaps, growth of online platforms by way of the acquisition and integration of businesses owning complementary technology, and technology licensing. She also has experience advising on issuance of virtual assets including ICOs, subscriptions of future tokens, cryptocurrency exchanges, and related compliance issues in Hong Kong. He clients include technology companies, cryptocurrency issuers, fintech companies, statutory bodies, financial institutions, and asset management companies.
Machiuanna also advises on foreign direct investment in the PRC including investment structures, establishment of foreign investment enterprises, labour issues, property issues, sino-foreign fund management joint ventures, corporate restructuring and investment exits in the PRC. She also counselled various property developers on acquisition of land use rights in the PRC, project development, and sale and purchase of property development and hotel projects in the PRC. Machiuanna is the Chief Representative of Deacons’ Guangzhou Office since 2012.
Languages
English
Cantonese
Mandarin
Cantonese
Mandarin
Memberships
Certified Information Privacy Professional/Asia
Member, The Law Society of Hong Kong
Member, The Law Society of England and Wales
Executive Committee Member, The Outward Bound Trust of Hong Kong Limited (pro-bono)
Education
Passed Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Legal Qualification Examination (2023)
PCLL, The University of Hong Kong (1999)
LLB, The University of London (1998)
BBA, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (1992)
Content supplied by Deacons
Key clients
- Anglo Chinese Corporate Finance, Limited
- Chow Tai Fook Enterprises Limited
- China Traditional Chinese Medicine Holdings Co. Limited
- Chinachem Group
- Grand Field Group Holdings Limited
- In-Tech Holdings (Cayman) Limited
- Red Emerald Capital Fund II LP
- Rhenfield Development Corp.
- Stelux Holdings International Limited
- Vertex Technology Acquisition Corporation Ltd
- Zhong Jia (International) Investment Construction Company Limited
Work highlights
Advised Chow Tai Fook Enterprises Limited on its pre-conditional voluntary general cash offers (through its SPV) to acquire all the issued shares of NWS Holdings Limited, and to cancel all the outstanding share options of NWS.
Advising China Traditional Chinese Medicine Holdings Co on the pre-conditional proposal to privatise China-TCM by way of a scheme of arrangement under the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance, and the proposed withdrawal of the listing of China-TCM from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Advised Vertex Technology Acquisition Corporation Ltd on Hong Kong law in relation to its de-SPAC transaction involving acquisition of the entire issued share capital of 17LIVE Inc. for a total consideration of up to approximately S$922.9m.