Yoon & Yang LLC (“Yoon & Yang”) announced that it has hired mergers and acquisitions heavyweight Hee Woong Yoon as a new Managing Partner and the Head of the firm’s newly established Future Strategy Planning Task Force. Mr. Yoon, widely regarded as an “M&A guru” in Korea, brings over 30 years of corporate advisory and M&A experience to the firm. In his role as the Head of the Future Strategy Planning Task Force, Mr. Yoon is expected to play a key role in advancing Yoon & Yang’s growth strategy and enhancing client services for the largest domestic and foreign corporations.
Mr. Yoon is recognized as a leading dealmaker, having successfully led numerous high-profile domestic and international M&A transactions throughout his career. With the addition of Mr. Yoon, Yoon & Yang is poised to significantly strengthen its capabilities and market influence in the corporate advisory and M&A practice areas and make a decisive leap to the top tier in the market.
Hee Woong Yoon graduated from Seoul National University School of Law in 1987 and passed the Korean bar exam in 1992. He began his legal career in 1992 at Yoon & Partners, the predecessor to Yoon & Yang. While working at Yoon & Partners, he studied in the U.S. and, after earning his LL.M. from George Washington University Law School in 1997, was admitted to the New York State Bar in the U.S.
Mr. Yoon has spent three decades at the forefront of Korea’s M&A, banking and capital markets, establishing himself as a leading expert in these fields. He played a pivotal role in major M&A transactions that have shaped the landscape of Korea’s M&A market, including Lotte Shopping’s acquisition of Hi-Mart, Hyundai Motor Company's acquisition of Shinheung Securities (currently Hyundai Motor Securities), and Hanwha Group’s acquisition of Samsung General Chemicals and Samsung Total. He has also advised major domestic conglomerates and global financial institutions on a variety of other M&A transactions that have garnered industry-wide attention, such as Standard Chartered Bank’s acquisition of Korea First Bank, Lotte Shopping’s acquisition of Woori Home Shopping, and Lotte Confectionery’s acquisition of Guylian.
Since 2005, Mr. Yoon has been repeatedly recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” in the corporate advisory, M&A and capital markets areas by prestigious international legal publications such as IFLR1000 and Chambers Asia-Pacific, attesting to the international recognition of his expertise and capabilities. He has demonstrated a strong ability to develop complex transaction structures through his deep understanding of the capital markets and private equity funds, as well as his broad-ranging advisory experience in corporate governance structuring, acquisition finance, and financial regulations. He is well known not only for the quality of his legal advice but also for his ability to provide client-oriented, strategic solutions.
In addition, Mr. Yoon has been serving as an advisor for numerous Korean government committees, including the National Pension Service’s Alternative Investment Committee, the Financial Supervisory Service’s Self-Regulatory Review Committee, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Investment Policy Advisory Committee, as well as serving as legal advisor to the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning. His extensive experience across both the public and private sectors has cemented his reputation as a leading expert with a deep understanding spanning both the Korean regulatory system and policy environment as well as well as the private sector.
He will serve as a key partner in Yoon & Yang’s corporate advisory, acquisition finance, capital markets, and M&A practices, further enhancing the firm’s competitiveness in domestic and cross-border transaction services. Mr. Yoon’s joining Yoon & Yang is expected to not only enhance the firm’s capabilities in providing strategic M&A advice but also in advising regarding optimal transaction structures suited to clients’ business circumstances and also marks a major turning point for Yoon & Yang in expanding its corporate advisory and M&A capabilities and in securing major deal mandates. Building upon this momentum, Yoon & Yang plans to further bolster its competitiveness in the corporate advisory, M&A, banking & finance and capital markets fields through recruitment of additional experts in those areas.
Mr. Hee Woong Yoon stated, “In line with Yoon & Yang’s client-first philosophy, I will provide strategic and practical legal solutions in the corporate advisory, M&A, banking & finance and capital markets practices for both domestic and international clients. I am committed to leveraging my experience and expertise to actively support our clients’ success and strengthening their market leadership.”