LAWYER PROFILE

Celia Zhou

Global 2026

Freshfields

Ranked in 2 practice areas

Banking & Finance: Leveraged & Acquisition Finance (International Firms)

China

2 years ranked

Banking & Finance: Hong Kong-based (International Firms)

China

4 years ranked

About

Provided by Freshfields

Practice Areas

Celia is a counsel in our Global Transactions group. Her practice focuses on global and regional private equity clients and corporate clients on leveraged financings, share backed financings and corporate loans across the credit spectrum.

Work Highlights

- Advising corporate clients on a number of high-profile syndicated loan transactions, including Alibaba on its US$4bn term loan and US$6.5bn revolving facility and ESR on a series of sustainability-linked loans.

- Advising Permira, Advent, FountainVest, Affinity and other international and regional private equity funds on a number of leveraged buy-outs, refinancings, pre and post IPO margin loans and other share-backed financings, as well as well as corporate loans of their portfolio companies.

- Advising Chinese investors on outbound acquisition financing, including advising Midea on the €4.1bn financing for its acquisition of Kuka and a consortium led by ANTA and FountainVest on the €4.2bn financing for its acquisition of Amer Sports.

Education

University of Hong Kong

LL.B., Law

University of Hong Kong

BBA, Law

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers Global Guide

Banking & Finance: Hong Kong-based (International Firms) - China

Up and Coming

Individual Editorial

Celia Zhou is a counsel in Freshfields' finance department. She focuses on assisting borrowers, including corporates and private equity firms, with leveraged financing and investment-grade loan transactions.

View ranking table

Banking & Finance: Leveraged & Acquisition Finance (International Firms) - China

Up and Coming

Individual Editorial

Learn more about this team View ranking table

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

She is an all-rounder and a capable banking and finance lawyer.
Banking & Finance: Hong Kong-based (International Firms)Chambers Global Guide
Celia is pretty efficient and I would say that, she would try to keep things very clear when coming back to me.
Banking & Finance: Hong Kong-based (International Firms)Chambers Global Guide
Celia has provided work that makes me very satisfied. Her strength is that she is able to use Mandarin to communicate with us.
Banking & Finance: Hong Kong-based (International Firms)Chambers Global Guide