Jing Lu

Work Highlights

• Represented Tianqi Lithium Corporation (Stock Code: SZ002466) on its syndicated facilities in an aggregate amount of USD 3.5 billion from two international syndicates arranged by China CITIC Bank to acquire about 23.77% A shares of the global lithium giant SQM, such project has been the PRC’s largest overseas acquisition in lithium power industry; and further represented Tianqi Lithium Corporation on the financing related matters in relation to the acquisition transaction through a share capital increase and the introduction of IGO Limited, a listed Australian company

• Represented two syndicates jointly arranged by China Construction Bank, Bank of Communication, China Merchants Bank, Bank of China and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China on the term loan facilities in an aggregate amount of approximately CNY 10 billion granted to INVISTA Nylon Chemicals (China) Co., Ltd. for its manufacturing facilities to produce adiponitrile and the expansion of Nylon 6,6 production located in the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park, which is one of the 2020 key construction projects in Shanghai

• Represented Ascent Real Estate Investors (a real estate fund under Carlyle) and Sigma Delta Partners Investment, together with Partners Group and The Family Office Co., on the onshore-offshore linked financing in an aggregate amount of approximately CNY 6 billion from onshore and offshore syndicates for the acquisition of Beijing Zhongguancun Dinghao Electronics Plaza

• Represented Advent International and Cinven on the onshore SBLC facilities in relation to the offshore financing granted by Deutsche Bank and Standard Chartered Bank respectively in an aggregate amount of several hundred million EURO, which is part of the offshore financing for the acquisition of Thyssenkrupp’s Elevator Technology business in 2020, which was the largest European buyout transaction by private equity fund since the 2008 financial crisis

• Represented Blackstone Group on the loans in an aggregate amount of several billion RMB for the acquisition of the VivoCity Project located in Shanghai and its subsequent refinancing deal; and the loans in an aggregate amount of several billion RMB for the acquisition of a portfolio of logistics assets from Goldman Sachs which are located in Chengdu, Wuhan, Deqing and Zhengzhou respectively

• Represented Tishman Speyer on the development syndicated loans as well as equity acquisition loans for various projects, including the Shanghai Spring Project, Shanghai Crystal Plaza Project, Shenzhen Houhai Harbour Project, Shanghai Crystal Bridge Project and etc.

• Represented Carlyle Group on the loans of over USD 1.9 billion borrowed from the syndicate arranged by Barclays to finance USD 3.2 billion acquisition of Atotech B.V. from Total S.A, which is one of the most significant acquisition transactions in global chemical market in 2017; and further represented Carlyle Group on the re-financing syndicate loan arranged by Goldman Sachs in relation to the aforesaid financing in 2021

• Represented J.P. Morgan Asset Management and New Ease on two cross-border syndicated loans in an aggregate amount of several billion RMB borrowed from the two cross- border syndicates for the acquisition of the onshore portfolio consisting of ten logistics assets and the re-financing of aforesaid acquisition loan

• Represented International Finance Corporation and DEG – Deutsche Investitionsund Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH on the loans in an aggregate amount of approximately CNY 1 billion granted to onshore and offshore affiliates of Minsheng Education Group (Stock Code: HK01569) for acquisition of new schools and upgrades to existing schools

• Represented the syndicate arranged by Barclays Bank, BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Credit Industriel & Commercial and Natixis on the cross-border security arrangements under the offshore loans in an aggregated amount of over EUR 1 billion granted to Compagnie Benelux Participations for the acquisition of Gerflor

• Represented the syndicate arranged by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays Bank, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase Bank on the cross-border security arrangements under the offshore loans in an aggregated amount of several hundred million GBP granted to Travelex Group for its debt restructuring

• Represented the syndicate arranged by Bank of East Asia on the syndicate loan in an amount up to CNY 2 billion granted to Shenzhen Tianlian Terminal Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Telling Telecommunication Holding Co., Ltd. (Stock Code: SZ000829)

• Represented the syndicate consisted of Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank and HSBC on a cross-border facility granted to Provident Capital and Saratoga Group for the purpose of funding the telecommunication tower business of its onshore project companies

• Represented OCBC Bank on the onshore-offshore linked financing in an aggregate amount of several hundred million RMB granted to InfraRed NF for the acquisition of an onshore company which owns Jindu Building in Shanghai and had gone through a reorganization proceeding

• Represented Hines on the syndicated loan of several billion RMB granted by the syndicate consisting of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and Agricultural Bank of China to the financing and re-financing of the construction and development of One Museum Palace project in Shanghai

• Represented GIC on the loan in an amount of several billion RMB granted by Industrial and Commercial Bank of China for the refinancing of Beijing AZIA Center

• Represented Ascendent Capital Partners on the cross-border acquisition loans in an amount of approximately EUR 100 million provided by China Merchants Bank for the acquisition of Alutrim Group’s subsidiaries in Germany, Hongkong and mainland China

• Represented CapitaLand on the cross-border financing arrangement involved in its sale of 20 shopping malls in the PRC to the consortium consisting of SCPG, Vanke and Triwater

• Represented Phoenix Property Investors on the loans in an amount of several billion RMB from several syndicates arranged by Bank of Shanghai for the acquisition of four properties located in Rongtai Center of Financial Street, Shanghai from Financial Street Holding (Stock Code: SZ000402)

• Represented Apollo Management on the onshore and offshore linked financing in an amount of several billion RMB from onshore and offshore banks for the acquisition of Shanghai Skyway Grand Hotel and the re-financing of its existing debts

• Represented Investcorp and Viz Branz Holdings Pte. Ltd. on the cross-border security arrangements under the offshore loans granted by the syndicate jointly arranged by HSBC and ING Bank in an amount of several hundred million SGD for the refinancing of its existing debts

• Represented the syndicate arranged by Coöperatieve Rabobank, National Westminster Bank, J.P. Morgan, BNP Paribas etc. on the cross-border security arrangements under the offshore loan in an aggregated amount of several hundred million USD to Genus PLC for the refinancing of its existing debts

Shirley LU’s bio can be found here: https://en.zhonglun.com/team/shirleylu.html

Practice Areas

Financing, Cross-border Investment/M&A, Debt Restructuring & Non-performing Assets

Professional Memberships

Committee Member, the First, Second and Third Session of the Administrative Reconsideration of Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Government

Personal

Shirley LU has been specialized in providing legal services in the area of banking and finance for over 25 years to leading foreign and domestic financial institutions, renowned funds, transnational corporations and listed companies, with particular expertise in advising on transactions of cross-border financing, acquisition financing, project financing, privatization, trade financing and debt restructuring, covering a broad range of industrial sectors, especially focusing on real estate, energy, infrastructure, TMT, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, financial leasing, automotive financing, hotel, minerals, food and health products, among other.

Awarded as “Women Leaders” by IFLR1000 since year 2020 and “China Top Female Lawyers” by Asian Legal Business (ALB) in 2015. Advised on many prominent landmark financing transactions including Tianqi Lithium’s Acquisition of SQM, INVISTA Project Financing, Acquisition of Zhongguancun Dinghao Electronics Plaza, Focus Media Privatization, Acquisition of Atotech by Carlyle Group, Shanghai Disneyland Project and etc.

Languages Spoken

Chinese

English

Experience

Partner, Zhong Lun Law Firm

Partner, Horizon Law Office

Expert in these Jurisdictions

PRC Bar, 1993