Teresa Ko
Greater China Region Guide 2024
Capital Markets: Equity (International Firms) + 1 more ranking
Eminent Practitioners
Band 3
About
Provided by Teresa Ko
Practice Areas
Teresa is Freshfields’ China Chairman and a founding partner of Freshfields’ Asia equity capital markets practice. Described as “an icon in the industry”, Teresa is one of the most prominent corporate and securities lawyers in Hong Kong.
She has helped numerous Chinese state-owned, privately-owned and international companies to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE), including advising on eight out of the ten largest IPOs in Hong Kong.
She also has an impressive record on public and private M&A transactions and advises on joint ventures and corporate governance matters.
Career
Teresa joined Freshfields in 1988, becoming a partner in 1993 and China Chairman in 2011.
Professional Memberships
Teresa currently serves as vice-chair of the IFRS Foundation Trustees and as chair of its Due Process Oversight Committee. She was also a member of the Trustee Sustainability Steering Committee which oversaw the establishment of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).
She was the first female to chair the Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s Listing Committee between 2009 and 2011 and was deputy chair for three years before then. She currently serves as co-chair of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s Listing Review Committee and a deputy chair of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC)’s Takeovers and Mergers Panel.
She also served as a non-executive director of the SFC in 2012 to 2018 and as a member of the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority from 2010 to 2016.
Personal
- Recognised as a HERoes Executive Role Model in 2022 for the fifth consecutive year
- IFLR1000 Women Leaders 2022
- Forbes’ ‘Asia's Power Businesswomen’ list 2021
Languages Spoken
She speaks Mandarin, Cantonese and English.
Work Highlights
- Advising on the listings of numerous Chinese state-owned, privately owned and international enterprises on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, including the 'big four' banks, TME, CTG Duty-Free, Beike, Cloud Village, Xpeng, Yum China, Alibaba, Budweiser APAC, China Tower, Guotai Junan Securities, Cinda Asset Management, Tencent, Imax China, Fast Retailing, L’Occitane International, Samsonite International and AIA
- Advising the promoters of Hong Kong’s first SPAC for Aquila Acquisition Corporation which listed on 18 March 2022, following the introduction of HKSE’s new SPAC regime on 1 January 2022
- Advising Li & Fung and Temasek on the US$3.6bn sale of LF Logistics to Maersk and on Li & Fung’s long-term strategic partnership with Maersk
- Advising Hutchison Whampoa on its merger with CK Hutchison Holdings and Cheung Kong Property Holdings on its spin-off and listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange by way of introduction
- Advising HSBC on its JV with Shenzhen Qianhai Financial Holdings in 2017 (the world’s first-ever controlled securities joint venture)
- Advising Zhongwang USA, a subsidiary of Zhongwang International Group, on its $2.33bn acquisition of Aleris Corporation, a US-based global aluminium rolled products producer, from a consortium of shareholders led by Oaktree Capital Management along with Apollo Management and Sankaty Advisors
- Advising China International Capital Corporation on its $2.5bn acquisition of a 100 per cent equity interest in China Investment Securities Company
Chambers Review
Greater China Region
Teresa Ko advises on some of Freshfields' weightiest listings and draws on a deep well of regulatory expertise, reflected in her position as co-chair of HKEX's Listing Review Committee. She chairs the firm's China practice.
Teresa Ko is respected for her seasoned advice on a broad range of corporate matters, with recent experience acting on M&A and disposal transactions. She also has noteworthy securities practice.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"She always makes you feel like you're number one. She shows good attention to detail and understands what's being negotiated and agreed upon. She goes the extra mile to make sure she and I understand what we're signing up for."
"She has deep connections with the SFC, and her insights in that regard are a competitive advantage for Freshfields."
"Teresa is a very seasoned and experienced legal professional with broad insight into capital markets and commercial transactions and excellent leadership in providing all-round legal support."
"She always makes you feel like you're number one. She shows good attention to detail and understands what's being negotiated and agreed upon. She goes the extra mile to make sure she and I understand what we're signing up for."
"She has deep connections with the SFC, and her insights in that regard are a competitive advantage for Freshfields."
"Teresa is a very seasoned and experienced legal professional with broad insight into capital markets and commercial transactions and excellent leadership in providing all-round legal support."
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