I strive every day to bring tangible value to our clients by fighting for their interests and delivering actionable advice.

About Yilin

Yilin’s practice focuses on listings, mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, and other corporate matters. He has advised dozens of companies across the automotive and mobility, internet, consumer, healthcare, fintech, education, and renewable energy sectors on their initial public offerings (IPOs) in the US and Hong Kong, other complex securities offerings, mergers, acquisitions, and private equity transactions.

Yilin was recognized as a Next Generation Partner for equity capital markets by The Legal 500 Greater China 2024.

Yilin received his JD from Harvard Law School and is admitted to practice in New York and Hong Kong. He is a native Mandarin speaker and is fluent in English.

Yilin’s representative matters include:

US and Hong Kong IPOs and other capital market transactions

  • Automotive: DiDi Global, Li Auto, Hesai Group, TUHU Car and WeRide
  • Internet: 58.com, Baidu, BOSS Zhipin, Cheetah Mobile, China Literature, HUYA, iQIYI, JOYY (YY), Jumei International Holding Limited, Mogu, Momo, NIP Group (representing the underwriters), Tencent Music Entertainment Group (representing the underwriters), Weibo, Xiaomi and ZKH Group Limited
  • Consumer, healthcare, fintech and other services: Futu Holdings, 9F, Cloud Village, DPC Dash, Jumei International Holding Limited, Midea Group, Smart Share Global Limited (Energy Monster), Secoo, So-Young International, Zepp Health and GDC Technology Limited (representing the underwriters)
  • Education: 17 Education & Technology Group, 51Talk, Gaotu Techedu, iHuman, Tarena International and Youdao (representing the underwriters)
  • Renewable energy: Daqo New Energy

M&A and private equity

  • HUYA in its US$10 billion proposed merger with DouYu International Holdings Limited
  • Meilishuo in its US$2.4 billion acquisition by Mogujie
  • 58.com in several transactions, including its US$9 billion strategic transactions with Falcon View Technology Limited, the parent company of Ganji.com, and its shareholders; the US$736 million acquisition of a 20% stake by Tencent Holdings, an investment holding company with subsidiaries in the internet and telecommunications industries; and the US$267 million acquisition of Anjuke, a major online real estate listing platform in China
  • Jason Nanchun Jiang, the chairman and CEO of Focus Media Holding Limited, as part of a consortium in the US$3.7 billion going-private acquisition of Focus Media
  • Baidu in its strategic investment in iQIYI and several other strategic investments and acquisitions
  • Xiaomi in its acquisition of a portfolio of 300+ patents from Intel
  • 21Vianet Group in a US$100 million equity investment from Temasek
  • AutoNavi Holdings Limited in several transactions, including the issuance of preferred and ordinary shares to Alibaba Group Holding for US$294 million and the acquisition of Alohar Mobile, a privately held startup company focusing on location-based mobile technologies
  • Trip.com Group (formerly Ctrip.com International) in several strategic investments and acquisitions
  • Capital International in several privately negotiated dispositions of minority interests
  • JA Solar Holdings in its US$180 million acquisition of Silver Age Holdings Limited (British Virgin Islands), the owner of Solar Silicon Valley Electronic Science and Technology (China), from Jinglong Group (China) and Huang Chin Tien
  • The independent committee of the board of directors of FunTalk China Holdings Limited in the company’s US$443 million going-private, management-led buyout by Fortress Group Limited, a consortium of investment companies based in Hong Kong
  • Li Fu, the chairman of Fushi Copperweld, along with Abax Global Capital (Hong Kong), in the US$310 million going-private leveraged buyout of the remaining 71% stake not already owned by Fu and his affiliates
  • Youku in its US$1.1 billion merger, via a stock swap, with Tudou Holdings Limited
  • Recognized private equity funds, including Hillhouse Capital and Capital International, in investment and disposition transactions

Education

Harvard Law School
JD, 2012

Colby College
BA, 2009