Melissa Zhu (Mimi)

Of Counsel

Beijing + 86.10.5866.1115 Shanghai + 86.21.2201.8015

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Melissa Zhu focuses her practice on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, foreign direct investments, joint ventures, private equity and venture capital transactions, spin-offs, divestitures, restructurings, and other commercial transactions. She frequently advises multinational companies and foreign investors on complex legal issues relating to deal structuring, due diligence investigations, regulatory approvals, financing, real estate, employment, and various compliance issues including anticorruption, data security, ESG (environmental, social, and governance) policies, and securities trading rules. Melissa also has extensive experience in Chinese clients' overseas investments where she has represented either Chinese investors or foreign targeted companies.

Melissa has worked with clients in a broad range of sectors, including manufacturing, life sciences, technology, media and telecom, automotive, energy, infrastructure, and financial services. Her recent experience highlights include: an American multinational health care services company's business divestiture; a European-based fund's acquisition of the worldwide business operations of a manufacturing company; a Japanese architectural firm's formation of a joint venture with a Chinese state-owned company; a Chinese automotive company's strategic business cooperation with a German vehicle manufacturer; and a foreign sovereign wealth fund's investments into a U.S. billion dollar-valued unicorn company.

Prior to joining Jones Day in 2011, Melissa practiced at a reputable Chinese law firm in Beijing and was an in-house counsel at one of China's five largest power group companies.

Experience

  • Orano and XTC New Energy create two JVs dedicated to production of batteries for electric vehiclesJones Day advised Orano in the context of the setting-up of two joint-ventures dedicated to the production of critical materials for batteries for electric vehicles, together with Chinese group XTC New Energy.
  • Joint Administrators of The Body Shop International Limited (in administration) sell business and assetsJones Day advised Geoffrey Rowley, Anthony Wright and Alastair Massey of FRP Advisory in their capacity as joint administrators of The Body Shop International Limited (in administration), an appointee of the shareholder, Aurelius Investment Advisory Limited, in connection with the trading administration and subsequent sale of the company's business and assets.
  • Affiliates of Centre Lane Partners acquire substantially all of the assets of Hardinge Inc. and its subsidiaries, including the Kellenberger, USACH, SuperPrecision, and Workholding business linesJones Day advised affiliates of Centre Lane Partners in the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Hardinge Inc. and its debtor subsidiaries, a global leader and provider of advanced machine tool, manufacturing and workholding solutions, as part of chapter 11 proceedings in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
  • International Automotive Components Group sells Chinese businessJones Day advised International Automotive Components Group, LLC in the sale of its Chinese business to Ningbo Huaxiang Automotive Door Systems Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ningbo Huaxiang Electronic Co., Ltd.
  • WEG acquires industrial electric motors and generators business from Regal Rexnord CorporationJones Day advised WEG S.A. in the $400 million acquisition of the industrial electric motors and generators business of Regal Rexnord Corporation.
  • Geely forms joint venture with Renault Group to launch leading powertrain technology companyJones Day advised Geely Automobile Holdings Limited and Geely Holding Group on the creation of a 50/50 joint venture with Renault Group dedicated to becoming the global leader in developing, manufacturing, and supplying best-in-class hybrid and highly efficient internal combustion engine powertrains.
  • Investment Global divests shares in Daimler TruckJones Day represented Investment Global Co., Limited, a portfolio company of Beijing Auto Group, a backbone enterprise in China's automobile industry, in connection with the sale of approximately 29 million shares in Daimler Truck Holding AG, one of the world’s leading truck manufacturers (FRA:DTG) in a combination of brokerage and derivative transactions.
  • Ahlström Capital BV and Nidoco AB invest in the Decor business of Ahlstrom-MunksjöJones Day advised Ahlström Capital BV and Nidoco AB in the acquisition of the Decor business of Ahlstrom-Munksjö.
  • Avient acquires DSM Protective Materials businessJones Day advised Avient Corporation (NYSE: AVNT), a leading provider of specialized and sustainable material solutions, in the $1.485 billion acquisition and financing of Koninklijke DSM N.V.’s protective materials business, a leading specialty engineered materials business built around the invention of Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber.
  • Findos Investor sells Rhenoflex GmbH to Coats GroupJones Day advised Findos Investor GmbH in the €115 million sale of Rhenoflex GmbH, one of the leading global manufacturers of sustainable structural material solutions for the footwear industry, to Coats Group plc.
  • China Post Group Limited invests $128 million in Ule Holdings LimitedJones Day advised China Post Group Limited with its $128 million investment in Ule Holdings Limited through Telpo Philatelic Company Limited ("Telpo"), a subsidiary of China Post.
  • Sanofi announces carve-out creating EUROAPI and spin-off of approximately 58% of shares to its shareholdersJones Day advised Sanofi in the carve out creating EUROAPI (a leading European company dedicated to the development, production and marketing of active pharmaceutical ingredients) and the listing of this entity on Euronext Paris and the placement of 12% to the French State (through French Tech Souveraineté) for a price of up to €150 million.
  • Armor sells stake in ARMOR-IIMAK to AstorgJones Day advised EN5, controlling shareholders of the Armor group, on the management buyout of Armor Iimak group and the simultaneous 40% investment by Astorg Midcap in the Armor Iimak group.
  • PTTGC acquires allnex from AdventJones Day advised PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited in the €4 billion acquisition of allnex Holding GmbH from Advent International.
  • Cardinal Health sells its Cordis business to Hellman & Friedman for approximately $1 billionJones Day advised Cardinal Health in connection with the divestiture of its Cordis business to Hellman & Friedman for approximately $1 billion.
  • EagleTree Capital sells Airtech Group, US Valve Corporation, and related entities to IDEX Corporation for $470 millionJones Day represented investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital in the sale of Airtech Group, US Valve Corporation, and related entities to IDEX Corporation for $470 million.
  • J.F. Lehman acquires Global Marine GroupJones Day advised long-standing client J.F. Lehman & Company, a leading middle-market private equity firm focused exclusively on the aerospace, defense, maritime, government, and environmental sectors, in connection with the acquisition and related financing of Global Marine Group.
  • DFI acquires 20.49% stake in Ace PillarJones Day advised DFI Inc. in its $14.8 million acquisition of a 20.49% stake in mechatronics components maker Ace Pillar Co.
  • Cabot sells its Specialty Fluids business to Sinomine (Hong Kong) Rare Metals Resources Co. Limited for $135 millionJones Day advised Cabot Corporation in the sale of its Specialty Fluids Business to Sinomine (Hong Kong) Rare Metals Resources Co. Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sinomine Resource Group Co., Ltd., for $135 million.
  • Findos Investor acquires worldwide business of Röder HTS Höcker GmbHJones Day advised funds managed by Findos Investor in connection with acquisition of the entire worldwide business operations of Röder HTS Höcker GmbH.
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