Herbert Smith Freehills appoints Stanley Xie to lead Beijing

Leading international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills has appointed partner Stanley Xie to lead the firm's Beijing office.

A capital markets partner, Stanley has worked across all three of the firm's China offices, in Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai. With more than 15 years experience, he also led the firm's joint operation office with Kewei in Shanghai at its launch in 2019, before re-joining the firm's Hong Kong office in 2023.

In his new role, Stanley will continue to advise clients on China capital markets transactions, and also collaborate with the firm's energy, IP and technology teams in Beijing and across the region.

"I welcome Stanley to our China leadership, and look forward to him leading our energetic team in Beijing," said Asia managing partner Graeme Preston.

"His leadership will further strengthen our teams' work for our China clients, particularly in the healthcare, energy transition, private capital, IP and tech sectors."

"Alongside our new China managing partner Jojo Fan, and Shanghai partner Nanda Lau, Stanley's leadership role reflects our continued commitment to the China market."

ABOUT STANLEY XIE

Stanley has extensive experience in advising investment banks and corporations on a range of corporate finance transactions, including both equity and debt capital markets transactions, and other cross-border transactions.

His practice covers capital markets transactions across a broad range of industries, including healthcare, renewable energy, consumer products, TMT, and financial services.

Stanley has advised on many high-profile Hong Kong IPOs, such as QuantumPharm Inc. (02228.HK), the first specialist technology company to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under Chapter 18C, and Tiantu Capital (01973.HK), the first Chinese PE/VC listing in Hong Kong. He has advised on more than 20 listings on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since 2020 with a total fundraising value of over HK$32 billion.

A native Mandarin speaker, Stanley is also fluent in English and Cantonese. He holds master's degrees in law from the East China University of Political Science and Law and from the University of Michigan Law School in the United States, and is admitted to practice in the PRC and New York, USA.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. Stanley's official title will be Chief Representative and head of the firm's Beijing office effective 1 September 2024.

2. The firm's China equity and debt capital markets practice comprises six partners and 34 lawyers. The team has advised on nearly 40 successful listings on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since 2020, leading the legal market in advising sponsors and underwriters on Hong Kong IPOs.

3. With over 40 years' experience in China, Herbert Smith Freehills provides 'on-the-ground' expertise that understands the country's dynamic business environment through long-established offices in Beijing (1999), Hong Kong (1982) and Shanghai (2003). With nearly 200 lawyers and legal professionals in China, Herbert Smith Freehills maintains one of the largest and most comprehensive transactional and dispute practices in the market.

4. In August 2019, Herbert Smith Freehills became one of only a small number of international law firms permitted to integrate China law advice with international legal services through a Joint Operation with Kewei Law Firm, based in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone.

5. Herbert Smith Freehills has some 1,500 lawyers in Asia Pacific, advising clients on complex corporate, disputes and finance matters, from offices in Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta*, Shanghai*, Singapore* and Tokyo, and in Australia, from Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.

*In Shanghai, the firm has a joint operation with Kewei, allowing access to China legal services alongside Herbert Smith Freehills' international expertise. In Jakarta, Herbert Smith Freehills' international counsel practise on secondment alongside its affiliate firm, Hiswara Bunjamin & Tandjung, one of Indonesia’s leading commercial and corporate law firms. In Singapore, the firm has a Formal Law Alliance with Prolegis, offering Singapore law capability alongside Herbert Smith Freehills' international skills.