Tai, Benedict

Current Employment Position(s)

Of Counsel

Languages

• Cantonese
• English
• Putonghua

Lawyer Overview

Ben Tai has many years of experience working in corporate, banking, and custom financing. While practicing in New York from 1986 to 1993, he represented the bank advisory group in the restructuring of the sovereign commercial debt of various developing countries, issuers, and investment banks in the underwriting of debt and equity securities, including the creation of new synthetic securities, and merger and acquisition and leveraged buyout transactions for numerous clients.

In 1993, Ben relocated to Hong Kong where he was involved in corporate financing transactions in China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand. These matters included various types of debt and equity securities issuances pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S, including, among others, the largest GDR offering from India, the largest Rule 144A debt offering, and the debt offering with the longest tenor by a foreign issuer, as well as one of the largest medium-term note programs by an Asian issuer. He has represented numerous Hong Kong-based companies in their U.S. securities offerings as well as issues and underwriters in Hong Kong listings.

Ben also has represented U.S. and European clients in cross-border investment matters in Asia involving joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, distribution arrangements, and other commercial transactions.

In recent years, his practice has focused on representing numerous Chinese IT, technology, communications, media, and Internet companies seeking to raise funds in the public and private markets as well as multinational clients seeking platform acquisitions in China.

Areas of Practice

• Capital Markets
• Venture Capital & Private Investment
• M&A Transactions

Representative Cases

• Cowen and Company, HSBC Securities, and Macquarie Capital underwrites $52 million IPO by Lentuo International
• Cowen and Company, Samsung Securities, Lazard Capital Markets, and Janney Montgomery Scott underwrite $88 million IPO by China Xiniya Fashion Limited
• Investor Growth Capital Asia invests in CDG Holdings Limited
• Investor Growth Capital Asia re-invests in Yuan Chuan Cayman Limited
• Investor Growth Capital invests in Yuan Chuan Cayman Limited
• Magelo Entertainment places shares in Series A round , (2009)
• Media company issues shares to investors , (2009)
• The 1990 Institute, a U.S.-based charity, sets up a microfinancing corporation pursuant to new regulations imposed by the China Banking Regulatory Commission
• The 1990 Institute, which aids China by studying and resolving economic and social issues associated with its rapid development, collaborates with lawyers in multiple offices , (2009)

West Practice Categories

Banking & Finance Law, Business & Commercial Law, Business Organizations, Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures, Venture Capital

Bar Admissions

• Hong Kong
• New York

Education

• Columbia University - New York
• Jersey City University

Published Works

• China Eases Establishment of Travel Agency Branches, 2010
• Partnerships: A New Form of Doing Business by Multinational Companies in China, 2009
• China Liberalizes Foreign Exchange for Overseas Investments, 2009
• China Encourages Outbound Investments, 2009
• Chinese Supreme Court Protects State-Owned Assets in Litigation Relating to Non-Performing Loans, 2009
• China Adopts New Travel Agency Regulations and Lifts Restrictions on Foreign-Invested Travel Agencies, 2009
• SEC Adopts Amendments to Rule 12g3-2(b) and Various Other Foreign Issuer Reporting Requirements; Revises Cross-Border Tender Offer, Exchange Offer and Business Combination Rules in Addition to Beneficial Ownership Reporting Rules for Certain Foreign Institutions, 2008
• SEC Guidance on the Use of Company Web Sites for Disclosure to Investors, 2008
• SEC Proposes Revisions to Rule 15a-6 to Improve Regulation of Foreign Broker-Dealers, 2008
• SEC Proposes Revisions to the Cross-Border Tender Offer, Exchange Offer, and Business Combination Rules as Well as Beneficial Ownership Reporting Rules for Certain Foreign Institutions, 2008
• SEC Proposes Amendments to Rule 12g3-2(b) Exemption From Registration Under Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Other Rules and Forms, 2008

Address

32nd Floor, China World Office 1
No.1 Jianguomenwai Avenue
Beijing 100004, China

Phones

86.10.5866.1185 (Business Phone)

Faxes

86.10.5866.1122 (Business Fax)

Emails

Contact Us (Business Email)

Websites

http://www.jonesday.com