David A. Ellis

Senior Consultant
Hong Kong +852 2843 4226
Full profile in PDF

“David Ellis has a helpful dose in cynicism and coolness, combined with a high level of efficiency.”

Legal 500 Asia Pacific

David Ellis serves clients on private equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and commercial transactions with particular emphasis on the real estate sector. He is currently leading a global internal project.

Experience

  • Acted for V Capital (a member of the Vanke Property Group) in drafting and negotiating a joint venture with LKK Health Products Group Limited for the purpose of making the RMB 5.7 billion purchase of the holding company owning 99% of the Corporate Avenue 3 Property in Shanghai, PRC.
  • Represented Nordevo Investments Limited (which is jointly owned by InfraRed NF China Real Estate Fund, L.P. and Metro Holdings Limited) in its RMB 2.5 billion disposal of EC Mall, a 800,000 square feet retail mall in Beijing, by way of sale of a wholly owned subsidiary to Link REIT, marking Link REIT’s first foray into the Chinese retail market. This is one of the largest transactions in 2015 by a foreign investor in China and is the first transaction to involve an offshore tax filing under Circular 7 (which replaced Circular 698 in the middle of the negotiations in February 2015). This transaction won “Cross-border Deal of the Year” by AsiaProperty Awards (2015).
  • Acted for a leading international real estate investment fund on its disposal of a major retail and office development in Shanghai to a Singaporean fund, being one of the largest ever exits by a foreign investor from a PRC real estate transaction.
  • Acted for LaSalle Investment Management on the disposal of the Novotel Kowloon hotel for a consideration of approximately HK$2.3 billion.
  • Acted for PT Danayasa in a US$180 million real estate office development project in Jakarta, Indonesia.
  • Acted for Pamfleet on the acquisition of a company holding an office building in Hong Kong for a consideration of approximately HK$800 million.
  • Acted for Swire Properties in the disposal to Mapletree of the holding company of the retail mall in Hong Kong known as Festival Walk, including transfer of staff and provision of IT, accounting and other support services, for a consideration exceeding US$2 billion.
  • Acted for AEW Value Partners in the acquisition of a company owning Metropolis Tower a mixed use development in Beijing, comprising office buildings and a retail mall, and its subsequent disposal for a consideration exceeding RMB 1 billion.
  • Acted for Prax Capital, a RMB real estate fund, on a pre-IPO mezzanine debt investment in a PRC real estate developer.
  • Acted for CapitaMalls on a joint venture investment in a retail mall development site in Shanghai with a value exceeding RMB 2 billion.
  • Acted for AEW Value Partners on the disposal of a company owning an office building with seven floors of restaurants and retail space in Hong Kong known as “the Pemberton”.

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Recognition

  • Highly Regarded Lawyer – Hong Kong, Private Equity – IFLR1000 (2018-2023)
  • Lawyer of the Year – Hong Kong, Real Estate Funds – Finance Monthly Law Awards (2018, 2019)
  • Excellence in Private Equity Investments – China – Corporate Insider M&A Awards (2018)
  • Leading Lawyer – Hong Kong, Private Equity – IFLR1000 (2014-2017)
  • International Real Estate Excellence Award – Wealth & Finance International (2016)
  • Real Estate Lawyer of the Year – Hong Kong – Acquisition International M&A Awards (2015)
  • Excellence in Private Equity Transactions – Hong Kong – Corporate Live Wire M&A Awards (2015)
  • Leading Lawyer – Real Estate – Asialaw Leading Lawyers (2011)

Qualifications

Education

  • Harvard Business School, "Leading Professional Service Firms"
  • Institute of Asian Private Equity Investment , "The Fundamentals of Asian Private Equity Investing"
  • The College of Law, Chancery Lane, England and Wales Solicitors' Final Examination
  • Queen Mary, University of London, LLB

Admissions

  • Hong Kong
  • England and Wales

Languages

  • English

Professional & community involvement

  • The Asia Society
  • The Association of Investors in Non-listed Real Estate Vehicles (ANREV)
  • Real Estate Committee, The British Chamber of Commerce (2012 to date)
  • General Committee, The British Chamber of Commerce
  • Management and IT Committee, The Law Society of Hong Kong (2003-2005)
  • Secretary, The Hong Kong Equipment Lease Association (1995-2000)

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