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Derek Poon

Derek Poon

Partner
Baker McKenzie

Biography

Derek Poon is a partner in Baker McKenzie's Hong Kong office and a member of the Firm's Private Equity and Mergers & Acquisitions practice groups. He is also the head of Baker McKenzie's Asia Pacific Private Equity Group and a member of the Global Private Equity Steering Committee.

Derek has extensive experience representing private equity firms, investment banks and major corporations on a wide variety of corporate matters, including public and private mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures, real estate private equity and distressed M&A transactions. Earlier in his career, Derek spent time on client secondment with Bain Capital with the Asia Private Equity team.

Derek is recognized as a “Leading Individual” by Legal 500 Asia Pacific for Private Equity, “Up and Coming” lawyer by Chambers Greater China for Private Equity and "Highly Regarded" in M&A and Private Equity by IFLR1000.

Practice Focus

Qualified in the US, Hong Kong, UK and Australia, Derek has worked on several significant transactions in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Australia, ASEAN countries as well as on outbound deals into Europe and North America.

Representative Legal Matters

  • Advising a consortium of private equity investors on a USD 672 million investment for a 47.3% equity stake in DayOne. This transaction was named TMT Finance APAC Awards 2025 digital infrastructure equity deal of the year.
  • Advised Peak Re on its strategic investment by KKR and Quadrantis Capital.
  • Advised Nexus Point on the creation of Encor and its acquisition of Creative zone and OCS Group.
  • Advising Bain Capital on: (1) its acquisition of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation; (2) creation of Tenacia Biotechnology platform; (3) acquisition of APMG; (4) acquisition of Advantage Solutions (fka Daymond Worldwide); (5) investment into AxisBank; (6) sale of FCI Asia Pte to Amphenol Corporation; (7) investment into CITIC Pacific Limited; and (8) acquisition of ChinData and merger with Bridge Data Centers platform.
  • Advising UBS as: (1) financial advisor on the proposed USD 1.7 billion acquisition by DCP Capital of approximately 78.70% of Sun Art from affiliates of Alibaba Holding. This transaction was named M&A deal of the year at the ALB Hong Kong Law Awards 2025; and (2) financial advisor to a consortium comprising Sequoia China and Ocean Link Partners, on the proposed privatization of Zhejiang New Century Hotel Management (HKSE:1158).
  • Advising GNMI on its EUR 665 million acquisition of Merck's global surface solutions business.
  • Advised EQT on its sale of Dataflow to Arcapita.
  • Advising HSBC, as financial advisor to Vinda International Holdings Limited (HKSE: 3331) in connection with the USD 3.35 billion pre-conditional voluntary conditional cash offer by RGE. This transaction was named 2024 M&A deal of the year by FinanceAsia.
  • Advised M3IG in the sale of M3 Capital Partners to GLP Capital Partners.
  • Advised ADQ, AllianzX, Ares, Bain Capital, Boyu Capital, CBC, CDH, CDPQ, Celadon Partners, CMC Capital, Coatue, Davidson Kempner, DigitalBridge, Gaw Capital, Global Infrastructure Partners, Hillhouse, PAG, Macquarie Asset Management, New Frontier, Nexus Point, OTPP, TA Associates, Vantage Data Centers, Vitruvian Partners, 8F and its portfolio companies in various investments/proposed investments and other advice in Asia.
  • Advised Prenetics on its USD 200 million joint venture with Dennis Lo named Insighta.
  • Advised Gaw Capital Partners and a consortium of institutional investors, including Schroder Pamfleet, on the HKD 9.845 billion acquisition of CityPlaza One office building from Swire Pacific and Swire Properties. This transaction was named “M&A Deal of the Year” in the ALB Hong Kong Law Awards 2021.
  • Advised Sino Biopharmaceutical Limited (HKSE: 1177) in various transactions including: (1) the USD 110 million acquisition of Softhale NV, a privately owned Belgian company focused on the development of products for the treatment of respiratory diseases; (2) investment alongside a consortium of investors into Treadwell Therapeutics; and (3) its strategic partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim.

Admissions

  • England & Wales~United Kingdom
  • Hong Kong~China
  • New York~United States
  • New South Wales~Australia

Education

  • University of New South Wales (Bachelor of Laws)
  • University of New South Wales (Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting))
  • The College of Law (Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice)
  • University of Hong Kong (P.C.LL.)

Languages

  • Cantonese
  • English
  • Mandarin
Baker & McKenzie, a Hong Kong partnership, is a member of Baker & McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein.