Baker McKenzie Baker McKenzie
How Can We Help?
Thomas Tarala

Thomas Tarala

Partner
Baker & McKenzie

Biography

Thomas Tarala is a partner in Baker McKenzie's Hong Kong office and a member of the Firm's Capital Markets Practice Group.

Thomas's practice focuses on public offerings, private placements of debt and equity securities, secondary offerings and M&A (including leveraged acquisitions and disposals of private and public companies). He is well versed in SEC-registered offerings and offerings pursuant to Regulation S and Rule 144A.

With over 25 years of experience, Thomas has additionally advised investment banks, intermediaries and major corporations on a broad range of other transactional and advisory matters ranging from joint ventures, loans and corporate restructurings to litigation and regulatory issues in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Southeast Asia, Europe and the United States.

Prior to joining the Firm, Thomas served as general counsel at a China-based Fortune 250 conglomerate for five years. Before then, Thomas was a partner at a global top 10 law firm where he was head of the US Securities Practice in Hong Kong.

Representative Legal Matters

Thomas has handled the following matters (some prior to joining Baker McKenzie):

Initial Public Offerings and Listings

  • Advised CLSA Limited and other underwriters on Joincare Pharmaceutical Group Industry Co., Ltd.'s GDR listing on the SIX Swiss Exchange.

  • Advised on the proposed IPO of a the world's largest airline catering company on the SIX Swiss Exchange.

  • Advised a state-owned Indonesian company in the natural resources sector on its proposed IPO and Rule 144A placing.

  • Advised a Singapore-based REIT on its proposed IPO on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

  • Advised UBS AG, Haitong International Securities Company Limited and ABCI Capital Limited on the USD 199 million IPO and Rule 144A placing of Times Property Holdings Limited (one of the leading property developers in Guangdong Province, China) on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Equity and Debt Fundraisings

  • Advised Hong Kong-listed Link REIT on its USD 2.4 billion rights issue.

  • Advised a Singapore company on its USD 3 billion multi-currency MTN program.

  • Advised on various block trades and top-up placing involving Hong Kong listed companies and US-based purchasers.

  • Advised the shareholder on the issue of USD 610 million of secured notes by a listed company to fund the acquisition of a Singapore-based logistics company.

Other

  • Advised on the acquisition of CWT Pte. Limited, a leading integrated logistics solutions provider in Singapore, by way of voluntary general offer.


Admissions

  • Hong Kong~China (2009)
  • England & Wales (Solicitor)~United Kingdom (2005)
  • Florida~United States (1996)
  • Connecticut~United States (1995)
  • New York~United States (1995)

Education

  • University of Virginia (J.D.) (1993)
  • Georgetown University (BSc) (1989)

Languages

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