Nima Amini is the managing partner of O’Melveny’s Hong Kong office and a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity Groups.
Nima Amini is a well-recognized dealmaker with a strong track record of over two decades of successfully negotiating and structuring some of the most complex cross-border transactions across Asia, Europe and the US.
Nima regularly advises public and private companies, private equity funds, financial institutions and sovereign wealth funds on diverse aspects of their most critical business initiatives and transactions.
His practice focuses on:
- M&A, including acquisitions and dispositions of public and private companies, capital raising and minority investments, consortium and co-investment arrangements, joint ventures, spinoffs, special committee assignments and restructurings;
- VC / PE Funds, including advising sponsors and anchor investors on establishing funds and multi-family offices; and
- Corporate Governance, including compliance and securities law matters.
Additional relevant information about Nima includes:
- Born in Washington D.C. and also lived / worked in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London and (currently) Hong Kong, where he has been based since 2007 and serves as managing partner of O’Melveny’s Hong Kong office.
- Multi-jurisdictional lawyer, admitted to the bar in California and Washington D.C. and as a solicitor in England & Wales and Hong Kong.
- Particularly experienced in the technology, consumer goods, health care, hospitality and mobility / automotive sectors, as well as on real estate assets and infrastructure investments.
- Successfully guided clients through transformational, multi-jurisdictional transactions with an aggregate transaction value of over US$200 billion, a number of which have been awarded “Deal of the Year” by leading industry publications (see EXPERIENCE).
- Consistently recognized as a leading private equity and M&A lawyer by many legal publications and directories (see CREDENTIALS—Honors & Awards).
- Frequent speaker on matters relating to M&A, global markets and private investment funds.
Private Equity Transactions
- A GCC sovereign wealth fund in numerous investments involving targets in the US, UK, Europe, and South Korea
- Seek Growth Fund in connection with a number of investments, acquisitions and dispositions involving start-up and growth companies in North America, South America and South East Asia
- GIC in connection with its investment in Genpact Ltd.
- GIC in connection with is investments in XPO Logistics
- Apex and PAG Asia Capital in the acquisition of Lexmark International in a transaction valued at US$3.6 billion
- Carlyle Group in connection with its investment in China Recycling Energy Group
- FountainVest Partners, Sequoia Capital and CITIC Capital in connection with an investment in SINA Corporation
- FountainVest Partners in connection with its investment in the retail division of LJ International
- Baring Private Equity Asia in connection with a management-led spin-off of China CBN Investment Holdings from Asian American Gas
- Temasek Holdings in connection with various investments, including its equity investment in Vancl Corporation
Public Company M&A
- A buyer consortium led by Yunfeng Capital, TF Capital, GIC and management in connection with the acquisition of Cellular Biomedicine Group in a “going private” transaction valued at approximately US$380 million
- A buyer consortium to acquire SORL Auto Parts, Inc. (Nasdaq: SORL) in its approximately US$91 million “going-private” transaction
- SEEK Limited in connection with its acquisition of Zhaopin Limited in a transaction valued at over US$1 billion
- eHi Car Services Limited in connection with its acquisition by a consortium comprised of members of company management, The Crawford Group, MBK Partners, Ctrip Investment Holdings and Ocean Link
- WuXi PharmaTech in connection with its US$3.3 billion acquisition by a consortium comprised of Temasek, Ally Bridge Group, Boyu Capital, Hillhouse Capital, Ping An Insurance and certain WuXi senior executives
- Giant Interactive in connection with its US$3 billion “going private” buy-out by affiliates of Baring Private Equity, Hony Capital, CDH Investments, and Giant’s chairman (named “Global Merger and Acquisition Deal of the Year” by The American Lawyer, “Deal of the Year” by each of China Business Law Journal, ASIAN-MENA Counsel Magazine, and China Law and Practice, and “Asia Private Equity Deal” of the Year by IFLR)
- Chengwei Capital and 1Verge, the controlling shareholders of Youku Tudou, in arranging, structuring and facilitating Youku’s acquisition by Alibaba Group in a transaction valued at over $4 billion
- Canada Pension Plan Investment Board in connection with its acquisition, alongside affiliates of Baring Private Equity Asia, of a controlling interest in Hexaware Technologies (named “M&A Deal of the Year” by India Business Law Journal)
- Mindray Medical International in connection with a US$3.5 billion leveraged buyout by the company’s management
- Homeinns Hotel Group in connection with a management-led buyout in transaction valued at approximately US$1.5 billion
- China Kanghui Holdings in its US$816 million acquisition by Medtronic
- Global Education & Technology Group in connection with its US$294 million acquisition by Pearson
- Montage Technology Group in connection with its US$693 million acquisition by Shanghai Pudong Science and Technology
- Weichai Power in connection with its acquisition of a controlling stake in Power Solutions
- 7 Days Group in connection with its “going private” merger involving a consortium comprised of the company’s co-founders and co-chairmen of its board of directors and affiliates of Sequoia Capital and the Carlyle Group in a transaction valued at approximately US$688 million
- China Real Estate Information Corporation in connection with its merger with E-House (China) Holdings Limited in a cash and stock transaction valued at over US$600 million
- Zhongpin in its US$370 million “going private” acquisition by its founder
- iSoftStone Holdings in connection with its acquisition by members of its management and various funds managed by China Everbright in a “going private” transaction valued at approximately US$332 million
- China Hydroelectric in connection with its acquisition by NewQuest Capital Partners
- New Focus Auto Tech in connection with a control transaction involving CDH Investments
Private Company M&A
- Lucid Motors in connection with its US$1+ billion investment by the Public Investment Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- SEEK Limited in connection with more than a dozen investment, acquisitions and dispositions involving companies in Europe, Asia and North and South America, including Coursera, Universidad Tecnológica Latinoamericana, Florence, Revelo and Workana
- Global Infrastructure Solutions Inc. on various transactions, incudilgn it strategic acquisitions of J. Roger Preston, an engineering consultancy firm with offices in Hong Kong and SE Asia, and the Hong Kong design & engineering and Singapore consulting businesses of Arcadis
- Pactera in connection with various acquisitions of IT and digital solutions services companies
- Xitogen Technologies in connection with its sale to Danaher Corporation
- ASC Fine Wines in connection with its sale to Suntory
- Lucky Pai in connection with its sale to the Lotte Group
Special Committees
- Special Committee of Hanwha SolarOne in connection with its acquisition of Hanwha Q CELLS in an all-stock transaction at an implied value of US$1.2 billion
- Special Committee of ShangPharma Corporation in connection with its US$173 million “going private” acquisition by its founders and affiliates of TPG Capital
- Special Committee of Feihe International in connection with its “going private” acquisition by its Chairman and CEO and an affiliate of Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia in a transaction valued at approximately US$148 million
- Special Committee of CNinsure in connection with a “going private” proposal from its Chairman and TPG Capital (terminated)
- Special Committee of Acorn International in connection with a tender offer by Acorn’s co-founders
Joint Ventures
- Hillhouse Capital in connection with its joint venture with a leading US hospital and research foundation, to engage in the business of hospital and medical management services, education services, and other support services to healthcare institutions in China
- SEEK Limited in connection with its investment in online learning platform FutureLearn as a joint venture with the Open University
- Shandong Weigao Group in connection with a Sino-foreign cooperative joint venture with Medtronic to jointly market products
- Symantec Corporation in the formation of its China-based joint venture with a major Chinese telecom equipment company
Carve-Outs
- Mindray Medical International in its acquisition of the patient monitoring business of Datascope
Workouts and Restructurings
- Farallon Capital Asia and BFAM Partners as part of a bondholder group in connection with the negotiated restructuring of US$2.5 billion in offshore bonds of Kaisa Group Limited
- Suntech Power Holdings in its insolvency proceedings in New York and the Cayman Islands
- A Chinese semiconductor manufacturer in connection with its consent solicitation and asset sale
Admissions
Bar Qualifications
- California
- District of Columbia
- Hong Kong (Solicitor)
- England & Wales (Solicitor)
Education
- Columbia University, J.D.: Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
- University of California at Berkeley, B.A.: High Honors
Honors & Awards
- Ranked in Corporate/M&A: Hong Kong-based (International Firms), and in Private Equity: Buyouts & Venture Capital Investment (International Firms) in China by Chambers Asia-Pacific (2020-2024) and Chambers Greater China Region (2021-2024); ranked by Chambers Global for Corporate/M&A: Hong Kong-based (International Firms) (2020-2024), and for Private Equity: Buyouts & Venture Capital Investment (International Firms) (2020-2023)
- Ranked in China, Private Equity: Foreign Firms, and Hong Kong, Corporate (Including M&A) by The Legal 500 Greater China (2024)
- Recognized as a “Rising Star” by IFLR1000 in Private Equity, Mergers & Acquisitions (2017 - 2020); Industry Sectors: Energy, Technology & Telecommunications (2019-2021)
- Named the “Young Lawyer of the Year” at the 2016 Macallan ALB Hong Kong Law Awards
- Select Interviewee Statements In Legal Publications:
- “He understands the commercial reality – the trends and market practice. He’s simply the most trusted lawyer we have.” 2024 Chambers Asia Pacific, Corporate M&A – China
- “He’s very smart, commercial and incredibly responsive.” “Nima is highly responsive and knowledgeable.” 2024 Chambers Asia Pacific, Private Equity: Buyouts & Venture Capital Investment (International Firms) – China
- “Nima Amini is an outstanding practitioner. He is very knowledgeable on key laws but importantly is very commercial, practical and a great communicator.” 2024 Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Corporate (Including M&A) Hong Kong
- “Nima Amini is a superb practitioner. He has outstanding knowledge of the Corporate and M&A Landscape and thinks nothing of going the extra mile for clients. He has assembled a team of very capable associates that work with him.” 2022 Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Corporate (Including M&A) Hong Kong
- “Nima is extremely responsive, always picks up calls and comes back quickly, is very practical and very expressive with his opinions. He is useful for complicated situations and gives clear advice.” 2023 Chambers Asia Pacific, Private Equity: Buyouts & Venture Capital Investment (International Firms) – China
- “Nima is experienced, sharp, responsive and user-friendly.” 2023 Chambers Global, Corporate/M&A: Hong Kong-based (International Firms)
- “Nima Amini’s attention to detail overlaid with fantastic commercial nous and an incredible work ethic makes him a very valuable lawyer to have on your side.” 2022 Chambers Global, Corporate/M&A: Hong Kong-based (International Firms)
- “Nima Amini is experienced, incredibly responsive, gives clear advice, and is great at managing complex processes.” 2022 Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Private Equity (China)
- “The team in Hong Kong lead by Nima Amini is the best corporate M&A team I have worked with in over 15 years of M&A work. The quality of the work of the team is exemplary and all associates seem able to step up to the plate when required.” 2022 Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Corporate (Including M&A) Hong Kong
Related Practices
Related Regions