Baker McKenzie has hired a partner in Hong Kong specializing in leveraged finance.

Kenneth Ching joins from Shearman & Sterling, where he was counsel advising banks, funds and corporate borrowers on a wide variety of cross-border leveraged buyouts, take-private deals and other structured financings across Asia. Last year, he advised Chinese agribusiness company Joyvio Group on financing an $800 million acquisition of Chilean producer Australis Seafoods.

Ching joined Shearman in 2018 from Allen & Overy where he practiced leveraged finance in London. Earlier in his career, he practiced with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Richards Butler in Hong Kong.

Baker McKenzie said Ching will add to the firm's finance offerings as it adjusts to the new normal in the post-pandemic world. "As a result of the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies around the world have significant debt financing needs," said partner Andrew Lockhart, who leads the banking and finance group in Hong Kong.

Lockhart added that as more alternative capital providers emerge as important players in the region's lending markets, leveraged financing transactions will increase.

In addition, Hong Kong partner Steven Sieker has taken over as managing partner of Baker McKenzie's offices in mainland China and Hong Kong. Sieker previously led the global firm's Asia Pacific tax practice. The China offices were previously led by Milton Cheng, who is now the firm's global chair, based in Hong Kong.

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