Hong Kong's stock exchange operator has appointed a former Davis Polk & Wardwell, Linklaters, and Slaughter and May partner as its new group general counsel.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) has announced the appointment of Paul Chow, effective April 19. He joins HKEX from Cathay Pacific Airways, where he is the group general counsel and company secretary.

Prior to joining Hong Kong's flagship airline, Chow was a corporate partner at Davis Polk for more than eight years. He is qualified in Hong Kong, England and Wales, and New York.

Chow will leave Cathay Pacific after less than two years. On Wednesday, Hong Kong's flagship airline posted its worst-ever financial results on the back of the pandemic, reporting a loss of $2.78 billion last year.

In his new role, Chow will become a member of the HKEX's management committee and report to its chief executive. His predecessor, former Slaughter and May lawyer Ferheen Mahomed, left HKEX late last year.

"[Chow] brings to the company broad and varied experience from both private practice and as in house counsel, including specific expertise in corporate finance and capital markets," said Calvin Tai, HKEX interim chief executive, in a statement.

In early 2020, HKEX hired Chow's former partner at Davis Polk Bonnie Chan as its head of listing. Last month, HKEX announced the appointment of JPMorgan executive Alejandro Nicolas Aguzin as chief executive starting in May. In 2020, the Hong Kong bourse had its best year since 2010 for IPOs, with 154 companies raising $51 billion.

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