LOW Wee Siong is a Partner in the China Practice. His principal areas of practice are in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and private capital.
He has advised offerors and target companies on public takeovers, reverse takeovers, scheme of arrangements and privatisations; issuers, underwriters, sponsors and investors on capital market transactions including initial public offerings, secondary offerings and rights issues of shares, bonds (straight, convertible and exchangeable), warrants and perpetual securities; and lenders and borrowers on financing transactions.
He is also a chartered accountant; has acted as financial adviser for initial public offerings, rights issues, privatisations, adjustments to convertible securities (share options, warrants and convertible bonds) and debt restructurings; and practised as an auditor.
He is also a senior accredited director and has been appointed to the Board of Directors of companies listed on the Singapore Exchange and Hong Kong Exchange. He holds various board appointments such as Lead Independent Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee. He has been involved in corporate actions by listed companies such as business turnaround, listing and initial public offering, securities (both equity and debt) placement, divestment and financing transactions in his capacity as a listed company director.
Wee Siong has been regularly recognised as a recommended lawyer by The Legal 500: Asia Pacific – The Client's Guide to the Asia Pacific Legal Profession for Capital Markets and Banking and Finance (first in 2018). He is described as an “experienced figure in the capital markets space”, with expertise in “capital markets and takeovers” and “Hong Kong-listed companies” and having assisted “financial institutions, investment funds and corporate borrowers” “in a variety of lending transactions”.
AsiaLaw 2022/23 commends him as “responsive and able to communicate effectively on issues” and “very knowledgeable in the capital markets, providing effective solutions.” In 2016, Singapore Business Review named him among the most influential lawyers under 40.
Wee Siong graduated with a Bachelor of Accountancy from Nanyang Technological University, a Bachelor of Laws from National University of Singapore and a Master of Laws from King's College London. He is admitted to the Singapore Bar, to the Roll of Solicitors of England and Wales and as a Chartered Accountant of Singapore. He is also accredited as a Senior Accredited Director by the Singapore Institute of Directors.
Significant transactions that Wee Siong has been involved in include advising / acting for the following:
- UOB Kay Hian Private Limited, the sponsor and financial adviser, on the approximately S$100 million very substantial acquisition of GGTM Manufacturing Sdn Bhd by Anchor Resources Limited.
- International Press Softcom Limited on the approximately S$34 million voluntary conditional cash offer for and compulsory acquisition of its shares by ZHCC Investment Holdings Pte Ltd.
- Bonvests Holdings Limited on its privatisation offer by way of scheme of arrangement for Colex Holdings Limited.
- Bumitama Agri Ltd., as borrower, on financing facilities extended by DBS Bank Ltd, United Overseas Bank Ltd, OCBC Bank Ltd, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Maybank Berhad and CIMB Bank Berhad, amounting to US$265 million.
- UOB Kay Hian Private Limited on its subscription (on a bought deal basis) for the S$54 million in principal amount of 5% exchangeable bonds (with detachable warrants) issued by mm2 Asia Ltd. The bonds are exchangeable into the shares of mm Connect Pte Ltd, which owns and operates the Cathy Cineplexes and mmCineplexes brands in Singapore and Malaysia.
- Raffles Education Corporation Limited on its concurrent rights issue and placement of approximately S$44 million in principal amount of 6% listed convertible bonds.
Related Practices
- China
The Legal 500
- Capital Markets and Banking & Finance: Recommended Lawyer
“Experienced figure in the capital markets space”
“Capital markets and takeovers are some of his areas of expertise”
“Brings expertise in transactions involving Hong Kong-listed companies”
“Financial institutions, investment funds and corporate borrowers also turn to him for assistance in a variety of lending transactions”
“Recommended”
Singapore Business Review
- The most influential lawyers under 40