Clairfield enhances Asia reach with dedicated China desk

06.11.2018

Clairfield International is pleased to announce strengthened capabilities for providing midmarket clients with access to China. We have officially established the Clairfield China Desk to serve as our proprietary resource for accessing decision makers at Chinese corporates, investors,  and political entities, as well as local Chinese experts and advisors.

The China Desk will work closely on Clairfield mandates of interest to China and liaise with the right entity in China to move the deal forward as each case requires. Our extensive network in China permits access to both state-owned enterprises and private businesses and investor groups.

The China Desk is staffed with Chinese nationals who are trained in Europe and have a thorough understanding of both Western and Asian business practices and culture. It offers in-depth transaction and language support as well as advice on market developments and government policies. The China Desk will also use its expertise to spearhead country research to the benefit of Clairfield clients.

Clairfield is thus building on a significant track record of deals successfully closed with Asian counterparties with such well-known names as telecom company Huawei and industrial giants CRRC, Weichai, and SH-ABC.

China represents 20% of global deal value and is second only to the US in crossborder acquisitions, according to Thomson Reuters. It thus represents a large potential that middle-market sellers should not exclude from their strategic solution plans. Technology and industrials have previously represented the most interesting sectors to Chinese buyers but the consumer sector is becoming increasing attractive as well.

“Despite ups and downs, the secular shift in interest from outbound Chinese buyers in recent years, and the desire of Western midmarket companies to explore strategic alternatives with Chinese parties, the area remains opaque and is evolving rapidly,” says Alexander Klemm, chairman of Clairfield International. “The lack of up-to-date and effective knowledge on how to go about accessing decision makers at buyers is widespread, with most Western advisory firms unable to conduct approaches and advise on ramifications. Clairfield’s China Desk remedies that problem by liaising with the right people in China for each situation.”

Email the China Desk at ch***@********ld.com.

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