Melissa Thomas is a partner in our Shanghai office. She has broad experience in PRC project development, finance, investment and restructuring work. 

Her experience includes advising:

  • BNP Paribas and International Finance Corporation on their proposed investments in one of the first joint venture fund management companies to be established in China;
  • China Unicom on its US$5.6bn global offering of shares;
  • Goldman Sachs on its US$230m portfolio acquisition of non-performing loans (NPLs) from Huarong Asset Management Company, one of the PRC's four asset management companies.  She is also advising Goldman Sachs on Huarong's second NPL auction;
  • a consortium including Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux (now Ondeo) and New World Infrastructure on their bid for the Beijing No. 10 Water Treatment Plant, Beijing's first BOT project, and more recently acting as counsel for the lenders on the proposed financing of this project;
  • a major European chemicals company in connection with the restructuring of a number of PRC subsidiaries as well as the bankruptcy of a minority owned joint venture; and
  • IFC on a wide variety of investments and financings of PRC projects, including its US$15.3m acquisition of a 7.5 per cent strategic stake in China Life Reinsurance.

Melissa qualified in Ontario, Canada in 1990 and is a graduate of McGill University. She joined the firm’s Beijing office in 1997 and became a partner in 1999. She speaks fluent Mandarin and French.