Simpson Thacher Opens Beijing Office

Simpson Thacher Opens Beijing Office

April 27, 2007

Douglas Markel To Join

    NEW YORK, BEIJING and HONG KONG, April 27
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
announced today that it has opened an office in Beijing to
focus on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and
capital markets transactions for Chinese companies and for
international companies and financial investors interested
in China.  Simpson Thacher also announced that Douglas
Markel, a leading M&A practitioner based in China, will
join the Firm to head the Firm's China practice in the
Beijing office.  The Beijing office augments Simpson
Thacher's leadership in Asia, with established offices in
Hong Kong and Tokyo.

    Pete Ruegger, Chairman of Simpson Thacher's Executive
Committee, said, "We are very excited about the launch
of our Beijing office, and are equally delighted to have
Doug join our talented team in Asia.  His experience will
significantly enhance our ability to offer sophisticated
M&A advice to our clients in China and throughout the
region." 

    Doug Markel commented, "I am looking forward to
the opportunity to help Simpson Thacher further grow its
China practice and deliver outstanding legal services to
the Firm's clients in this dynamic market."

    Simpson Thacher has advised on some of China's most
sophisticated transactions, including the representation of
China Life Insurance Company, China's largest insurer, in a
consortium to acquire Guangdong Development Bank Co., Ltd.
for US$3.1 billion.  This transaction is the largest
acquisition to date of a majority stake in a Chinese
financial institution and the outcome of one of the largest
takeover battles in China's history.  The Firm also
represented the underwriters in connection with the US$3.3
billion IPO and Hong Kong listing of H shares of Shenhua
Energy Company Limited, China's largest coal producer; and
advised Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd., a leading solar
energy company headquartered in China, in connection with
its Rule 144A offering of US$500 million convertible notes,
the largest ever convertible offering of a non-State owned
company out of China.  The Firm has also worked on several
share offerings of Focus Media, a leading Chinese media
company based in Shanghai. 

    Chris Lin, one of Simpson Thacher's senior partners in
the region with more than 15 years experience working on
China-related transactions, will be the Firm's resident
partner in Beijing.  Douglas Markel will head the Beijing
office shortly after he joins the Firm.  The China practice
team also includes, among others, Leiming Chen, recognized
as one of the leading capital markets lawyers in China, and
Shaolin Luo, an experienced M&A counsel resident in
Beijing.

    Mr. Markel was previously a mergers and acquisitions
partner at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.  He has been
practicing in Beijing for 16 years and is fluent in
Mandarin Chinese.  Mr. Markel received his law degree from
Harvard Law School in 1990 and his Bachelor of Arts from
Yale College in 1984.

    Simpson Thacher has 45 lawyers practicing throughout
Asia. 

    About Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

    Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
(www.simpsonthacher.com) is a leading global law firm, with
offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Tokyo, Los Angeles,
New York, Palo Alto and Washington, D.C.  The Firm is
widely recognized throughout Asia for its successful
representations in complex capital markets, mergers and
acquisitions, fund formation and asset management,
structured and project finance, banking and general
corporate matters. On a world-wide basis, the Firm provides
coordinated legal advice on the largest and most complex
corporate transactions and litigation matters.  


     BEIJING OFFICE:

     29/F, China Merchants Tower
     No. 118, Jianguo Road
     Chaoyang District, Beijing 100022, China
     Tel:   [phone]

     MEDIA INQUIRIES:

     Jean Cleary 
     Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
     New York, New York
       
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]