Samuel Kang
Advises leading private equity sponsors, corporate clients and financial investors on high-stakes M&A transactions across the Asia-Pacific region.
Samuel advises private equity sponsors and corporate clients on a broad range of complex M&A matters, including sponsor-led acquisitions and divestitures, leveraged buyouts, mergers, going-private transactions, strategic alliances, corporate restructurings and venture and growth capital financings. Drawing on deep regional insights, he guides clients through intricate cross-border challenges, from regulatory approvals to innovative structuring solutions.
Samuel was selected as one of Law.com International’s “Private Equity Rising Stars: 10 Lawyers in Asia to Watch” in 2023. He was also named a Rising Star for private equity by the IFLR1000.
Prior to joining Davis Polk, Samuel honed his expertise at top-tier international and national law firms in Hong Kong, Sydney, and Seoul. He lectured Corporations Law at the University of Sydney and served as a judicial clerk to the Hon. Justice William M.C. Gummow AC at the High Court of Australia.
Experience
- TPG on multiple matters, including its:
- acquisition of Samhwa and its affiliated companies, a Korean cosmetic packaging supplier to global beauty powerhouses like L’Oréal, the Estée Lauder Companies and Chanel, and subsequent sale to KKR for KRW733 billion
- minority investment in Kakao Bank, Korea’s pioneering internet-only bank
- acquisition of Health Balance, a leading Korean health and wellness company, renowned as the top producer and distributor of premium baby food in Korea.
- Intermediate Capital Group on the sale of majority stake in TIME Education to Nautic Investment
- IMM Investment Global on multiple matters, including its:
- joint venture with Castlelake amd Peregrine Energy Solutions to develop utility-scale standalone battery energy storage projects in North America, and subsequent sale of the joint venture to AB CarVal
- Series A investment in Renewance, a U.S. leader in sustainable battery recycling solutions
- convertible notes investment in and senior secured loan to freeD Group
- Krafton on its acquisition of Eleventh Hour Games, the U.S. game studio behind blockbuster action RPG Last Epoch.
- Ark & Partners on its tender offer for Soomgo, Korea’s leading local services marketplace
- Meritz Securities on its $500 million PIPE investment in Lotus Technology, a global leader in luxury electric vehicles
- Comcast Spectacor on its joint venture with SK Telecom, the largest mobile operator in Korea, to form a global eSports team business to be named T1 Entertainment & Sports
- JB Financial Group on its acquisition of Morgan Stanley Gateway Securities, a leading Vietnamese brokerage firm, from Morgan Stanley, Thanh Ba Company and the CEO of MSGS
- Levit, the operator of the Korean e-commerce app Alwayz, on its Series B financing
- Gojek on its business combination with Tokopedia to form GoTo Group
- Avolta (formerly Dufry International) on its acquisition of Free Duty, a leading border travel retail operator in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area from NWS Holdings
- ADC Therapeutics SA on its joint venture with Overland Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialize ZYNLONTA and other ADCs in Greater China and Singapore
- EF Education First on the majority investment by Permira in EF Kids & Teens business
- AJ Networks, Korea’s largest rental company, on its sale of AJ Rental Dallas to Sunstate Equipment
- Kakao Pay on its settlement of a complex M&A dispute with Siebert Financial
- Li & Fung on an investment by Temasek Holdings in Li & Fung’s logistics business, LF Logistics
- Tencent on its participation in the Series F equity financing round of Kuaishou Technology as a lead investor
Insights
Recognition
IFLR1000 – Private Equity, Hong Kong, Rising Star
Law.com International – “Private Equity Rising Stars: 10 Lawyers in Asia to Watch,” 2023
Education
- with merit
- with honours
Clerkships
Prior experience
- Weil, Gotshal & Manges, 2017-2019
- Kim & Chang, 2016
- Gilbert & Tobin, 2012-2017
Qualifications and admissions
- Hong Kong
- New South Wales, Australia