Mr Chau said: 'This was a quite complicated deal. It was the first merger in which both companies were dual-listed in Hong Kong and Shanghai.' The transaction began last October when he was told, one Sunday afternoon, by client China CNR Corp that trading in its shares was being suspended. Mr Chau then gathered his team to prepare the filings. The process started in earnest two days later in a 'roomful of lawyers, bankers and accountants' in Beijing - to discuss the merger with CSR Corp.

No template

He said that rumours and speculation were complicating the management of the process: 'Both shareholders and regulators were quite concerned. So it would be in the interest of everyone to move on as soon as possible.' There were numerous legal nuances and no template to follow. The deal was finished in June. Source: South China Morning Post