Gaven Cheong

Gaven Cheong
Partner

Contact
T: +[852] 2833 4993
Email

Gaven Cheong is Head of Investment Funds at Tiang & Partners (an independent law firm and a member of the PwC network).

Prior to joining Tiang & Partners, Gaven was an equity partner in the investment funds group of Simmons & Simmons (Hong Kong), and before that, a Counsel with the funds practice of Sidley Austin in Hong Kong.

With almost 20 years of fund formation and Hong Kong regulatory experience, Gaven is able to assist clients in the establishment and structuring of a diverse range of collective investment schemes including hedge funds, real estate funds, private equity arrangements, hybrid funds and other private investment structures, and regulatory advice in relation to investment management activity generally. He is also a pioneer in the crypto fund formation and regulatory advice space, having helped obtain the first regulatory licences in Hong Kong for the management of a fund of crypto funds and shortly after that, a pure virtual assets fund.

Working closely with other disciplines in PwC Mainland China and Hong Kong and PwC Legal Business Solutions, he is able to offer investment funds and asset manager clients an international fund formation and regulatory service that can also integrate PwC's tax, accounting, deals and consulting offerings - thus providing a truly end-to-end business solution.

Gaven is a ranked practitioner in ‘Investment Funds’ by Chambers Greater China Region Guide, a recommended individual in ‘Investment Funds’ by Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide and ‘Private Funds – Formation’ by Who’s Who Legal. He is also a leading individual in ‘Fintech Legal’ by Chambers FinTech Guide. In recent editions of Chambers, clients praised Gaven for being ‘very technically sound’, ‘practical and shrewd in terms of getting down to the key points in relation to any matter’, ‘a very bright individual’ and for having ‘good response time and a business mind’. Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide quotes Gaven as being ‘unquestionably the most knowledgeable crypto funds lawyer operating in the Hong Kong market right now. He has a very solid background in the hedge fund industry coupled with deep understanding of the digital asset space, which is a formidable combination’.

Gaven received his Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance), LL.B (Hons) and LL.M (Distinction) from the University of Western Australia. He is qualified to practise in Western Australia, Hong Kong and England & Wales. He is fluent in English and Cantonese, and is conversant in Mandarin.

Areas of expertise

• Investment funds (private hedge, PE and hybrid funds)
• Virtual assets - crypto fund formation and regulatory
• Financial services regulatory (primarily non-contentious)
• Fund and asset management-related disputes

Representative experience

• Advising as lead counsel on the establishment of a number of large and reputable private hedge fund and PE fund launches.
• Advising on a number of crypto fund launches.
• Advising fund managers and sponsors on the virtual assets regulatory regime in Hong Kong and assisting with applications to the SFC for various virtual assets licences.
• Providing general regulatory advice to numerous asset management, investment funds, private equity and other financial services companies.
• Advising on asset management-related disputes. 

Awards and recognitions

Chambers Greater China Region Guide

• Investment Funds (International Firms) – China: ranked practitioner

Gaven Cheong is the head of Tiang & Partners' investment funds team. He advises hedge fund managers on the formation of novel funds, including in the cryptocurrency space. He also advises on fund regulatory matters. Clients praise Gaven for being ‘technically sound with a strong commercial mindset’ and ‘has a depth of familiarity with the digital asset space.’

Chambers FinTech Guide

• FinTech Legal (International Firms) – China: Leading Individual

Legal 500 Asia Pacific Guide

• Investment Funds – Hong Kong: Recommended Lawyer

Team head Cheong’s ‘deep understanding of crypto funds’ coupled with the firm’s collaboration with PwC ensures that clients ‘get the benefit of both top shelf legal and non-legal advice on the crypto industry in a one-stop-shop environment. Clients praised that ‘Gaven Cheong is unquestionably the most knowledgeable crypto funds lawyer operating in the Hong Kong market right now. He has a very solid background in the hedge fund industry coupled with deep understanding of the digital asset space, which is a formidable combination.’