Nicholas Cook

Nicholas ‘Nick’ Cook has 15 years’ experience advising on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity transactions, as well as intra-group international business reorganisations (IBR), focusing on the Greater China and Asia Pacific regions. He frequently negotiates, drafts and advises on shareholders’ agreements, share purchase agreements and business transfer agreements, as well as all matters of corporate and commercial law, including matters with technology and/or digital elements.

He is a solicitor qualified in Hong Kong and England & Wales, as well as being admitted to the Roll of Solicitors (non-practicing) in the Republic of Ireland. He is an IAPP-certified Artificial Intelligence Governance Professional (AIGP).

Nick serves as Co-Chair of PwC’s global IBR Emerging Leaders Network, tasked with improving the integration and collaboration of IBR within PwC. Nick also represents legal on the PwC Mainland China and Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Strategic Taskforce.

Nick holds a Cambridge law degree, a PCLL from HKU, and a Master of Chinese Studies degree (MChS) jointly awarded by the Universities of Edinburgh & Glasgow. Nicholas trained with Mayer Brown JSM in Hong Kong, where he worked for nearly a decade. Nick is also an examiner for the commercial and company law paper of the Hong Kong Overseas Lawyer Qualification Examination (OLQE). 

Areas of expertise

• International business reorganisations and restructurings (IBR)
• Cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and private equity transactions
• Joint ventures and partnerships

Recent Publications

1. The top 5 mistakes made during IBR restructuring projects (and how to avoid them)
2. Hong Kong releases consultation conclusion and latest legislative proposals on company re-domiciliation regime
3. IA Before AI: Facilitating Generative AI Adoption within Legal Teams

Representative experience

• Advising a multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate on its acquisition of the music recording and artist management business of one of the largest independent music companies in Greater China with operations in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
• Advising on and documenting the establishment of an international consortium in relation to a blockchain-based technology platform, in conjunction with PwC consulting.
• Advising on various IBR corporate restructuring projects for various multinational companies (both SMEs and large enterprises).
• Advising the retail arm of a global company on the establishment of its China e-commerce joint venture with an American fashion company.
• Advising a European retailer on its joint venture with a Chinese business-to-consumer online retail platform.
• Advising a global supply chain company in relation to a number of their brand-licensing joint ventures in Asia and Europe.
• Acting for a shipbuilding company on its acquisition of a 50.75% stake in a Singapore-listed shipbuilder.