KSB Law's international head joins Zhonglun

Chinese law firm Zhonglun W&D, which became the first Chinese firm to launch in London four months ago, has hired the head of KSB Law's international department, consultant Guy Facey.

A linguist who speaks four languages, Facey is a native English-speaker and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, as well as in French and Italian, and is English and Hong Kong-qualified.

Facey said: "I've been saying for a couple of years that it won't be long until a Chinese law firm opens in London and now I've got a chance to exploit that niche."

Facey specialises in corporate finance and will target mid-cap businesses and the growing Chinese aviation sector. He joins Zhonglun as a partner on 3 September, accompanied by an assistant.

Facey is secretary of the British Italian Law Association and will also use Zhonglun as a bridge to Chinese-Italian business.

Facey added that his is an "amicable parting" with KSB and that KSB and Zhonglun are already in talks about a possible referral relationship. As reported by The Lawyer (30 July), Zhonglun has already hired dual-qualified Lovells senior associate Emily Wang, who will join the firm as a partner later in the summer. Prior to joining Lovells, Wang practised in China for five years.

The KSB hires will bring Zhonglun's London team up to seven lawyers.