Sherrards bring China’s largest bike-sharing platform to UK

8th April 2019 | Paul Marmor

Sherrards’ China and South-East Asia team helped China’s largest bike-sharing platform company move into the UK and Europe in 2017. The company had built a successful business in China and at the time of its investment into the UK, was... Read more

Sherrards’ China and South-East Asia team helped China’s largest bike-sharing platform company move into the UK and Europe in 2017. The company had built a successful business in China and at the time of its investment into the UK, was valued at up to $2 billion. Their goal was to diversify into the UK and set up a UK base of operations with the maximum of ease.

The team, including Laurel (Xueying) Zhang, a UK qualified and bilingual Chinese lawyer and corporate partner Jean-Paul da Costa, worked with the bike-sharing company on establishing their UK operations. Within 18 months, the company had established businesses in Cambridge, Oxford, Norwich, London and Sheffield.

Sherrards’ corporate and property lawyers moved swiftly through the legal requirements to establish a UK branch of the company with a compliant legal structure. They helped address concerns about data protection, registered trademark applications and negotiated commercial contracts and IT agreements. The firm has also provided support on the legal front in relation to the areas of property, employment and immigration.

The Sherrards team addressed initial concerns about UK regulations by introducing the company to the Department of International Trade (DIT). DIT put the firm in touch with local authorities at the right level, which was pivotal to the company’s success in the UK.

The CEO of the company had been looking for a like-minded team to help him take his business to the international market. Sherrards’ international focus and corporate expertise, as well as Laurel Zhang’s ‘can do’ attitude and passion for the UK as an investment destination, were very helpful in the company choosing the UK for its multi-million pound investment.

The Sherrards team has helped many Chinese investors move into the UK, including a leading provider of genomic services and solutions, a boutique investment bank, a large Shenzhen construction group and a corporation with transport, construction and real estate interests.

In addition to our China desk, we also have a Russia & CIS desk and specialist French and German desks, led by bilingual specialists in those jurisdictions. Other focus areas include the USA and India.

To find out more, please contact Paul Marmor.