Kenneth Zhou, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP

I am Kenneth Zhou, a partner in the law firm of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP.  I am running for election to AmCham’s Board of Governors 2024 and would like your support.

Many of you may already know me. I have served AmCham China in various roles over the past 10 years, including former General Counsel, former Governor and Chair of the Outbound Investment Committee, in addition to my full-time job as a law firm partner.  I am very familiar with AmCham China’s mission and work for its members.

During my tenure as former Governor and General Counsel, I actively participated in AmCham China’s advocacy for its members, including commenting on policies and regulations affecting US companies’ business interests, meetings with Chinese and US government delegations, trips, presentations and seminars to promote investment and trade between the US and China.  I handled many internal and external legal matters for AmCham.  I have also drafted and reviewed various chapters of AmCham China’s annual White Paper.  After my term as Governor and General Counsel expired, I continued to volunteer on many AmCham advocacy, policy and membership programs to advance the interests of AmCham China’s members, including market entry, cybersecurity and data privacy, protection of intellectual property rights, NGO compliance, and others.

As Chair of the Outbound Investment Forum and a member of the Chamber’s financial services committee, I have actively worked with AmCham staff on organizing various programs and seminars for its members.

I have law degrees from both the US and China and was AmCham’s first General Counsel to be duly qualified in both countries.  My practice focuses on US and China direct investments, mergers and acquisitions, and regulatory and policy matters.  I have devoted myself to promoting bilateral investment, trade, business and economic exchanges between the US and China over the past 25 years.

If elected to the Board of Governors, I will continue to help AmCham advance its mission to help American companies succeed in China through advocacy, information, networking and business support services.  I expect to contribute to AmCham’s success in the following respects:

• Continue to use my knowledge and expertise on US/China bilateral investment and regulatory matters to advance AmCham’s mission and advocate for the best interests of its members.
• Continue to take initiatives to promote network building, exchanges and communications between US companies and their business counterparts in China to benefit AmCham members and US/China bilateral investment environment.
• Assist the Policy and Legal Committees to formulate policies and publications, including annual White Paper.
• Continue to advocate for AmCham to expand its membership base by using my professional contacts and networks.

I have lived in Beijing for more than 20 years and am a married father of two.  I speak English, Mandarin and Shanghainese.

Biography

Kenneth Zhou is a partner of WilmerHale’s Asia Corporate Practice Group.

Practice

Mr. Zhou’s practice focuses on foreign direct investment, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private equity/venture capital, joint ventures and strategic alliance, general corporate, regulatory and data security matters, FCPA and investigations, and international dispute resolution. He has advised many foreign companies in high-tech, media and entertainment, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, banking and financial services, publishing, consumer product and services industries with respect to their strategic expansion, investments and business operations in China.  Mr. Zhou has also advised leading Chinese companies on their outbound investments, M&A and strategic expansion in the U.S. and Europe.  In addition, he is also experienced in capital market, foreign trade and WTO matters.

Professional Activities

Mr. Zhou is a former governor and General Counsel of American Chamber of Commerce in the People’s Republic of China (AmCham China).  He currently serves as Chair of the Outbound Investment Forum of AmCham China.

Publications

Mr. Zhou is the author of the Business Organization Chapter published in Business Law in China: Trade, Investment, Operations and Finance. ICC Publ. No. 672, 2d rev. ed.  He is also one of the authors of China’s Anti-Monopoly Law – The First Five Years, published by Wolters Kluwer in 2012.  He has written articles in such periodicals as China Law & Practice, Asia Pacific Antitrust and Trade Review, Capital and others on a wide range of topics including M&A, corporate restructuring, private equity/venture capital investment, foreign direct investment in China, tax and regulatory matters.

Mr. Zhou was interviewed and spoke at events organized by CNN, Bloomberg, CCTV, The American Lawyer, Cai Jin Magazine, South China Morning Post, American Chamber of Commerce China, US China Business Council, United States Information Technology Office, 21^st Century, Top Capital, Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors (AIRA), Asia Risk, and others on a variety of topics including cross-border M&A, anti-monopoly filings in China, equity financing, data security law, economic sanctions and export control, outbound investments of Chinese companies, dispute resolution, PE/VC investments, Internet law, SOE restructuring, qualified foreign institutional investors (QFII), qualified foreign limited partnership (QFLP), VIE structures.