Isabella Wong

Partner | Financial Services

isabellahm.wong@deacons.com

+852 2825 9577

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Isabella has extensive experience servicing financial institutions on legal and regulatory matters. As a former regulator, Isabella gained hands-on experience in dealing with SFC regulatory matters (covering licensing and compliance aspects) for asset managers, investment banks, dark/liquidity-pool operators, sponsors and brokers etc., alongside participating in policy drafting and consultation works in relation to new regulatory regimes. Isabella also worked in a global asset manager and counseled its investment management and funds distribution businesses in the APAC (ex-Japan) regions. At the beginning of her legal career, Isabella served an international law firm as a capital market lawyer.

Highlights

• Helped financial institutions from different jurisdictions structure and establish business operations in Hong Kong (including conducting gap analysis, advising on set-up plan and handling licensing and registrations etc.) and prepared their compliance infrastructure documents and services-level agreements.
• Counseled financial institutions on implementation of regulatory changes, launch of new business initiatives and revamp of business operations.
• Acted for various US/UK head-quartered asset management groups and PRC investment banking group in completing mergers and acquisitions involving regulated financial business in Hong Kong, including conducting regulatory due diligence, advising on legal and regulatory steps for changes of ownership and migration of business, preparing implementation documentation as well as handling the relevant regulatory filings/applications.
• Assisted clients with fintech related and tokenization projects, including but not limited to:
  • Advising a renowned cryptocurrency exchange and custodian on a tokenization project to launch of the world’s first regulated stablecoin in Hong Kong.
  • Advising a world-class European based clearing house on Hong Kong regulatory implications in connection with its plans to establish a post-trade services platform relating to over-the-counter derivative transactions.
  • Advising a major global service platform provider on regulatory issues in connection with its fintech operations and proposed offering of robo-advisory services.

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