For more than 20 years, Elizabeth Cole has worked in Asia-Pacific representing multinationals and Fortune 500 companies, specifically those located in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Singapore. Her practice encompasses M&A, compliance, data protection, investigations, and employment. She has represented multinationals investing and divesting in Asia from greenfield operations to joint ventures and complex cross-border multijurisdictional acquisitions as well as in a broad range of commercial matters. She also has assisted clients in reviewing and implementing employment contracts, hiring and firing practices, and workplace and data privacy policies to ensure that they comply with local laws and regulations.
Elizabeth is certified as a privacy professional (CIPP/A) by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and regularly assists clients in navigating compliance with the rapidly changing data protection and cybersecurity laws in the region.
Elizabeth has written and spoken extensively on employment, data protection, and cybersecurity laws and regulations in Asia, including authoring the "China Employment Law" chapter in Corporate Counsel Guide to Doing Business in China (Thomson Reuters, multiple editions, 2009-2019) and the China section of Lexis Nexis publication Specific Corporate Compliance Challenges by Practice Area: Data Privacy and Information Security (2023) and as a speaker on China Data Protection Law and Practice at BitKom's Privacy Conference (October 2023) and Asia Employment Law Updates at HR Policy Association's Asia Pacific Conference (March 2023).
Experience
The following represents experience acquired prior to joining Jones Day.
Advised a U.S. manufacturing company on the Asian aspects of its proposed joint venture with and acquisition of the worldwide air conditioning manufacturing and sales operations of a Japanese corporation, including supervision of corporate and compliance diligence in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Thailand.
Advised a European aerospace company on the establishment of an aircraft maintenance joint venture in China.
Advised a subsidiary of a Japanese technology company in connection with its participation in a public auction to acquire the equity interest of its minority state-owned joint venture partner in its manufacturing subsidiary in Shanghai.
Advised a European utility on its proposed acquisition of a portfolio of independent and captive power projects in China, Pakistan, Thailand, the Philippines, and Korea, including management of the due diligence process and review of acquisition documents.
Advised a French water company on the negotiation of a concession to develop a water storage and distribution network and water treatment facility in Tanggerang, Indonesia, to be partially financed through an Asian Development Bank loan.
Advised a Chinese dairy company on its tender bid for the acquisition of a French yogurt and dairy business.
Advised a European steel conglomerate on its investment in two new steel manufacturing joint ventures in China and on the management of the bidding and construction process.
Advised a Japanese oil company on the due diligence and acquisition of the oil and gas assets of a U.S. oil company in Indonesia.
Advised a German power company on the acquisition of a substantial minority interest in, and joint development arrangements for, a 500MW independent power project in India.
Advised a leading European insurer in the tender sale of its Shanghai branch.
Advised a U.S.-listed medical devices company in connection with the China and Hong Kong aspects of its US$500 million acquisition of a China-based medical devices business as part of a settlement of worldwide patent infringement litigation against the business, with distribution agreements in more than 100 countries.
Advised a leading U.S.-based mobile media content developer on the acquisition of a Cayman Islands entity involved in licensing products and services to Chinese telecommunications services providers.
Additional Speaking Engagements
- October 27, 2020
HR Policy Webinar - International Views of Pay Equity Disclosures: How Much is Too Much, panelist - April 14, 2020
Navigating Through the Pandemic - APAC - May 10-12, 2018
Cybersecurity DD and Cyber Risks in M&A, 2018 Investment Arbitration & Trans-Pacific Transactions Conference - June 16, 2017
Executive Roundtable: Cybersecurity, Privacy & Data Protection in Asia - September 14, 2016
DD2.0 - Rebooting the Compliance Diligence Process - May 26, 2016
An Introduction To The Fundamentals Of The Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) For Non-Legal Personnel, Singapore Academy of Law WSQ Programme - May 17, 2016
Regional Outsourcing at the Contingent Workforce Strategies (CWS) Summit - April 26, 2016
Japan Chemical Industry Association Regional Meeting The Changing Face of Cross-Border Trade in ASEAN - January 26, 2016
CLE Academy Shanghai 2016 - October 27, 2015
Data Protection in Asia-Pacific - A Practical Overview - The Conference Board Chief Legal Officers Council Meeting - March 2014
Employment Law in China - A Comprehensive Overview of Chinese Employment Law, JSB Group Ltd.
- Australian National University (LL.B. Hons. 1992; B.A. in Asian Studies 1992); University of Sydney (Legal Diploma 1992)
- Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England & Wales, Hong Kong, California, and Permitted to practice Singapore law (commercial, finance, and corporate)
Chambers Asia-Pacific — ranked as leading individual for Employment in China
Legal 500 Asia Pacific — recommended lawyer for China
IFLR1000 — highly regarded practitioner (2020) and expert consultant (2023) for M&A and Technology and Telecommunications
The Best Lawyers in Singapore: recognized in Mergers and Acquisitions Law (2022 and 2024)
Certified International Privacy Professional/Asia (CIPP/A)
- Japanese (good written and spoken proficiency) and Mandarin (basic conversation and written proficiency)