Expert panel to discuss opportunities for Chinese companies to reduce U.S. regulatory and reporting burdens and compliance costs

International law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP today announced an upcoming panel discussion, “Going Private and Going Dark: Considerations for U.S. Publicly Traded Chinese Companies” to take place at New York University on November 14. The program will focus on issues related to the recent trend of U.S. publicly traded Chinese-based companies going private or going dark in the United States. Many Chinese companies have utilized or are considering utilizing such mechanisms to exit the U.S. public reporting system and to reduce compliance costs and regulatory burdens. The panel discussion will be held at New York University School of Law, Vanderbilt Hall, Classroom 220, 40 Washington Square South, New York City on November 14, 2012, at 4:00 p.m. Those interested in attending can click here to RSVP.

Panelists and moderators include:

  • Catherine X. Pan-Giordano – Partner, Dorsey & Whitney LLP 
  • Ted Farris – Partner, Dorsey & Whitney LLP 
  • Christy Shue – former Executive Vice President & Corporate Secretary, Harbin Electric, Inc. 
  • Geoffrey Sant – Special Counsel, Dorsey & Whitney LLP 
  • Dennis Galgano – Vice Chairman, Head of International Investment Banking, Morgan Joseph TriArtisan LLC 
  • Helen Cheng – Director, Houlihan Lokey 
  • Anthony Tomaro, CPA – Managing Director, UHY Advisors NY, Inc.

“Chinese companies publicly traded in the U.S. face unprecedented challenges under current regulatory and market conditions. Increasingly, their U.S. public company status and U.S. stock exchange listing have become more of a burden than a benefit,” said Dorsey capital markets Partner Ted Farris. “China-based issuers may have compelling reasons to delist their securities from U.S. stock exchanges and exit the Securities and Exchange Commission’s public reporting system.”

“The process of delisting, deregistering and going private is complex, and there are many business, legal and valuation issues for companies to consider,” added Dorsey Partner Catherine X. Pan-Giordano, who is also a founding director of the Chinese Business Lawyers Association. “Our panelists bring different perspectives based on their extensive company experience to the decision making process for a company considering going private or going dark.”

Esther Chiang, a Director of the Chinese Business Lawyers Association, said: “The CBLA is thrilled to be working with Dorsey & Whitney on this event. Ted Farris and Catherine X. Pan-Giordano are two of the leading experts in the field of going dark and going private, and their expert analysis of this topic is particularly helpful now, as so many Chinese companies consider taking this step.”