June.22.2017
Orrick has advised JD.com (NASDAQ: JD), China’s largest retailer and e-commerce company, on its $397 million investment in Farfetch.
Farfetch, a London-based luxury online retailer, is a European unicorn.
Orrick also advised JD.com on its strategic partnership with Farfetch, which leverages JD.com’s logistics, Internet finance and technology capabilities and social media resources with Farfetch’s leadership in global luxury, to create a frictionless and seamless brand experience. Farfetch has well-established operations in China and is already the partner of choice for 200 luxury brands and more than 500 multi-brand retailers. JD.com will help drive further brand awareness, traffic and sales for Farfetch in the market.
The Orrick team was led by Shanghai corporate partner Jeffrey Sun and London partners Chris Grew and Shawn Atkinson, with support from London associates Jose Campos, Jamie Moore and Rhian Saleh.
“Chinese in-bound investment into a UK technology company of this scale confirms that the market for investment in UK technology businesses remains vibrant,” said Chris Grew. “The size of the investment in Farfetch further demonstrates the maturity of the UK technology ecosystem.”
“We are delighted to be a part of JD’s expansion in the global luxury sector. Our team has been advising JD, our longstanding client, on its various cross-border investments over the years, which fully demonstrates our strength in serving Chinese companies in their outbound investment activities,” Jeffrey Sun added.
Last year, Orrick advised JD.com on its $1.5 billion strategic alliance with a U.S.-based multinational retail corporation and on the merger of its O2O business JD Daojia with Dada Nexus.
Farfetch was advised by Taylor Wessing on matters of English law and Latham & Watkins on matters of US law.
Orrick ranks #1 among law firms for European venture investing volume for the past five quarters, as reported by PitchBook.
View the release in Chinese here.