CLIENT SERVICES

Exhibitions

Overview

China’s exhibition industry stands out for not only its historical but also prospective size and opportunities. The number and scale of venues, events, visitors, employees, etc. continue to increase – including after 2020 – in contrast to most other countries. Yet while government policies are still generally favorable, the regulatory framework and business environment present challenges to meeting remaining needs in the exhibition market.

DaHui is one of the few firms with a dedicated focus on the exhibition industry, which relies particularly on our TMT, M&A, IP and PE & VC experts. We have a long history assisting local and foreign players – often in cooperation we facilitate – to launch, acquire and sell exhibitions, handle regulatory, compliance and labor issues and deal with all kinds of crises. As our clientele ranges from the largest, marquee brands to the most specialized local exhibitions and our advice extends beyond legal issues to policy, PR/GR and commercial issues, we have a full view of this expansive market.

As hundreds of cities in China created or upgraded their venues – doubling the number from 2010 to 2020 and tripling the rentable indoor area – and global exhibition powerhouses entered the local market, DaHui’s attorneys were involved in countless deals, partnerships and day-to-day matters. We advised on the corporate structuring, joint ventures and other partnerships, licensing and other regulatory requirements and labor that underlay such phenomenal evolution. Now that virtual and other digital aspects are as important as the traditional ones, and the search for new synergies (and new talent) is on the rise, DaHui’s contributions in the areas of the Internet, telecommunications and other technologies as well as data, privacy and cybersecurity are all the greater.

While – even with its incomparable growth – China’s exhibition industry remains largely localized, avenues for its further development have opened up from the technological and sociomedical transformations. Businesses offering high-quality or innovative solutions, especially in operations, management and software, have opportunities to engage in a new era of Chinese exhibitions. With an expansion on the international arena, and interactions with the talent, customer bases and legal frameworks around the world, both Chinese and foreign players will need to retain close commercial harmony and dynamic legal counsel.

Relevant Experience

Hannover Fairs

Represented Hannover Fairs, a subsidiary of Deutsche Messe AG (one of the world’s largest and most active trade fair companies), in its continued penetration into the China market, including in the structuring, transactional, compliance, IP and other aspects of its establishment of strategic joint ventures with local leading market players.

Messe München Group

Advised Messe München Group, one of the world's largest exhibition companies, on its acquisition of Fenestration BAU China as well as on all aspects (including IP and regulatory matters) of the structuring and implementation of several joint ventures and cooperation projects with other leading market players in China.

Reed Exhibitions

Provided long-term full-suite PRC legal services to Reed Exhibitions, a part of RELX Group, including all aspects of M&A, strategic cooperation matters and restructuring matters, such as purchases, joint establishment and sale of exhibitions, as well as cybersecurity compliance and other regulatory matters.

Reed-Sinopharm/Reed Exhibitions

Represented Reed Exhibitions, in its joint venture with Sinopharm (the marque healthcare group, which also developed one of China's two COVID vaccines), in acquiring 55% of the “China Hospital Construction Conference and Hospital Build & Infrastructure China Exhibition & Congress”.

SingEx (Constellar)

Advised Temasek's MICE operator SingEx Holdings, later merged with SingEx-Sphere Holdings to form Constellar, on various aspects of its acquisition of two local PRC ventures for its regional expansion beyond Singapore.

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