Bella Chu Chai Yee

Practice Areas

Corporate and M&A

Real Estate & Construction

Banking & Finance

Personal

Bella started her practice in the dispute resolution department of the firm, focusing on banking and insolvency litigation and high-value recovery work before transitioning to the firm’s corporate practice.

She advised on mergers & acquisitions in various industries, with a focus on real estate transactions where she advises numerous leading developers on direct and indirect acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures, restructurings, and development projects. Bella also advises on financing matters and regularly acts for clients ranging from international financial institutions to investment funds on cross-border financing, mezzanine financing, and offshore lending. Her financing practice is a mix of cross-border finance work and equity capital markets work, including rights and bonus offering, warrants issuance, and private placements.

Clients have described Bella as being 'able to work around non-straightforward situations’ and have commended her for her 'attention to detail and risk evaluation'.

In the Chambers Asia-Pacific 2025 rankings, Bella is ranked as a Band 3 practitioner in the Real Estate practice. She has also been recently ranked as a “Leading Individual” for Corporate and M&A and acknowledged as a “Next Generation Partner” for Real Estate and Construction by The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024. She is also recognised as a “Highly Regarded” practitioner in the IFLR1000 2024 rankings for the Mergers & Acquisitions, and Real Estate practices. Bella has been named “Distinguished Practitioner” by asialaw 2024 for Corporate M&A and Real Estate practices.

Work Highlights

Real Estate

Acted for UEM Sunrise Berhad in numerous joint venture transactions for the development of lands in Kuala Lumpur, including their joint development with the Malay College Old Boys Association and Mega Legacy Equity Sdn Bhd for the development of lands in Kepong Metropolitan Park.

Acted for Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd in respect of their real estate financing and investment in development projects in Malaysia, including their joint venture with ITOCHU for the development of lands in Kuala Lumpur and acquisition of industrial properties in Selangor.

Acted for KIP REIT in their acquisition and leaseback of industrial properties in Pulau Indah, Selangor.

Acted for Fastrack Pte Ltd in respect of the development of Motorsports City, including advising on project management agreements and relevant regulatory approvals.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Acted for HSS Engineers Berhad in their acquisition of SMHB Engineering, a leading engineering consultancy firm in the water development sector, and their rights issue exercise to raise funds for the acquisition.

Acted as the Malaysian counsel for Apollo Management VIII, LP in their acquisition with Platform Specialty Products Corporation for the entire equity interests of OM group, Inc.

Acted for Messer Group GmbH and Smart-Gas Pte. Ltd in their acquisition of an industrial gas manufacturer and distributor in Malaysia including advising on relevant licenses and approval required for the transaction.

Acted for Bharat Serums and Vaccines Limited, Indian pharmaceutical company backed by global private equity firm Advent International, in their acquisition of pharmaceutical and medical devices distributor in Malaysia.

Capital Markets

Acted as the Malaysian legal counsel for Super Hi International Holding Ltd, being the overseas unit of Haidilao International Holding Limited, in the internal restructuring of its Malaysian subsidiaries (which includes Hai Di Lao Malaysia Sdn Bhd) and its proposed listing by way of introduction on HKSE.

Acted for WCE Holdings Berhad, the concessionaire of West Coast Expressway, in their rights issue exercise to fund the construction of the expressway.

Acted for Sapura Energy Berhad in their RM4 billion rights issue of Islamic redeemable convertible preference shares and establishment of executive share option scheme.

Acted as the Malaysian legal counsel for Super Hi International Holding Ltd, being the overseas unit of Haidilao International Holding Limited, in the internal restructuring of its Malaysian subsidiaries (which includes Hai Di Lao Malaysia Sdn Bhd) and its listing on HKSE.

Acted as legal adviser and due diligence solicitor for Lim Seong Hai Capital Berhad, whose chairman is Tan Sri Lim Keng Cheng, in its listing on the LEAP market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad. Also acted for the company on its proposed acquisition and most recently on the diversification of the business activity of Lim Seong Hai Capital Berhad.

Acted as legal adviser and due diligence solicitor for Sancy Berhad, whose chairman is Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Shahril Shamsuddin, in its listing on the LEAP market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad.