Kingsley Ong is a partner of an international law firm based in Hong Kong. He specialises in all types of financing and debt restructuring, including debt capital markets, derivatives, structured finance, securitisation, restructuring and insolvency. He also handles related arbitrations and disputes, and serves as expert witness.

Ranked by legal directories as a Leading Lawyer in five practice areas (Banking & Finance | Structured Finance | Securitisation | Derivatives | Restructuring/Insolvency) across three jurisdictions (China (Hong Kong) | India | South Korea), he is the only lawyer in Asia to be recognised in all these categories and jurisdictions.

He has been described as “brilliant strategic mind” (Chambers, 2022), “first choice for debt financing” (Chambers, 2023), “revered for his ability to advise on complex financial structures” (Chambers, 2017), “an expert in unwinding of complex financial instruments” (Legal 500, 2019), “very well known in the Asia Pacific market… regularly involved in many of the most significant transactions in the region” (Legal 500, 2018).

Professor Ong’s published opinions have been cited as legal authority in the US Court (Lehman Brothers Special Finance vs Bank of New York, SDNY 09-01242), the Hong Kong Standing Committee on Company Law Reform, the Financial Stability Board (FSB), and leading textbooks.

In 2015, he was appointed to the Professional Working Group advising the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) on policies to position Hong Kong as a leading Corporate Treasury Centre. The new CTC Policy became law in June 2016.

In 2016, Professor Ong served as a Hong Kong Law Expert Witness before the US Bankruptcy Court (District of New Jersey), in connection with a landmark US litigation (Re Manley Toys Case No.16-15374) where the recognition of Hong Kong liquidators appointed under Hong Kong’s voluntary liquidation regime was being contested.

He also serves as the Secretary-General of APSA (www.apsa-asia.com), External Examiner of HKIB (Hong Kong Institute of Bankers), and Consulting Editor at Lexis Nexis. He also previously taught as adjunct at The University of Hong Kong.

Professor Ong also actively takes appointments as Arbitrator in arbitrations conducted in English and Chinese. He is on the Arbitrator panels/lists of HKIAC, KCAB, JCAA, BAIAC, CAA, eBRAM.

Publications (Books)

• “Chitty on Contracts: Hong Kong Specific Contracts” (5th - 7th Editions, 2023), Sweet & Maxwell
• “Contract enforcement during the Global Financial Crisis: Lessons for the coming tsunami” in Contract Law in “Changing Times - Asian Perspectives on Pacta Sunt Servanda” (published by Routledge, 2023)
• Halsbury Laws of Hong Kong, “Banking & Finance Law” (Volume 3), Lexis Nexis (2020 & 2023)
• General Editor, “The Hong Kong Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622): Commentary & Annotations” (1st - 7th Editions, 2014-2021), Sweet & Maxwell
• Hong Kong Encyclopedia of Forms & Precedents, “Companies: Financing and Taking Security”, Lexis Nexis (2021)
• General Editor, “Structured Finance & Securitisation in Asia”, Sweet & Maxwell (2018)

Publications (Journals)

• “Predatory Commercial Loans — A Borrower’s Dream or Nightmare?”, Banking & Finance Law Review (BFLR), July 2022
• “The Influence of Public Law on the development of China Securitisation”, Capital Markets Law Journal (2015)
• “The Enforceability and Characterisation of Retention of Title Clauses under Hong Kong Law”, Journal of International Banking and Financial Law (2014)
• “From ISDA to NAFMII: Insolvency Stalemate & PRC Bankruptcy Jurisprudence”, Capital Markets Law Journal (2013)
• “Closing out ISDA Contracts: a Practical Guide”, INSOL World (Dec 2012)
• “Repos & Securities Lending: the accounting arbitrage and their role in the global financial crisis”, Capital Markets Law Journal (2011)
• “The ISDA Master Agreement: Insolvency Stalemate and Endgame Solutions for Hong Kong Liquidators”, Hong Kong Law Journal (HKLJ) (2010)
• “A Comparative Study of the Fundamental Elements of Chinese and English Company Law”, International and Comparative Law Quarterly (ICLQ) (1999)
• “Disqualification of Directors: A Faulty Regime?”, Company Lawyer (1998)