Third-party arbitration funding institution Hozu Capital has appointed Cindy Huang, a former senior partner at Dacheng Law Offices, as co-founder and chief operating officer (COO).
Huang will oversee Hozu Capital’s finance and operations management systems, co-ordinate strategy implementation, resource integration and cross-practice business collaboration, and promote the company’s integration of legal services and capital operations.
She has practised as a lawyer since 1994, working successively at Zhong Lun Law Firm, Anli Partners and Dacheng. Her practice has focused mainly on IPOs, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, investment and fund formation.
Beyond legal practice, Huang also has extensive experience in the operation, management and capital operations of the culture and tourism sector. In 2010, she co-founded tourism performance planning company Scenery Culture Industry with Mei Shuaiyuan, the founder of China’s landscape live performance industry, and served as its executive president.
From late 2015 to 2017, Huang worked at Sunshine Insurance Group, where she was responsible for the company’s global strategic investment business in the culture and tourism sector.
Wang Jialu, founder and president of Hozu Capital and a former senior partner at Commerce & Finance Law Offices, said in a press release: “Huang’s arrival is a key addition to Hozu’s core management team. She combines high-level strategic vision with solid operational execution experience.
“We believe Huang will significantly enhance Hozu’s overall capabilities in operations management, capital operations and industry development, accelerating the construction of Hozu’s integrated ‘law + investment + industry’ service platform.”
The regulatory environment for third-party funding in the Chinese mainland has moved from concept to practice, with arbitration institutions gradually incorporating disclosure requirements into their rules and courts confirming its legality through individual cases.
In Hong Kong, relevant core legislative provisions have been fully in force since 2019, clarifying that third-party funding of arbitration is not prohibited by the common law doctrines of maintenance and champerty. As of 31 December 2024, 90 arbitration cases in Hong Kong had disclosed the use of third-party funding, Legislative Council documents revealed.
Founded in 2022, Hozu Capital’s founding team includes corporate general counsel, senior lawyers and arbitrators. The company provides strategy, resources and financial support to companies and individuals dealing with complex domestic and cross-border disputes.
