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Ralph advises German and international companies related to their business transactions in China. This includes in particular corporate aspects of foreign direct investment, M&A (share and asset deal acquisitions, mergers of foreign invested enterprises, equity transfers), restructuring and liquidation. He heads the employment and pension practice of the China Group and is co-author of a publication on Chinese labor and social insurance law of a German industry association.
His special industry focus is the chemical sector (chemical related laws and investments).
Ralph studied law at the University of Munich and Chinese language at Beijing Normal University in China under a scholarship granted by the German Academic Exchange Service. From 1997, he worked in the Beijing office of a major international law firm. In the year 2002, he joined Taylor Wessing as partner and head of the Shanghai office. Due to his long term secondment to China, Ralph has established close contacts with relevant local and national authorities and institutions. Among others, he served as member to the Boards of both the EU and the German Chamber of Commerce in China. Since 2010, he is elected as member to the board of the German School in Shanghai, and as of 2012 serves as its chairman. He is also author of numerous publications on the Chinese legal environment.