Qatar Holding in Participation in an Investor Consortium in the Going-Private Transaction of AsiaInfo-Linkage

Cleary Gottlieb represented Qatar Holding, a Qatar Investment Authority affiliate, in connection with its participation in an investor consortium led by CITIC Capital Partners and Edward Tian, the company’s co-founder, in the going-private transaction of AsiaInfo-Linkage.

AsiaInfo-Linkage is a leading provider of high-quality software solutions and IT services to the telecommunications industry. Headquartered in Beijing, it employs more than 11,000 professionals worldwide. The transaction values AsiaInfo-Linkage at approximately $890 million.

The execution of the merger agreement was announced on May 13, 2013 and the merger closed on January 15, 2014. As a result of the transaction, AsiaInfo-Linkage became a private company and will de-list from the NASDAQ Stock Market and terminate its SEC-reporting obligations as a public company.

The merger is financed by a combination of debt financing from a syndicate of Bank of Taiwan, Cathay United Bank, ICBC International Capital, Maybank Investment Bank Berhad and Nomura International (Hong Kong), and equity financing provided by the members of the consortium.