Yanhuan Zhou

Counsel, Member of the Finnish Bar

I specialise in mergers and acquisitions and have been involved in both domestic and international transactions in the past years. In addition, I have several years of experience advising clients on their corporate matters.

I started working in Castrén & Snellman’s transaction team in April 2021 and, prior to joining C&S, I worked at another Finnish law firm for over ten years, first as a legal trainee and later as an associate after my graduation. During my previous employment, I was also on secondment at a client company, where I gained experience as in-house counsel. In addition, I worked as a legal trainee with two international companies prior to my graduation.

As a transaction lawyer, I enjoy the hecticness and project nature of transactions. I see myself as a solution-oriented and efficient team player. I especially enjoy working in an expert organisation environment and enjoy the challenges that various transactions bring to my table daily.

Yanhuan Zhou’s tireless dedication and commitment was very much appreciated and made a significant difference on our recent deal.

The Legal 500, 2022

Latest references

We advised SRV Group plc when it sold its 50% holding in the Pearl Plaza shopping centre in St. Peterburg to CP Invest Limited. The sale was the final part of SRV’s actions to exit from all of its operations in Russia which began in 2022. The sales price of SRV´s ownership of the shopping centre was approximately 11 million euros. SRV is a Finnish developer and innovator in the construction industry. SRV was established in 1987 and is listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.
Case published 17.2.2025
We advised Valio Oy in its acquisition of Raisio Oyj’s plant protein business, related fixed assets and the Härkis® and Beanit® fava bean brands. The fixed assets include, among other things, the production equipment of the factory that makes plant protein products in Kauhava. The transaction supports Valio’s strategy to grow from a dairy company to a food company. This business acquisition will make us an even more significant developer and producer of plant-based protein products. The demand for these products will grow in the long term, and a great deal of growth potential still remains. In 2022, we acquired the Gold&Green® business and, since then, we have been carrying out strong product development and renewed the brand. Following successful product launches, sales in the last quarter of 2024 increased by about 50% from the previous quarter. With this acquisition, we are building our own production capacity. The production equipment of the Kauhava factory is just right for our needs and situation. says Kimmo Luoma, Valio’s Senior Vice President. Valio is a Finnish dairy and food company founded in 1905 and owned by Finnish dairy cooperatives. Valio has subsidiaries in Sweden, Estonia, the United States and China. In 2023, the Group had a turnover of EUR 2 278 million and more than 4 000 employees.
Case published 14.2.2025
We advised Metsä Group in a transaction whereby its Russian subsidiaries Metsä Svir LLC, Metsä Forest St. Petersburg LLC, Metsä Forest Podporozhye LLC and Metsä Board Rus LLC were sold to VLP Group. VLP Group is a forest industry company operating mainly in the Vologda region of Russia. In 2022, Metsä Group discontinued its Russian operations, including the Svir sawmill, wood procurement and board sales activities. As a result of this transaction, Metsä Group has fully divested its assets in Russia. Metsä Group is a group formed by Metsäliitto Cooperative and its subsidiaries that focuses on wood procurement and forest services, wood products, pulp and paperboard, and tissue and sealing papers. In 2023, the company had a turnover of EUR 6.1 billion and employed around 9 500 people.
Case published 15.5.2024
We advised Ramirent Ltd and Cramo Ltd in the sale of the entire share capital of OOO Fortrent to a private investor. OOO Fortrent was previously owned by Fortrent Oy, which is a joint venture of Ramirent and Cramo. OOO Fortrent has been engaged in machine rental operations in Russia since 2013. The company has 18 locations, and its turnover in 2022 was approximately 2.2 billion roubles. Ramirent Ltd, founded in 1994, is a leading service company offering equipment rental for construction and many other industries with a wide range of high-quality rental equipment. Cramo Ltd, founded in 1954, is a full-service construction equipment rental company that also offers construction, renovation and maintenance support services.
Case published 4.12.2023
We advised Valio and Oddlygood in their acquisition of the Nordic brand and business Planti. Through the acquisition, Oddlygood becomes the owner of the Planti products and brand, as well as related intellectual property rights. Oddlygood becomes the market leader in plant-based dairy alternative spoonable snacks in Sweden and dairy alternative cooking products in Finland. Simultaneously, Oddlygood’s majority owner Valio acquires Planti’s production in Turku, including the employees at the site. Until the acquisition, the Planti brand was part of the Norwegian Kavli Group.
Case published 3.10.2023
We advised SRV Group Plc in the sale of the entire share capital of its subsidiary SRV Russia Oy to Geomare Investments Limited, a Cypriot real estate investment company. The sale is part of SRV’s efforts to exit its Russian operations. SRV, founded in 1987, is a Finnish developer and renovator in the construction sector. SRV is listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.
Case published 8.8.2023
Valio is a food company with the courage to change with the times. Valio’s road to growth and towards the innovative transformation of the food industry is supported by its long-standing business law partner, Castrén & Snellman. Juha Hölttä became Valio’s General Counsel at a time when the company kicked its new strategy into a higher gear. ‘In the past two years we have made several significant market initiatives and expanded our business from food production to other areas of the value chain. By acquiring Heinon Tukku, we now provide a new kind of added value to restaurants and professional kitchens through our Valio Aimo ® wholesale business. And our joint venture with St1, Suomen Lantakaasu Oy, will enable us to reach our goal of turning manure into biogas for heavy transportation,’ Hölttä describes some of the milestones of the new strategy. In addition to expanding into new business areas, Valio continues to build a more sustainable dairy business alongside seeking international growth from plant-based products. Valio has invested in the international growth of its Oddlygood ® brand through incorporation and gained additional product development expertise through the acquisition of Gold&Green. Carbon footprint of milk reduced by new business operations Dairy products are at the core of Valio’s business, and the company develops this strong foundation not only through product innovation but also at the beginning of the food chain. ‘Who could have foreseen that dairy farm manure could become one way of tackling climate challenges? Our planned biogas plants will use manure and agricultural by-products to produce renewable liquefied biogas for use as transportation fuel,’ says Hölttä. ‘Valio is aiming for a carbon-neutral milk chain by 2035. We are making major reforms in our operations in order to make this happen.’ The sustainability programme for Valio’s 3,700 dairy farms has been expanded, and it now includes the preventive and systematic healthcare of cows as well as actions related to grazing, the climate and biodiversity. ‘Appreciation for locally produced food is on the rise, which means that sustainability questions are local as well. This is a good trend, as it makes it easier for us to make a difference.’ ‘Strategic help even in difficult circumstances’ The service-mindedness of lawyers is key in implementing a growth strategy. Castrén & Snellman Attorneys is a long-standing partner of Valio, and the relationship between the two is tight. ‘At Valio, we are always exploring new business opportunities, and us lawyers are tasked with assessing these opportunities. My philosophy as the General Counsel is that my door is always open. Together we can evaluate how to solve and implement new initiatives. In this job, you must be curious, broad-minded and business-oriented,’ summarises Hölttä. Hölttä’s legal team of five people is supported by experts from Castrén & Snellman. The key to successful partnership is that both parties are familiar with each other’s business operations and ways of working. ‘Castrén & Snellman knows us well, and they maintain an up-to-date overview of our situation, which I highly appreciate. It means that we are able to tackle tricky situations together quickly even in difficult circumstances.’ A joint fast reaction was needed, for example, when Valio exited the Russian market after the country launched its war of aggression on Ukraine. ‘The responsible thing was to leave quickly but in a controlled manner and by repatriating our investment as opposed to leaving an operational food production facility in the hands of a country that was waging war.’ A shared vision of sustainability Valio – Together we make life better A Finnish food company Approx. 4,600 employees Owned by 13 Finnish dairy cooperatives Finland’s most sustainable brand in the Sustainable Brand Index study Read more about sustainability at Valio Castrén & Snellman – Building sustainable success stories Forerunner of demanding legal services 300 employees Owned by its partners ‘We help our clients build sustainable success stories and achieve their sustainability goals.’ Read more about sustainability at Castrén & Snellman Shared success stories of Valio and C&S Global Brand Portfolio Management and IP Enforcement Purchase of Gold&Green’s Brand, IPR and R&D Function Joint Venture for Biogas Production with St1 Sale of Russian Operations Acquisition of Heinon Tukku Significant Growth Funding Round Competition Damages Case Defending Against Environmental Permit Challenge at the Appellate Level
Case published 4.5.2023
We acted as the Finnish legal advisor for Geia Food, a portfolio company of Triton Smaller Mid-Cap Fund II, in its acquisition of Topfoods Finland Oy and TFR Topfoods Retailing Oy. With this acquisition , Geia Food is expanding its footprint in the Nordics and expands on the Finnish foodservice and industrial product market. Geia Food is the leading supplier of food concepts in Scandinavia with approximately   120 employees and has offices in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Since its establishment in 1997, Triton has sponsored ten funds, focusing on businesses in the industrial tech, services, consumer , and healthcare sectors. The companies currently in Triton’s portfolio have combined sales of around EUR 18 billion and employ around 105,000 employees. Triton Smaller Mid-Cap Fund II applies Triton’s proven investment strategy to lower mid-market companies in the same core sectors of Services, Healthcare, Industrial Tech and Consumer, using Triton’s in-house operational capabilities and resources to help management teams to sustainably expand their companies’ market position and to implement their growth strategies. Topfoods companies have an annual turnover of approximately 30 million EUR and employ a total of 15 employees.
Case published 26.4.2023

Get to know our other experts in the field