Hong Kong to Expand ‘Name and Shame’ List to IPO Lawyers

Workers move a gong ahead of a listing ceremony at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.Photographer: Paul Yeung/Bloomberg

Hong Kong plans to expand its “name-and-shame” regime for sloppy listing applications to include law firms and auditors, stepping up a campaign to improve the quality of initial public offerings in the city.

Under a new Enhanced Return Mechanism proposed by Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd. on Friday, all professional parties involved in a deal will be publicly identified if a listing application is rejected for being “not substantially complete.”