The Legal 500 was delighted to host approximately 120 general counsel, chief legal officers, and heads of legal at the iconic Raffles Hotel in Singapore for the Southeast Asia 2024 GC Powerlist launch. Also present were distinguished partners from Jones Day Singapore and Vietnam-based Frasers Law Company, including Sushma Jobanputra, partner in charge of Jones Day’s Singapore office, and Mark Fraser, managing partner of Frasers Law Company.

The Southeast Asia GC Powerlist is undoubtedly one of the finest editions among The Legal 500’s publications dedicated to the global in-house legal community. Alongside the vast pool of legal talent in Singapore—a hub of major domestic companies and well-funded regional legal teams from leading multinationals—we also spotlight the outstanding contributions from the dynamic, emerging markets across Southeast Asia. This provides an exceptional array of talented in-house lawyers, making the selection process increasingly challenging each year as the number of quality nominations continues to grow.

Following a brief introduction by GC Powerlist Editor-in-Chief Joe Boswell, partner Zac Sharpe of Jones Day delivered a spirited welcome address in his trademark engaging style. He then introduced Singapore Airlines’ Vice President of Legal, Natasha Sulaiman, who spoke on behalf of those included in the list. In her speech, Sulaiman emphasised the importance of fostering connections within the in-house legal community and the numerous benefits these relationships bring.

The awardees were subsequently invited to the stage to receive their accolades, presented by Jones Day partners Paul Greening, Parveet Singh Gandoack, Vinay Kurien, and Laura Pembridge.

From there, the evening unfolded with ample opportunities for enjoyment, including a photo booth provided by SS&C Intralinks, which offered guests creative and memorable photo opportunities. The Legal 500 team also took pleasure in introducing general counsel from different countries to one another, encouraging them to share their experiences.

We look forward to building on the success of this event with many more in Southeast Asia in 2025. Keep an eye out for updates if you believe you should be featured in the future!