Event information

Date: Tue 20 Aug 2024 Time: 12.00pm-7.00pm Venue: Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Legal 500 is delighted to formally announce the fourth edition of GC Summit Malaysia, taking place on 20th August 2024 at the Mandarin Oriental in Kuala Lumpur.

Join leading practitioners and esteemed in-house counsel for comprehensive panel discussions, presentations, and networking opportunities.

The Legal 500’s GC Summit Malaysia will provide practical insights into the evolving role of in-house counsel and the challenges that in-house legal departments are set to face in 2024 and beyond.

In association with our partners for this event, the Summit will include a series of sessions covering a variety of cutting edge and up to date topics for discussion, such as:

  • Creating an ESG Roadmap: Reporting & disclosure obligations – How ready is your company?
  • Incorporating AI in Organizations: Navigating legal landmines and strategies for GCs and departments
  • Managing complex cross-border disputes
  • Opportunity in complexity and volatility – getting deals done in Malaysia
  • Building an effective governance programme
  • Preparing for and responding to an ever-changing employment landscape

Drawing on the vast experience of our highly accomplished speakers, this event will provide practical, hands-on advice to all in-house counsel.

It is a must-attend event for any in-house lawyers in Malaysia looking to reach the next level of their professional development, network with peers and share best-practice.

Agenda

12.00pm – 1.00pm Registration and Welcome Lunch

1.00pm – 1.15pm Welcome address and keynote address

  • Chen Sue Ann, head of group legal, IOI Properties Group 

1.15pm – 2.05pm Incorporating AI in organisations: Navigating legal landmines and strategies for GCs and departments

Join us for an insightful panel discussion which will delve into the intersection of artificial intelligence and organizational dynamics, with a specific focus on the legal considerations and strategic approaches for General Counsels and their legal departments. Gain valuable insights from industry experts and legal professionals as they share their perspectives on harnessing the power of AI, amid a rapidly evolving landscape.

  • Ong Johnson, partner, HHQ
  • Lo Khai Yi, partner, HHQ
  • Navrita Kaur, chief legal officer, Microlink
  • Jacelyn Khoo, general counsel and chief compliance officer, Hong Leong Financial Group

2.05pm – 2.35pm The latest dispute trends impacting in-house lawyers in Malaysia

  • S. Saravana Kumar, partner, Rosli Dahlan Saravana Partnership

2.35pm – 3.25pm Bricks to bytes: Managing tech and legal risks

This panel session will bring together leading in-house and private practice practitioners to discuss the role in-house departments play in managing, mitigating and overcoming potential risks. Speakers will also cover consumer protection; KYC requirements, and tech as a legal and compliance tool.

  • Robin Teow, managing partner, Robin Lynn & Lee, in collaboration with DFDL
  • Hui Lynn Tan, partner, Robin Lynn & Lee, in collaboration with DFDL
  • Dalvin Kaur, regional head of legal, Maybank Investment Banking Group
  • Qi Wen Tang, head of legal, YTL-SEA Digital Bank Project
  • Vi Cher Chua, head of legal, Funding Societies

3.25pm – 3.40pm Coffee Break

3.40pm – 4.30pm Navigating the new landscape of M&A: Key trends and strategic advice for modern counsel

Join us for a dynamic session hosted by Skrine, as we explore the evolving landscape of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Discover how global megatrends—such as international tensions, increased ESG focus, and the rise of digital assets—are reshaping M&A strategies. We will delve into the latest regulatory changes, intellectual property challenges in the age of AI, and provide essential insights into strategic risk management and common entry and exit considerations. Stay ahead of the curve with key insights into navigating today’s complex M&A environment.

  • To’ Puan Janet Looi, partner, Skrine
  • Siva Kumar Kanagasabai, partner, Skrine
  • Charmayne Ong, partner, Skrine
  • Yin Ee Ong, head, group legal, compliance and risk management, Warisan TC Holdings
  • Nor Marhamah Yahya, general counsel, FGV Holdings

4.30pm – 5.00pm Key challenges facing in-house lawyers in 2024

  • Richard Wee, managing partner, Richard Wee Chambers (RWC)

5.00pm – 5.50pm The in-house perspective and changing role of in-house counsel

Leveraging its network of top general counsel in Malaysia, this highly practical panel session will provide insights into key challenges, developments, and strategies shaping the role of in-house lawyers in the country.

  • Joe Boswell, global editor – Powerlist Series, Legal 500
  • Julien Bergerat Vasse, head of legal and company secretary, PRefChem
  • Fareez Zahir, head, group corporate affairs, Prolintas Group of Companies
  • Jagdeep Kaur, general counsel, Capital A Berhad (AirAsia)
  • Jill Yow, senior vice president, group general counsel APAC and head of legal & compliance, Valiram

5.50pm – 6.00pm Closing remarks

  • Joe Boswell, global editor – Powerlist Series, Legal 500

6.00pm Drinks and canapes

Speakers

Chen Sue Ann, head of group legal, IOI Properties Group

Chen Sue Ann is the Head of Group Legal at IOI Properties Group Berhad. In this role, she manages the legal affairs and provides strategic legal advice on a Group-wide basis including all aspects of property law, corporate commercial law and litigation management.

She has more than ten years of experience in legal practice, with particular focus in the property development and property investment segments. She has also worked on a number of cross-border transactions and international projects across various jurisdictions such as Singapore, China, United Kingdom and Australia.

Ong Johnson, partner, HHQ

Ong Johnson heads the Technology Group, concentrating his expertise on high-stakes and complex litigation and transactional cases spanning Technology, Media, and Telecommunications (TMT), Intellectual Property (IP), Privacy, Fintech, and Digital Transformation Infrastructure and Projects.

Ong Johnson is distinguished by an exceptional wealth of experience, adeptly navigating high-profile roles advising directors, board members, C-suite executives, and senior management within public-listed companies and conglomerates. His extensive professional repertoire extends beyond corporate spheres, involving regular interactions with government representatives, investors, and high-ranking government officers. This broad exposure equips him with a profound understanding of business imperatives, allowing him to deliver highly pragmatic legal solutions aligned with clients’ broader objectives, ensuring a nuanced and comprehensive approach to addressing a spectrum of complex needs.

Ong Johnson has extensive experience conducting trials and hearings at all levels of court in Malaysia, positioning him as a dispute resolution strategist and a highly sought-after litigator within the industry, given his innovative thinking and meticulous approach to developing strategies that transcend conventional boundaries.

Lo Khai Yi, partner, HHQ

Khai Yi’s passion for technology has helped him built an expertise in the dynamic and complex fields of intellectual property, technology, media and telecommunications. In the current landscape where digitisation and digitalisation are the trend, Khai Yi has placed himself strategically in a position where his skillsets and understanding of the evolving industries are able to be put to good use to benefit his clienteles.

Having dedicated himself in the fields of IP and TMT, Khai Yi’s comprehensive knowledge and experience encompass a wide spectrum of issues, including data privacy, data centre development, telecommunications and digital infrastructure, blockchain and digital assets, software commercialisation and acquisition, digital media, licensing, technology centric mergers and acquisitions, regulatory and compliance, IP prosecution and enforcement, e-money, electronic transaction, payment tokenisation, electronic vehicles, franchising and technology outsourcing.

Robin Teow, managing partner, Robin Lynn & Lee in collaboration with DFDL

Robin is the managing partner of Robin Lynn & Lee. Prior to founding Robin Lynn & Lee, he was a partner at DFDL based in Cambodia and the head of DFDL’s China Desk. He accumulated over 10 years of experience working for top Chinese law firms in Beijing as a partner and senior foreign consultant before moving to Cambodia. Robin specialises in cross-border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, project development and joint-venture structuring for local and international clients in industries such as pharmaceutical, telecommunications, financial services, manufacturing and consumer goods. His major clients also include startup founders and investment funds.

Joe Boswell, global editor - Powerlist Series, Legal 500

Joe Boswell has been a part of the Legal 500’s editorial team, specialising on the in-house legal community, for more than seven years. He now heads The Powerlist team, acting as chief editor for the over 40 separate editions of the GC Powerlist series which serve as The Legal 500’s flagship title celebrating the world’s top in-house counsel, as well as Global Editor for The Legal 500’s Private Practice Powerlist Series.

During the course of researching for the GC Powerlist series, Boswell has interviewed a vast number of world-renowned general counsel, chief legal officers, and legal directors about overcoming the challenges they face, their legal innovations, and how they see the general counsel role progressing in coming years. As well as this, he is a regular speaker at Legal 500 summits, roundtables, award ceremonies and other events, and often writes in-depth reports on business and legal issues.

Boswell is an alumnus of both the University of Sussex in The United Kingdom and the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen in The Netherlands.

Hui Lynn Tan, partner, Robin Lynn & Lee, in collaboration with DFDL

Prior to RLL, Hui Lynn was in private practice for more than 10 years before taking on the role as global general counsel and key member of the executive team of a Y-combinator fintech group with operations in US and South East Asia, leading the global team on strategy, risk mitigation, compliance, investor relations, financial promotions, and others. Her areas of expertise includes cross border corporate commercial transactions, foreign direct investments, regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital, and services within the Labuan International Business and Financial Centre. Hui Lynn is a certified AML practitioner with the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers and holds an MBA from the University of Cambridge, which she pursued under a Chevening/Cambridge Trust scholarship.

Julien Bergerat Vasse, head of legal and company secretary, PRefChem

As a French qualified lawyer, English qualified solicitor and Fellow of Chartered institute of arbitrators, Julien has 17 years of experience with various international oil and gas companies. Julien started his career in 2005 as an Associate in the structured finance department of Gide Loyrette Nouel in Paris. In the following years, while moving in-house, he progressively embarked his career in the oil and gas industry in various regions primarily in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Europe.

One of Julien’s notable career milestones was during his appointment as the Group Legal Director at REEL in Lyon, France. His legal expertise consisted of areas in offshore platforms, nuclear energy, and aeronautics. He was also responsible in advising the Group during a period of significant growth across seven countries including the United States, Brazil, UAE, and Qatar.

Fareez Zahir, head, group corporate affairs, Prolintas Group of Companies

Fareez is currently the Head of the Group Corporate Affairs Division of Prolintas Group encapsulating all legal, company secretarial, compliance as well as general corporate strategy matters. Fareez has more than 15 years of experience in industries ranging from media, retail as well as property and infrastructure development. Fareez loves applying his wide-ranging experience to help companies establish sustainable systems and policies in respect of Environment Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives and Human Capital development frameworks that facilitate both individual and organizational growth.

Jagdeep Kaur, general counsel, Capital A Berhad (AirAsia) 

Jagdeep Kaur is currently General Counsel at Capital A Berhad (AirAsia) and has over 20 years of experience with responsibility over critical departments including Regulatory & Governmental Affairs, Airport Affairs, and Corporate Affairs. Jagdeep has extensive expertise in covering Aviation, E-commerce, Professional Services, Shipping, Securities, Telecom, Oil & Gas, Insurance and Financial Services industries with regional and global remit. A leader in her field, she was named on The Legal 500’s inaugural GC Powerlist for Malaysia in 2023.

Jill Yow, senior vice president, group general counsel APAC and head of legal & compliance, Valiram

Jill Yow heads Valiram’s legal, strategy and development team, advising on overall business strategies and legal direction as well as management of the group’s risk portfolio. Jill has over 20 years of regional legal experience and a demonstrated history of working in various industries encompassing engineering, projects, energy and retail. In 2023, Jill was featured on The Legal 500’s inaugural GC Powerlist for Malaysia, a research publication recognising the most prominent General Counsel working in the region.

Yin Ee Ong, head, group legal, compliance and risk management, Warisan TC Holdings

Yin Ee takes on a huge set of responsibilities for Warisan TC Holdings, a conglomerate with main activities in automotive, machinery, travel, car rental and consumer products. As well as being general manager and head of group legal, compliance and risk management, she also functions as the group integrity officer and sustainability liaison officer. Alongside legal and regulatory advice, she is a trusted advisor on the Group’s activities both in Malaysia and abroad, particularly in the areas of risk management, sustainability, and anti- bribery and corruption.

Yin Ee has over 20 years of working experience in private practice, financial and automotive industries. Prior to working with Warisan, she was with Tan Chong Motor Holdings, OCBC Bank (Malaysia), Hong Leong Financial Group and Bank. She has international experience, having worked at Hong Leong Bank Vietnam for eight years and supported Hong Leong Bank’s investment in China.

Richard Wee, managing partner, Richard Wee Chambers (RWC)

Richard graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of London in 1996, completed the Certificate in Legal Practice in 1998 and was admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 1999.

Believing in professional development, Richard continues to acquire new skills and knowledge. He holds a certificate in Strategic Conflict Management for Professionals, awarded by the Singapore Mediation Centre (2011), a certificate of attendance for the Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Centre workshop (2014) awarded by the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration (KLRCA) (now known as the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC)) and a certificate from the Southeast Asia Regional Anti-Doping Organization (SEARADO) (2018) for Result Management for Anti-Doping.

In 2016, Richard obtained the Certificate of Sports Arbitration from AIAC, a qualification which is a preparatory step towards appointment as a Sports Arbitrator. In 2019, Taylor’s University appointed Richard as a member of the Legal Profession Advisory Panel, which he continues to serve to date. He is a leading lawyer and has regularly been recognised in major legal directories.

Dalvin Kaur, head of legal, group global banking, Maybank

Dalvin’s career spans from London to Malaysia, with over 25 years of experience in the legal, banking, and finance sectors. She oversees legal risk management across Maybank’s regional footprint, covering investment banking and global banking across 10 countries. She has been instrumental in transforming the in-house legal team to business counsels, focused on strategic and solution –driven advice. She also spearheads the ESG legal initiatives within the bank on a regional scale. She is frequently sought to provide thought leadership and industry engagements on ESG legal issues across the region and conducting ESG continuous development and training on global regulatory changes for internal stakeholders. Dalvin and her team has won many accolades, and is recognised in Malaysia Legal 500 GC Powerlist 2023.

Qi Wen Tang, head of legal, YTL-SEA Digital Bank Project

Qi Wen is currently the Head of Legal and a key member of the executive leadership team at the YTL-Sea Digital Bank Project. He has a background in dispute resolution and has appeared as counsel at all tiers of the Malaysian courts. He is well versed in banking and finance, having served as in-house counsel at a foreign bank, with a secondment stint in Hong Kong. Qi Wen holds an LLM in Law and Economics from Queen Mary University of London under a Chevening scholarship.

Vi Cher Chua, head of legal, Funding Societies

Vi Cher is the Head of Legal of Funding Societies, the largest SME digital financing platform in Southeast Asia with a track record of US$3 billion in financing. Vi Cher supports various debt and equity fundraising deals for Funding Societies and has structured and negotiated complex debts with industry specific financial covenants, loan securitisation and M&As within the Fintech space. She is also at the forefront of the development of virtual credit lines, virtual credit cards and various neo banking initiatives within the Fintech industry. She also drives corporate governance initiatives within the organisation.

To’ Puan Janet Looi, partner, Skrine

To’ Puan Janet Looi is the Senior Partner, Head of Corporate and Co- Head of the ESG Group of Skrine. Janet leads the teams in M&A and advice to boards and corporations on corporate governance, corporate responsibility and climate change, environmental and sustainability linked risks. The work regularly includes advising GCs and senior management on cross border and complex M&A transactions, business sales, acquisitions and restructurings, as well as structural changes to achieve the corporations’ goals and objectives taking into account stakeholder requirements. and board responsibilities for climate strategy and sustainability risks.

Janet has been named as a distinguished practitioner and leading individual for her takeovers, mergers & acquisitions and cross borders transactions work by several leading publications such as Chambers Global, Chambers Asia Pacific, and Who’s Who Legal (WWL): Southeast Asia 2022, in which she is listed as a Recommended National Leader in the area of Corporate Governance, and in the International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers in the same practice area.

Janet also leads the Firm’s offerings on the ESG and climate risks front, carbon credits and carbon offsets and stakeholder engagements. She has conducted many briefings on board responsibilities for climate strategy and sustainability risks and managed workshops on critical environmental issues such as water sector reform and implementation of a carbon offsets program in Malaysia.

Siva Kumar Kanagasabai, partner, Skrine

Kumar is involved in corporate/commercial litigation and has been engaged in one of the largest ever fraud recovery actions. He also has an active arbitration practice. Apart from being appointed as arbitrator, he has acted as counsel in both domestic and international arbitrations, sought interim measures in support of foreign seated arbitrations and dealt with challenges to arbitral awards in the Malaysian Courts.

Kumar heads the Maritime and Shipping practice group in the firm. He has acted in various types of maritime related disputes including involving in ship arrests, charterparty disputes, oil pollution claims, vessel detentions, cargo claims, Incoterm contracts and enforcement of ship mortgages under conventional and Islamic facilities.

He previously headed the Employment practice, which he has had over 20 years’ experience. He has acted as lead counsel in a full range of employment-related disputes. Kumar is a regular contributor to law publications and is often invited to speak at legal conferences.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Charmayne Ong, partner, Skrine

Charmayne heads both the Intellectual Property (IP) practice and the Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) practice. As a leading figure in IP and TMT legal advisory and compliance, Charmayne has extensive experience in both spaces and has worked with regulators, public institutions and companies of all sizes in shaping the future of IP and TMT.

Charmayne’s areas of practice include managing the registration of and general advisory and drafting work relating to the classic forms of IP rights (trade mark, copyright, industrial design rights and patents). She also regularly deals with regulators and advises clients who provide technology and telecommunications services such as satellite, internet and on-demand content services on complex and novel regulatory compliance and licensing matters.

She is also the Malaysian member of the Global Leaders Forum (TMT practice) and a member of the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) (for IP and TMT).

Navrita Kaur, chief legal officer, Microlink

Since 2022, Navrita Kaur has been serving as Group Chief Legal Officer (GCLO) of Microlink Solutions Berhad, a technology company listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, where she provides expert and strategic legal advice to senior management on a wide range of matters. She is heavily involved in corporate exercises undertaken by the Group, responsible for the negotiation of commercial IT contracts as well as drafting key policies to cater to changes in legal and regulatory requirements. She is also part of the Group’s sustainability management team.

Prior to joining Microlink, Navrita was the Group General Counsel and subsequently GCLO of the Omesti Group. With over a decade of experience in this field, Navrita was recognised and included in the Legal 500 GC Powerlist Southeast Asia 2022 and the inaugural Legal 500 GC Powerlist Malaysia 2023.

Nor Marhamah Yahya, general counsel, FGV Holdings

Nor Marhamah has more than 22 years of experience as a corporate and commercial lawyer. She began her career at BUSTAMAN in 2002 before becoming Partner in M.Y. Nor & Partners in 2006. In 2008, she joined Astro Entertainment Sdn Bhd and was promoted as Assistant Vice President in MEASAT Broadcast Network Systems Sdn Bhd.

In 2012, she joined FGV as a Senior Manager of Group Legal, and was later promoted to General Manager in 2015 before being appointed as General Counsel in August 2019.

Jacelyn Khoo, general counsel and chief compliance officer, Hong Leong Financial Group

Jacelyn Khoo manages the legal and compliance functions in Hong Leong Financial Group, and oversees the subsidiaries’ legal and compliance functions in the banking, investment banking and insurance sectors. She is part of the key senior management team responsible for driving transformation, strategic and operational alignment, group compliance risk management and board reporting. Jacelyn’s experience spans across private practice and in-house roles in Malaysia, China and Hong Kong, covering legal, governance, privacy and compliance portfolios. Prior to her time with Hong Leong, she held notable positions with Banco Santander, Tune Hotels Group and Digi Telecommunications, the latter two of which she was the Legal Director and General Counsel. Jacelyn was also named on The Legal 500’s GC Powerlist for Malaysia in 2023.

S. Saravana Kumar, partner, Rosli Dahlan Saravana Partnership

Saravana is the Head of the Firm’s Tax, SST & Customs, where he has appeared in benchmark litigations with a sizeable volume of wins in tax disputes. He is recognised as one of the leading lawyers by Asialaw Profiles and was named as one of the 40 leading lawyers under 40 in Asia by Asian Legal Business in 2018. Saravana was also named as one of the 100 leading lawyers in Malaysia by Asia Business Law Journal in 2022. Legal 500 commented that ‘Saravana Kumar is an outstanding tax lawyer with an impeccable track record. His arguments and strategies are courageous and groundbreaking. He is not only knowledgeable and up to date but also humble and polite. Highly recommended tax lawyer.’

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GC Summit Malaysia 2024

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