Dewi Savitri Reni, a partner at SSEK Law Firm opened proceedings with a rousing keynote address, before our first panel session alongside Nusantara DFDL Partnership. Led by managing director for Indonesia & Singapore, Vinay Ahuja, this discussion took a detailed look at the new employment landscape in Indonesia. Joining Ahuja on stage were Afriyan Rachmad (partner, Nusantara DFDL Partnership), Sri Wahyu Ningsih (partner, Nusantara DFDL Partnership), Gilang Hermawan (general counsel operations, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison) and Mario Amrillah (general counsel Indonesia, PT Unilever Indonesia).

In our next session, three sector experts (Shamim Razavi, partner, Norton Rose Fulbright Australia, Tias Karina, senior associate, TNB & Partners; and Aditya Tumakaka, special counsel, TNB & Partners) provided a detailed briefing on the recently enacted Omnibus Law, particularly in relation to the financial services industry in Indonesia. Throughout, useful takeaways were provided alongside a technical overview of requirements.
Cybersecurity has been among the chief risk management concerns for GCs for many years now, but the exponential growth in adoption of AI has made these far more complicated. Fortunately, three highly experienced law firm partners were on hand to talk the audience through the latest developments in this rapidly developing field: Harun Reksodiputro of Ginting & Reksodiputro in association with A&O Shearman, Saranpaal Calais of A&O Shearman Singapore and Anna Gamvros of A&O Shearman’s Sydney office.

The next session moved into the disputes field, with the considerable talents of AFS Partnership Law Firm’s Bryan Bernadi, PSHP Law’s Ellrico P. Situmorang, PT Datang DSSP Power Indonesia’s Josef Sunario and Hangry Indonesia’s Vera Sihombing being marshalled by The Legal 500’s Joe Boswell to great effect on an extremely complex topic. Real world examples and practical tips were given throughout, making this session one that received excellent feedback from audience members.
The Indonesian Corporate Counsel Association (ICCA) collaborated with us for the final panel on the changing role of general counsel. The ICCA recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, and the top brass were out in force to discuss the topic at hand: President Seradesy Sumardi, also chief legal officer of L’Oreal; vice president I Randi Ikhlas Sardoni who also works as group general counsel at Hijra; vice president II Widia Hutagaol, also head of legal and government relations at Beiersdorf; and Ingkan Simanjuntak, legal director of KPMG Indonesia as well head of training and certification compartment at the ICCA.
As well as the panel’s memories of the in-house counsel role in years gone by, and what this prophesises for the future of the profession, The Legal 500’s Joe Boswell also asked for practical tips based on their extensive experience to be shared with the audience, and for information on the ICCA’s future plans for growing the corporate counsel community in Indonesia.

Discussions on all the above topics and more continued at the networking drinks, which saw  a number of old classmates and colleagues reunited as well as new friendships struck up. We are delighted to have been able to run three hugely successful events in Indonesia, and look forward to more as we expand our coverage next year.