GC Magazine: Could you tell me a little bit about yourself and how you came to be at DocuSign?
Reggie Davis (RD): I have been at DocuSign for about three years. Before that I was at online games company Zynga, and prior to that I was an attorney at Yahoo, so I have been doing tech for about 17 years now.
Continue reading “In conversation: Reggie Davis, general counsel, Docusign”
GC: Could you tell me about your background and how you came to be working in-house for Seattle Genetics?
Jean Liu (JL): I started out as a scientist, not a lawyer. I went to grad school to study molecular biology, but when I started my PhD programme, I realised that I didn’t have the temperament to focus on very specific, minute details – I preferred to have a broader vision.
Continue reading “In conversation: Jean Liu, general counsel, Seattle Genetics”
GC: Could you start by telling me about your own background and how you came in-house?
Chris Sundermeier (CS): I spent 15 years at a Silicon Valley-based technology law firm Cooley LLP. At Cooley, I spent a lot of time working with tech companies, doing a variety of different types of litigation. I always felt like it would be interesting to go in-house and, rather than consult as an outsider on litigaton and make recommendations about what the company should do, really work on the bigger picture business and make the actual decisions about what the company should do. I came to Reputation.com specifically becausete former CEO of this company was a client of mine, and when I realised he was looking for a general counsel, I reached out to him. It was a good decision and I have been here for the last five years.
Continue reading “In conversation: Chris Sundermeier, general counsel, Reputation.com.”
GC: Could you start off by telling me about GuocoLand and its business?
Derek Goh: GuocoLand Limited is listed on the Singapore Exchange and is the property arm of the Hong Leong Group of Malaysia. Our principal businesses are property development, property investment, property management and hospitality. Currently, GuocoLand operates in Singapore, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, United Kingdom and Australia.
Continue reading “In conversation: Derek Goh, general counsel, GuocoLand”
GC: Could you tell me about your role as general counsel of Canon Singapore?
Janette Loh: As the general counsel of Canon Singapore, I have three departments under my care: the legal team, which takes care of day-to-day legal and corporate secretarial matters; the product regulatory team, which focuses on product specific regulatory matters; and the newest addition, the intellectual property team, which was formed with a primary focus on protecting our intellectual property interests in the region.
Continue reading “In conversation: Janette Loh, general counsel, Canon Singapore”
GC Magazine: Tell me about Digi Telecommunications and your role with the company?
Ola Hanson: Digi is one of the three big telecom operators in Malaysia, listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. It is part of a global telecommunications provide Telenor Group and is a leader in driving progressive and responsible business practices. I was the General Counsel and Head of Legal & Regulatory for Telenor’s Swedish operations before coming over to Asia to work as the General Counsel for Digi.
Continue reading “In conversation: Ola Hanson, general counsel, Digi Telecommunications”
GC: Transitioning from a law firm in Washington DC to a startup in Singapore is quite a change, how did you find it?
Christopher Chan: It’s great to shake up your life every now and then to get new perspectives and experiences. There is nothing like leaving behind a cushy, well-paid job in the United States to go someplace where you’re not sure if the company is going to exist three months from now – it pushes you beyond boundaries of personal risk tolerance and out of your comfort zone! However, it is an exhilarating experience, and I can honestly say I love what I do.
Continue reading “In conversation: Christopher Chan, general counsel, RedMart”
GC: How did you come to be leading the legal function for Heineken across Asia Pacific?
Geraldine Lim: I joined Heineken in 2012 from Asia Pacific Breweries, after being responsible for handling much of the legal side of the integration of the two businesses. The amount of compliance and regulations that had to be followed as part of the acquisition, including de-listing a company that had been on the stock exchange since the 1930s was a big deal! But I’ve been working in beer for a long time now.
Continue reading “In conversation: Geraldine Lim, regional legal director, Heineken”
GC: Could you tell me about your own background and how you came into the role with LagfargeHolcim?
Patrick McGlinchey: Before the Lafarge and Holcim merger took place, I worked as the regional general counsel for East Asia Pacific for Holcim, based between Sydney and Singapore. Following the merger, I now lead the legal and governance function for LafargeHolcim APAC. I have been in practice for over 20 years in London, Sydney and Singapore and have been a general counsel with a few MNCs, as well being an M&A lawyer by training.
Continue reading “In conversation: Patrick McGlinchey, regional general counsel, LafargeHolcim”
I come from a strong corporate background and never imagined becoming a lawyer. I had done an apprenticeship at a global company before beginning my studies and planned to go back afterwards – you know, make it up to the board someday. At school, I was torn between engineering and the law, but decided to go with what made me happy. The law classes were much more fun and interactive.
I stayed with the company part-time and, after graduation, asked to be relocated to London. They said they would do it after another year in Germany. That wasn’t fast enough, so I asked my brother, who was studying law at Oxford, to recommend a firm that had offices in London and Germany. Clifford Chance had been recruiting there the night before, so that was his suggestion. I interviewed a week later and got an offer the same day. The deal was: three months in Germany, then two years in London.
I started on the M&A team but, after moving to London, discovered that finance law is more transportable. The documents are more commercial and, therefore, less affected by local governing law, so I switched to acquisition finance. I’m definitely in the right field. My practice is connected to living companies, and I enjoy working with high-profile clients and making things happen. I also love the independence of being a partner, aligning my own strategy with the firm’s and figuring out how to be successful.
One thing I’ve learned is that you will never get there alone. No one does everything well, but as a team, you can do it all. I find it easy to develop client relationships and run complex deal meetings. But ask me to give a public speech, and I will go straight to a particular colleague and say, “let’s do this together.” That’s her strength, and she loves doing it. Then I make sure I am super prepared for my part.
I encourage everyone on my team to be entrepreneurial. For junior lawyers, my advice is to get close to a few key clients. Work on repeat assignments, give speeches at closing dinners and find ways to connect at a plain level. Then balance that with other projects for broader exposure. It’s never too soon to build relationships and help sell your firm.
My first child was born right after I was made a partner. I took my full leave but worried about being out of the market for six months. I had great support, so it was all in my head. When I returned, people said things like, “Oh! You’re back after only two weeks?” After that, taking leave for my other three kids was much easier.
Childcare is not the place to count pennies. Get the help you need, and then learn to let go and trust what you’ve done. My own feelings of success thrive when I manage to balance, and find compromise in an enjoyable way, the competing demands of family and my personal passions – downhill skiing, the opera and my two greater Swiss mountain dogs – and being a partner at an elite global firm.