What are the most significant cases or transactions that you have been involved in over the past year?

I joined the TTV team as general counsel in mid-2023, when TTV was set up as the venture capital arm of Petronas (Malaysia’s national oil and gas company). Drawing on my prior experience supporting global VC funds, in the past year I’ve supported the TTV leadership team in navigating various aspects of the management and operations of the TTV fund, which included oversight of fund structuring, implementation of internal governance frameworks and compliance processes, and stakeholder management and reporting.

I also drive and lead the legal aspects of all TTV’s investments, including investments in Singapore, Indonesia, India, China and Australia, in companies that are developing and pioneering promising new technologies in the renewable energy, decarbonisation, hydrogen and mobility space.

Based on your experience, what is the key to collaborating successfully with business partners?

Personally, I find having a genuine interest in the commercial aspects of the business, coupled with the initiative to engage with business partners to understand them and their roles, to be important for a successful collaboration. This allows in-house counsel to provide true value-add to the decision-making process by providing tailored risk assessment and risk management options and presented in a manner that is accessible for the relevant business partners.

What is a cause, business-related or otherwise, that you are passionate about, and why?

I am interested in the development of the VC funds industry in the region, and closer to home I have been following with interest the government-led initiatives to establish Malaysia as a hub for VC funds. I do look out for opportunities to contribute support to the development of a high-calibre pool of VC legal professionals in Malaysia, as the VC and private funds industry is currently a relatively niche specialist area for Malaysian legal practitioners. I personally believe Malaysia’s untapped legal talent pool is well-placed to add value to the venture scene in Malaysia and the SEA region.