Team size: Over 15

Key team members: Sherry Zhang, Chenhui Fan, Prita Ayuthia, Aska Yudhistira Putra S, Jason Chen, Andrew Reynaldy, Ivy Jennifer Alabado, Rachel Ooi

What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

We have been involved in several significant transactions lately, including among others, an $80m fundraising activity from exiting investors to Advance Intelligence Group and a $100m multi-market and multi-currency debt facility from HSBC to Atome Financial, among a few other debt facility arrangements with top tier regional and local banks in various markets

We also participated in Atome’s Partnership with TikTok Shop to help drive ecommerce growth and support brands of all sizes in Malaysia, and their partnership with Mastercard to issue Atome Cards, to provide many underserved segments in the Philippines access to a flexible credit facility

Can you sum up the team culture or ethos?

Building a strong team culture for a legal team spread across different jurisdictions requires a balance of inclusivity, collaboration, adaptability, and alignment with our company’s mission. We are dedicated to creating a legal team that not only navigates legal complexities effectively but also contributes positively to our company’s success on a global scale.

At Advance Intelligence Group, our legal team thrives on a culture that embodies the values of hard work, camaraderie, transparency, and professionalism. As the leader of this dynamic team, I take pride in cultivating an environment that fosters excellence while maintaining a supportive and compassionate atmosphere.

We are a hardworking group of individuals who approach our tasks with unwavering commitment and expertise. In our office, you will find an environment free from office politics, where transparency and collaboration are not just encouraged but celebrated. We value open communication and mutual support, fostering a workplace where every team member is approachable and eager to help. Compassion is at the heart of our ethos, as we understand that the challenges our colleagues and clients face require empathy and understanding.

Our cohesive team culture of collaboration, adaptability, and inclusivity across multiple offices sets us apart in the industry. By upholding these values, we not only provide top-notch legal support but also create a workplace where every team member can thrive personally and professionally. We are committed to nurturing and preserving this culture, ensuring that it continues to be a source of strength and inspiration for us all.

Does your team make use of interesting tech solutions to streamline its workload?

In light of the dynamic and fast-paced startup environment we operate within, I have been exploring contract lifecycle management and legal tech solutions to optimise our legal operations while remaining mindful of our budget constraints.

At present, we are in the process of evaluating a few cost-effective AI-driven contract review tools. The goal is to automate the review of high-volume, low-impact contracts, thereby significantly diminishing the time and resources expended on routine tasks. This, in turn, affords our legal professionals the opportunity to shift their focus towards more strategic endeavours.

I also took the lead in conceiving and developing an in-house automated contract request approval process, by leveraging our existing work messenger’s ancillary function for free. The objective is to streamline the reception and prioritisation of contract requests, fostering seamless collaboration with other relevant functions, effectively eliminating bottlenecks, and ensuring that all requests are attended to promptly and with the utmost efficiency.