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Though he acknowledges ‘creating a truly diverse and inclusive workplace’ will take time, Peter Siembab feels the cause is ‘trending’. Siembab is an active participant in Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s LGBT Network, whose membership across the region has risen from a handful to more than 400. Among other things, he emphasises the benefits of people having ‘visible allies’ in an organisation. ‘It’s about managing unconscious bias and overcoming perceptions of differences.’ Among other measures, Bank of America Merrill Lynch has begun including points on diversity and inclusion in discussions with law firms they engage. On the challenges of his role as head of legal for Asia Pacific’s investment banking function he highlights the ‘fragmented regulatory regimes’ of its many jurisdictions. ‘We operate across multiple regulatory frameworks, languages, cultures and levels of market development.’ For those who deal with him professionally, this is an area of particular strength for Siembab. ‘Peter stands out in the debt capital markets as a real guardian of standards,’ says one private practice source. As a senior member of the bank’s regional legal team, Siembab has helped develop best practices internally, and has been involved in a number of industry initiatives across the region. ‘I do think we as in-house counsels are important stakeholders in the market,’ he says. ‘Its integrity is dependent on the engagement and confidence of all participants. That’s why it’s so important to work together.’