Senior director | Bocom International (Shanghai) Equity Investment Management Company
Vice president, general counsel and head of corporate affairs | Tencent
Senior vice president and general counsel, Greater China | KONE Corporation
Vice president and general counsel | Foxconn Industrial Internet
General counsel, chief compliance officer, and general manager of the corporate reform and legal department | China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec Group)
Vice president and deputy general counsel, Lenovo Group; general counsel, Lenovo China | Lenovo Group
Vice general manager of intellectual property and legal center | Appotronics Corporation
General counsel, chief compliance officer, deputy general manager | China Telecom Cloud Technology
General manager of the legal affairs and compliance department, member of the financial management committee | China Chengtong Holdings Group
General counsel, chief compliance officer and general manager | China Aluminum Corporation (Chinalco)
General manager of legal compliance and risk management department | Dajia Insurance Group Company
General counsel | China Construction Seventh Engineering Bureau
General counsel | China Kweichow Moutai (Group) Distillery Company
General manager of legal compliance department | China Resources Mixc Lifestyle Services
Vice president of legal affairs | Shenzhen Idreamsky Technology Company
General counsel, chief compliance officer and general manager of contract law | China Construction Science and Industry Corporation
General counsel and chief compliance officer | China National Investment and Guaranty Corporation (I&G)
Chief compliance officer and general counsel | Beijing NAURA Microelectronics Equipment Company
Vice president legal and compliance officer, Asia Pacific | Saint-Gobain
Chief compliance officer and legal director | Lingong Heavy Machinery
Chief compliance officer and general manager of legal and compliance department | Taikang Insurance Group
Director of the compliance management department | China Mengniu Dairy Company
Director, vice president and secretary of the board, general counsel | Shenzhen Minkave Technology
We are delighted to launch our first China GC Powerlist since the pandemic. It has been far too long since we could celebrate the best in-house lawyers in this remarkable country, but it has certainly been worth the wait. We thoroughly enjoyed researching this edition and are immensely grateful to the many lawyers and GCs who supported us over the past few months to bring this publication to fruition.
In particular, the excellent team at Tian Yuan Law Firm played a pivotal role in providing insights into key market changes and introducing some of the most innovative GCs for consideration in this publication.
As expected for legal and business leaders in such a powerhouse economy, we had an abundance of outstanding candidates to choose from. Narrowing it down to the final 100 names was no easy task. Congratulations to everyone included—earning a place on this prestigious list was a significant achievement.
We gathered a wealth of key takeaways from those featured in the GC Powerlist China, which you can explore in detail at your leisure. Selecting a few highlights to feature here was challenging, but several insights stood out.
Rocky Pan, General Counsel and Investment Head of Shanghai M&G Stationery, shared fascinating reflections on his unique journey to his current role:
“Building a business from 0-1 is something I am passionate about, and there are a few reasons for this.
I was born into a family where my parents ran a small garment production business. As a result, from a young age, I was immersed in an environment where making products and selling them to make a living was the central focus. This mindset became deeply ingrained in my DNA.
Secondly, before joining M&G, I spent three years working with a team to build a start-up in the automotive industry. Although the company ultimately didn’t succeed, the experience equipped me with a broad understanding of how to transform a business idea into a practical model and then turn that model into a tangible enterprise. The beauty of building something from the ground up and the excitement of going through that process continue to drive me.”
Du Jiangbo, General Counsel of the enormous Sinopec Group, discussed his approach to fostering collaboration in an organisation where siloing can be a challenge:
“Given Sinopec’s extensive scale and complex organisational structure, which includes multiple business units and subsidiaries operating both domestically and internationally, building effective relationships across teams poses significant challenges. To address these, I have implemented several management improvements and innovations.
I’ve established a cross-departmental collaboration platform that facilitates open communication between the legal team and other business units, ensuring alignment on compliance and strategic initiatives. Additionally, I introduced a rotational programme where legal team members temporarily join other departments to gain a better understanding of their operations, enhancing mutual understanding and cooperation. Furthermore, I have organised regular workshops and training sessions tailored to the needs of each business unit, which not only build legal awareness but also strengthen relationships by positioning the legal team as a proactive partner in achieving Sinopec’s business objectives.”
Judy Qiuting Cao, Head of Legal & Compliance for Greater China and Korea at Cordis, shared valuable insights on managing instability and unforeseen impacts on an organisation:
“Whenever an event or situation threatens the company’s ability to operate effectively, the top priority is to ensure I understand the key issue and its potential impact clearly. After gathering the necessary background information, I engage with relevant stakeholders and conduct in-depth research on the issue before developing an action plan in collaboration with those stakeholders. Sometimes, I consult external counsel for a second opinion.
As part of the plan, support from certain cross-functional associates may be required, so I arrange direct conversations with them. If the plan is interim, it’s important to inform associates of the period during which their collaboration with Legal will be needed. On several occasions, I have proactively approached the relevant authority on behalf of the company to seek an optimal solution after thorough internal evaluation.
During the implementation of the plan, I keep the country head and corporate leaders updated on major progress. Upon completion, the task force reconvenes for a reflective discussion to evaluate whether improvements can be made in governance, structure, process, procedure, or documentation. We use these opportunities to enhance internal systems as needed.”
Congratulations once again to all the successful GCs. We look forward to hearing more from you in the coming months.
Joe Boswell
Global Editor – GC Powerlist Series
Sara Maggi
Deputy Editor – GC Powerlist Series
We are delighted to launch our first China GC Powerlist since the pandemic. It has been far too long since we could celebrate the best in-house lawyers in this remarkable country, but it has certainly been worth the wait. We thoroughly enjoyed researching this edition and are immensely grateful to the many lawyers and GCs who supported us over the past few months to bring this publication to fruition. The launch event was a huge success, with over 120 key legal professionals who make up the elite of the Chinese legal scene attending to hear speeches from leading partners at sponsor firm Tian Yuan and the in-house lawyers who made it on to this exclusive list.
In particular, the excellent team at Tian Yuan Law Firm played a pivotal role in providing insights into key market changes and introducing some of the most innovative GCs for consideration in this publication.
As expected for legal and business leaders in such a powerhouse economy, we had an abundance of outstanding candidates to choose from. Narrowing it down to the final 100 names was no easy task. Congratulations to everyone included—earning a place on this prestigious list was a significant achievement.
