How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

Working for a multinational company nowadays requires in-house legal counsel to keep up to date with the geopolitical tensions in the region in addition to other legal skills. Various actions taken over the past two years have proven to be prescient. The rise of trade sanctions and the shift from globalisation to national interest necessitates the diversification of the company’s investments. As the legal lead, I have played a key role in repositioning the company’s footprint in the Asia-Pacific region to support its business growth. These include the setting up of a private limited company in Bangalore, India, to capitalise on the expanding demand of the local market. Besides, with the government priority on national security, such a move helps the company to strategically meet local rules centering on Indian government’s ‘Make in India’ policy.  Secondly, registering a branch office in Bangkok (in addition to the company’s existing manufacturing facility in Thailand) helps to leverage its proximity to suppliers and clients. The company thus evolves from a solely manufacturing model to a more developed operations model capitalising on the company’s well-established resources in Thailand.  Thirdly, I advised on the revision of the business license of a subsidiary in China in preparation of new production lines moving into China. The company has a well-established facility in Suzhou, China with highly skilled workers in the manufacture of optical equipment. This is to facilitate the establishment of a new production line for an additional product, optimising production and achieving economy of scale.

Do you have a cause, business-related or otherwise, that you are passionate about? 

I am particularly interested in activities relating to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues. I am a member of the Governance Program Group within the US Head Office ESG Executive Steering Committee. I have collected and reported on environmental protection efforts in Asia Pacific including ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’ initiative, and the use of new equipment to lower volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions to meet government standards.

What strategic priorities are guiding you and your team in 2024?

Cybersecurity and data protection are the priorities for the company. I am a member of the Corporate Cybersecurity Incident Response Team. I regularly participate in, and support initiatives aimed at enhancing the company’s preparedness for cybersecurity protection and responsiveness. I have led the development of local manuals and guidelines for data breach notification and reporting for countries across Asia; put in place compliance measures to meet country-specific requirements; and worked closely with external data privacy counsel to assess conflicting legal requirements in cross-border data transfers.