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

In terms of managing legal issues arising during periods of instability or crisis, it is of primary importance that our lawyers have ‘a seat at the table’ - which we do. Asia Pacific Legal is a standing member of every governance committee, including our Business Continuity and Incident Management Committees. Additionally, as a result of the recognition of our Asia Pacific Legal function as a strong business partner, our lawyers are sought after for technical legal advice, good judgement and solutions to respond to crises and other high-profile matters.

In order to ensure that our Asia Pacific Legal function works efficiently and effectively even in the good times, we have a ‘Ways of Working’ guide which emphasises, amongst other things, the importance of consulting lawyers with the right expertise, and effective collaboration. This approach serves us well in times of instability or crisis.

Our Asia Pacific legal strategy comprises three strategic priorities that guide us in 2024 and that are aligned with the HSBC Group’s broader strategy of Focus, Digitise, Energise and Transition.

Firstly, we strive to maintain a leadership mindset and develop strong business partnering capabilities. This involves working closely with our business partners to understand their needs and help them achieve their objectives by providing world-class commercial advice, fostering leadership qualities within our team, and promoting a team that focuses on commercial mindset. Our Asia Pacific lawyers are able to advise on all matters related to digitisation of our banking service and banking products, ESG issues, data privacy and new regulation and legislation as it arises across 18 jurisdictions in Asia Pacific.

Secondly, we are committed to managing our operations efficiently by implementing best practices in legal operations to streamline processes, enhance productivity, and maintain strong external relationships with regulators, industry bodies, and other partners to ensure compliance and foster collaborative opportunities.

Thirdly, we are committed to developing our people and culture by providing opportunities for professional growth through training, DE&I programmes, and other career development resources. We aim to build a skilled, knowledgeable, resilient, and adaptable team, while also cultivating a positive and inclusive workplace culture where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their best.

These strategic priorities ensure that we meet our current objectives and position ourselves to support the long-term success of the HSBC Group.

What measures has your company taken to embed sustainability practices into its core business operations, and how does the role of the general counsel contribute to driving and ensuring sustainable practices within the company? 

One of HSBC’s strategic goals is ‘transitioning to net zero,’ a commitment that we keep top of mind throughout all our operations and business practices. Our thematic priorities are to focus on transitioning industries, building a new economy, decarbonising trade and supply chains, and partnering for systemic change. These priorities guide us in embedding sustainability into our core business operations, and our lawyers in Asia Pacific partner with the business closely, providing legal advice and guidance on all projects and business opportunities in support of this strategic goal.

As Asia Pacific General Counsel, it is my obligation to ensure that our lawyers are equipped with the necessary technical expertise to support our sustainability practices and that they share that expertise and knowledge, given the evolving nature of this sphere. We have an ESG working group within Asia Pacific Legal who follow trends and leverages our internal and external panel firm resources to ensure that our lawyers have the necessary ESG technical and market knowledge to best partner with our business colleagues on sustainability-related projects, products, and services. We support HSBC’s overall goals by demonstrating our commitment to being a responsible and forward-thinking team. Through these efforts, we aim to create a positive impact on our environment and society while also enhancing our business resilience and long-term success.

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

I have been a passionate advocate of gender balance at the senior levels of our Asia Pacific Legal function and across HSBC more broadly for many years. I have been both a chair and sponsor since 2014 of various of HSBC’s Balance Employee Resource Groups which are dedicated to gender diversity. The mission of the Balance ERG is to deliver gender equality and create a more inclusive environment. I am also a supporter of various external advocacy groups such as The Women’s Foundation and the 30% Club. I work with our Asia Pacific Human Resources Head of Diversity and Inclusion to bring our D&I metrics and thought leadership to our HSBC Asia Pacific Executive Committee. I am pleased to share that the gender metrics for Legal globally show a 50/50 split between male and female at our senior leadership level.

It is not just a question of diversity metrics though; in Asia Pacific Legal, prioritising diversity and, most importantly, inclusion is a fundamental aspect of our strategic vision. We believe that a diverse and inclusive work environment not only drives innovation and creativity but also fosters a culture where all employees feel valued and respected. A dedicated group of passionate lawyers in our Asia Pacific Legal D&I working group is actively involved in driving and implementing our legal D&I strategy, with strong support from our global legal team as well. Accountability is key to cultivating an inclusive workplace, and all our senior leaders and GCs are committed to this goal.

This year, we are also rolling out a psychological safety campaign across Asia Pacific Legal to encourage a culture of speaking up. This initiative ensures that employees feel safe to express their ideas and concerns without fear of negative consequences, fostering an open and transparent work environment.

To measure our progress, HSBC regularly conducts snapshot surveys to gather employee feedback on inclusivity and engagement. We use these results to drive improvements and hold regular reviews of our D&I initiatives to ensure they are effective and aligned with our goals. These efforts are part of our broader strategy to create an inclusive and equitable work environment, reinforcing our commitment to diversity and inclusion at Asia Pacific Legal.