Team size: Five 

Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense? 

Having reorganised over 102 entities in about one year, all workstreams were performed in-house apart from creating one template constitutional document by external local counsel. The entire end-to-end process was run in-house, and the template constitutional document was replicated throughout the in-house team. This reduced the transaction cost by at least 60%.  

How do you balance your responsibilities as a GC with your involvement in dispute resolution and M&A matters? 

I prefer to run and conclude M&A transactions in-house other than legal due diligence aspects, which requires more manpower. I personally lead on all M&A transactions, and I am fully involved in dispute resolution matters, dedicating at least 30% of my time every day to dispute resolution. Over the years, I have developed a niche in-house team that excels in handling all kinds of disputes, including writing plaints, memorandums, and claims counterclaims, among others.  

Can you foresee any key developments to the way general counsel work over the next five years?  

Technological advancement, especially AI, will play a leading role in how general counsel operate in the next five years. AI in the legal field is still at an initial stage, but over the years, we expect to have AI tailoring contracts, notices, letters, and other documents with human capabilities embodied from multiple exemplary brains. E-meetings taking preference over physical meeting, coupled with AI and cloud technology are and will continue to positively impact in-house legal teams in the future.  

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? 

With most large-scale corporate houses going paperless over the years, we have seen a conscious increase in sustainable practices. At its core, environmental, social and governance framework provides an exemplary roadmap.  

The three healthy principles as core value are: Healthy Business, Healthy People and Healthy Planet, contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our measures include extensive workforce safety and well-being programs, in addition to diversity principles, risk management at multiple team layers, employee development and training, initiatives like the World Economic Forum Women’s Health Initiative, community outreach, energy efficiency amongst others.  

What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments? 

Like other professions, the legal profession is expected to be revamped by AI and cloud technology in the future, requiring minimal human involvement. To stay updated with developments, we actively participate in seminars, conferences, events and have subscribed to different domestic and international reading materials for adapting to global technological advancements in the legal industry.  

How do you prioritise diversity and inclusion within your legal department, and what initiatives have you implemented to foster a more inclusive and equitable work environment? 

Diversity is key to the success of any organisation and is absolutely fundamental. A balanced mix of diverse team members is the key to the success of our legal department. Workforce wellbeing programs are a core objective, with the aim of providing opportunities for employees to engage in social, team building, exercise, and relaxation activities to aid physical and mental wellbeing, and to engender a spirit of teamwork. At a team level we engage in team lunches and dinners at least twice a month.