Team size: Over 100

What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

Most recently, my legal team has been involved in various corporate actions, restructurings, and others, relating to certain listed subsidiaries and associates of the group in Southeast Asia. Additionally, we have established new business ventures with partners across different new sectors of business, in finance, technology, logistics, and other sectors. Lastly, we have led the publication of the group’s first TCFD climate change report.

Did the pandemic lead to a lasting increase in the interaction your legal team has with the strategic plans of the company?

The legal team stepped up in its role as the focal point and primary lead in co-ordinating crisis management responses to the evolving pandemic restrictions and regulations in the different jurisdictions. Furthermore, we played a strategic role in partnering the finance organisation in reviewing and understanding our financial obligations and undertakings that may be triggered as a result of the pandemic’s impact on revenue, cash flow, and debt ratios. Throughout the all pandemic, we updated the board on potential areas of impact brought about by health crisis, such as financial undertaking, contractual obligations, and sustainability. Lastly, the legal department guided the business and management as the different jurisdictions pivoted back to the new normal, with hybrid work arrangements and increased vaccination levels.

As we enter the next decade, what skills will a corporate legal team need to succeed in the modern in-house industry?

The ability to pick up new business and technology skills, from adopting AI in automated contract reviews to learning about the impact of sustainability reporting and disclosures through sustainability reports, and net zero transition strategies. Furthermore, a legal team needs to continue to have an academic curiosity for new areas that go beyond law, such as cybersecurity, digital matters, innovation or dealing with a workforce that is pivoting from in-person to hybrid to remote working environments. Finally, I believe it will be important to play a strategic role in partnering the organisation to have an in-depth appreciation of issues like diversity, governance, sustainability and mental health, both internal and external.

The unusual business environment created by the pandemic has been swiftly followed by other shocks. Are you now putting more emphasis on preparing for the unforeseen and, if so, what does this entail?

Apart from scanning the legal landscape that is within the legal radar, there is a need to scan the horizon and prepare for things that are outside the obvious scope. For instance, in the area of payment systems, there is a need to understand the evolving digital payment landscape and the various technology offerings that are in the marketplace. Lastly, dealing with the impact on global business of sanctions imposed on Russia, which has generated tremendous supply chain disruptions.