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

One of the most significant cases we have recently been involved in concerns the joint venture between PTT — through a subsidiary, Arun Plus — and a Taiwanese company, Foxconn, through Lin Yin International Investment at 60:40% for the EV manufacturing business in Thailand.

Additionally, we have driven the investment in our life science subsidiary, Innobic, to join forces with j Aztiq HK, and acquire all stakes in Alvogen Emerging Markets Holdings Limited (AEMH), a major shareholder of Lotus Pharmaceutical Company. After the closing date, Innobic will have an indirect shareholding in Lotus Pharmaceutical of approximately 37% of the total issued capital, increasing from the existing stakes of 6.66% and 60% of the total issued capital in Adalvo.

Furthermore, my legal team and I have been crucial in the PTT’s acquisition of shares in PTT Global LNG from PTTEP Business Center. PTT, through its subsidiary, now holds 100 %.

How important is choosing to work with external lawyers who align with your company’s values? Are you likely to reconsider what firms you work with based on this?

External lawyers must be on the same page with our company’s values. PTT is a state enterprise that must comply strictly with laws and regulations and take the reputation aspect seriously. We need to consider issues thoroughly and cannot compromise grey areas; our movements cannot be against the Government’s direction. However, as we have engaged several firms due to the high number of transactions and matters, they now know what we expect from them.

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

The team needs to be well-round to be proactive and cover legal risks with the understanding of new S-Curve businesses and global coverage that the company will need to get into. Meanwhile, there are more and more unpredictable risks lying ahead in the VUCA world. In-house lawyers need to be adaptive, work alongside the business teams and outside counsels, and be professionally friendly with regulators and government agencies.