Team size: Ten

Key team members: Al-Shwaid de Leon Ismael, Yee Mon Aung, Wint Myat Thu, Yuki Ko, Su Lae Nanda, and Sann Lin Kyaw

Major legal advisers: Allen and Gledhill (Myanmar)

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

Amidst the current risks and vulnerabilities faced by businesses in Myanmar, our team created a strong compliance team, which ensures that the Frontiir Group is strictly compliant with international sanctions; Myanmar has been sanctioned by major economies around the world and listed by different business and policy groups as part of their closely monitored or even black-listed territories. We spearheaded the creation of a sanctions compliance procedure in order to make sure that Frontiir Group is trusted by companies globally as a 100% compliant organisation.

We formulated Frontiir Group’s data processing system and privacy governance and policy, and spearheaded their roll out and implementation, consistent with Frontiir’s commitment to protecting and advancing the enjoyment of the right to data privacy even in the face of government restrictions and demands. Frontiir has been recently granted full membership status by the Global Network Initiative.

We also formulated a Governance and Business Integrity Manual, consistent with Frontiir’s commitment to practicing high standards of corporate governance in all its business activities; and created Know Your Business Partner, a strategic and comprehensive due diligence examination conducted in all of Frontiir’s dealings and transactions.

Our team assists in the continuing expansion of the Frontiir Group’s business in territories like the US, China, Thailand, and Singapore. This comprises multi-million dollar cross-border M&A transactions and involved the acquisition of certain companies in said jurisdictions. We assisted in the entire process from due diligence examination to the delivery of the closing and post-closing deliverables.

These transactions allowed the team members gain exposure to, and acquire sophisticated legal training in, handling major cross-border deals despite the economic and political crises and gloomy legal practice in Myanmar.

Can you sum up the team culture or ethos?

Our team’s culture or ethos is one based on family spirit, empathy, and teamwork. We aim to consistently deliver proactive, pragmatic, and high-quality legal services at the lowest cost possible, consistent with our team’s vision of being a critical contributor to long-term stakeholder value creation.

Apart from legal matters, has the team worked on other company initiatives?

We strengthened the compliance agenda of the Frontiir Group through the creation of a compliance team and the formulation and implementation of relevant policies on international sanctions, data privacy, corporate governance and business integrity, and social media use. Our team also conducts periodic trainings and updates these policies across the Frontiir Group.

On a continuous basis, we assist the Frontiir Group by reviewing and giving advice on all internal and external communications with stakeholders and participate in relevant initiatives and discussions that tackle pressing issues affecting Myanmar and neighbouring countries.

We assist the Frontiir Group in navigating major transitions and forging its public image, thus, cultivating trust and enhancing its credibility through our close monitoring of relevant social and economic issues and new laws and regulations, considering the volatility characteristic of Myanmar’s economy.