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

The most prominent case in which we have recently been involved concerns the Series D fundraising project. I was a key member of the working group and led the legal aspects of this significant fundraising. Kredivo Holdings had a successful close raising of circa USD$ 270 m in a significantly oversubscribed round. This includes a US$125m investment from Mizuho Financial Group and strong support from existing Kredivo investors.

Kredivo Holdings also acquired an existing personal loan company in Thailand. As an in-house lawyer and team leader, I have e had a critical role in M&A transactions.

Some other main achievements include Regulatory Compliance, performing all actions promptly to ensure that the transaction complies with applicable laws and regulations, including Bank of Thailand rules and regulations, labour laws, data privacy laws, and corporate laws; business planning, creating a guideline for a product launch to ensure that all product planning processes comply with applicable laws; risk management, developing policies and procedures for compliance with applicable laws and regulations, as well as providing training and guidance to employees on legal issues related to the acquisition.

What are the main trends impacting the industry sector you work in, in Thailand?

From my experience, several trends are impacting the Fintech industry, three of which I would highlight: Mobile Banking, with the widespread adoption of smartphones in Thailand, has become a popular way for consumers to manage their finances. Many traditional banks in Thailand have launched mobile banking apps, and several new fintech startups have entered the market with mobile-first banking solutions. Artificial intelligence (AI), in respect of mobile banking in particular, AI may become a leading means of creating the point of sale given AI’s significant impact on the fintech industry to date, particularly in fraud prevention. AI technology can detect and prevent fraudulent activities in real time, reducing financial losses for fintech companies and their customers. Data Protection Law and Cybercriminals, as a fintech company, we must be mindful of cybercriminals accessing sensitive customer data. Data leakage can have severe consequences for fintech businesses, including reputational damage, financial losses and legal penalties. Therefore, fintech companies must implement robust data protection measures to safeguard customer data. As a payments and lending company, my team must be especially mindful of data protection laws, measures and trends within the fintech space.

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

The first step is building awareness of the in-house legal function. Some primary skills include business acumen: In-house lawyers must have a deep understanding of the business and industry in which they operate and a clear grasp of the organisation’s goals, objectives and operations to provide practical legal advice.

In-house counsel must be technologically savvy and able to use technology to manage legal matters more efficiently and effectively; to do so, we need to understand and address legal issues related to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain. In this regard, we must act as ‘Professional Cyber Police’.

Communication — people may think this topic is ‘old school’, but from my perspective, intelligence cannot overcome poor verbal and written communication skills. We must focus on honing communication skills and our ability to clearly and effectively convey complex legal concepts to non-legal stakeholders, as well as with external counsel, regulators and other stakeholders.

How do you suggest in-house lawyers build strong relationships with business partners?

Focus on results: In-house lawyers should focus on delivering results that benefit the business by demonstrating the value of our work. Often, as In-house lawyers, we hear, ‘I do not care what laws say; I just need to know if I can do this; what other way can I achieve my goal?’ What we must do is compare the laws and regulations and business needs and find a solution that is legally and ethically permissible.

Be proactive in identifying legal issues and providing solutions to address them. By anticipating legal issues, in-house lawyers can help business partners make more informed decisions and avoid legal problems.

Build personal connections with business partners by getting to know them personally but with a degree of professional detachment. This can help to build trust and foster stronger relationships.