Company secretary and head of legal, compliance and international tax | Thai Union Group
Rapeepong Limwongthong
Company secretary and head of legal, compliance and international tax | Thai Union Group
What are the most significant cases or transactions that you have recently been involved in?
As a company secretary and head of legal, compliance and international tax, I have had the opportunity to oversee and contribute to several transactions to enhance corporate governance and our commitment to legal excellence and strategic growth including, but not limited to, involvement in various mergers and acquisitions, significant financial transactions and launching of various policies.
How do you see the general counsel role evolving in Thailand over the next five-ten years?
As the legal, economic and commercial landscape of Thailand evolves, the role of the general counsel is expected to expand and continuously develop towards being responsible for all significant changes and unexpected circumstances in the future. Salient factors include: an increase in regulatory complexity, ever-growing complexity in digital transformation; new developments in the ESG field; geopolitical risks; and business disruption. All of these will play a significant role in shaping the areas of responsibility for the general counsel. To deal with these, the general counsel must be more dynamic and multifaceted in their approach, with legal expertise alone potentially no longer sufficient to effectively lead the legal function. Significant knowledge in technology, strategic business acumen and a strong focus in corporate governance and sustainability will be the key differentiating factors between the best and the rest.
Are the effects of AI on the legal world overplayed, or underplayed?
Currently, I would say the effect of AI on the legal world is underplayed. Most lawyers are too conservative when discussing AI. In reality, AI has significant potential to enhance efficiency, transforming various aspects of legal practice in the process. In short, it could revolutionize the legal industry. In our team, we are now working on an implementation of AI to improve our work efficiency and reduce the problems sometimes caused by human errors. In my estimation, AI will be vital for legal professionals and create great value for users and clients alike in the future.
Company secretary and head of legal, compliance and tax | Thai Union Group