Team size: Six 

Tesla is known as an innovative company. How does this mindset feed in to the legal team? 

I joined Tesla in 2016 and have experienced it from being a start-up electric car company to becoming the most valuable automotive brand in the world, and now transforming into what is being seen as a tech and AI company that happens to make electric vehicles and energy products. Working under the leadership of someone considered to be one of the most significant personalities of our time, renowned for his relentless drive and uncompromising standards, I consider it essential to build a legal team for the APAC region that is considered a “business enabler”, to support and empower the business teams to reach their goals. In fact, the Tesla APAC legal team recognises itself as a legal business partner, as opposed to a team of lawyers. We take pride in supporting all parts of the business function and finding creative solutions rather than just saying “no”.  We also work closely with regulators around the region as Tesla’s product line and business operation is considered cutting-edge, to the extent that it often outpaces the existing regulatory environment for the industry.  When going through the hiring process for the team, I often ask candidates if they are willing to give up their comforts to work in an extremely scrappy environment, with the potential to not only craft a role as their own but also to help build a regulatory environment for generation-changing products, especially in newer markets such as Thailand. In many ways, it has been a very rewarding career experience to be part of the growth of the company and the wider industry.