Team size: Three

What are the most significant cases or transactions that you have been involved in over the past year?

Among many offshore syndications in which CUB is a syndicated lender, we have been acting as the Agent in two deals. Our legal team has been going along the line with all stakeholders, both regionally and locally, to support in not only documentation but also post-loan controls and other administrative work handled by CUB in the capacity of the Agent.

On March 28th, 2024, – Cathay United Bank launches a mobile application, named as CUB Vietnam App, featuring digital consumer lending capabilities in Vietnam market. This new product enables the bank to open up new financial experiences and convenience for users. Our legal team has been standing side by side with the Consumer Banking teams from scratch to this point of time, ranging from regulatory or egal matters to other supporting functions.

Based on your experience, what is the key to collaborating successfully with business partners?

Our team have greatly contributed in cross-border syndication deals originated by Vietnam relationship managers, and in all other BAU matters. Our roles are not only as an in-house counsel but somehow also as business partners who can step in the shoes of business guys to share market insights and commercial inputs.

In furtherance of CUB expansion in business (both corporate banking and retail banking), our team has been playing a key role in establishing and launching new products and services, aside to many BAU matters. We are not traditional lawyers but modern ones with solution-driven, problem-solving and customer-centric mindset. This makes us special and provides an added value beyond what would usually be expected of an in-house legal team.

Last but not least, thanks to our CUB’s “ONE TEAM” spirit, we have well collaborated with Vietnam and Taiwan stakeholders along the way to reach significant achievements.

Which political, economic or regulatory changes have impacted your work the most in the past year?

Year of 2024 is highlighted with many new laws and regulations issued by the State Bank of Vietnam and other competent authorities, in which some new laws and regulations take effect at almost the same time. That said, as a key driver in the bank’s documentation and internal processes, our team have been involved in many projects to update quite a lots of the bank’s templates, forms, contracts, standard terms and conditions, and internal procedures to ensure the compliance with new regulations while the bank’s business goals are still well considered and boosted. Hence our legal team has to always stay resilient and optimistic but prudent and comprehensive.

How do you motivate and manage the other members of your legal team well?

As a team leader, I have always encouraged speaking up within our team. My team members can at any time share their views, point out my mistakes, and propose their solutions and action plans. We appreciate the truthfulness, respect, and collaboration, and support to each team member and each colleague, regardless of the position held. My team members’ contribution has been also well-recognised and paid-off. I would want to ensure that every day they would leave office with motivation and satisfaction, either technically or economically. This would shape the bank’s corporate culture and make CUB as a great place to work.

The aforementioned approach has been helping our team members in handling their assigned legal work, leveling up their knowledge and skill set, and in contributing more and more to the bank. Despite of our small team sise, our team has demonstrated outstanding capabilities and performance across the bank.