Tell us a little about your professional background and how you came to be in your current role? I often ask aspiring lawyers: “What do Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi have in common?” And my typical reply is: “They are world leaders who studied law and changed the world”. More than two decades ago I made the transition from the Bar to the Roll of Solicitors, and from private to in-house. Each chapter of my career was the start of a new learning curve as I navigated my ways in firms like property development, contracting and engineering consultancy. The Egis Group already does well in the Asia Pacific, turning over about €100 million each year with nearly 1000 people across a dozen countries and territories, and the company has a five-year target to increase its potential in the region. Unlike a General Counsel who joins a corporation laterally to fill a pre-existing position, I am the first Egis APAC General Counsel tasked with establishing a set of cultural and operational issues and developing solutions to deal with the unique challenges of managing legal functions in APAC. My other compliance-related responsibilities are as the regional Ethics and Risk Correspondent which draws on the strength of my qualifications as a Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Enterprise Risk Advisor, Certified Business Continuity Manager and Certified ISO37001 Anti-bribery Lead Implementer. How big is your team and how is it structured? Currently I am the sole qualified person in the regional legal department of Egis Asia Pacific. I am grateful to the Group Legal team members and the management of Egis APAC who are unwavering...

Q: Tell us a little about your professional background and how you came to be in your current role? Sometime in 1997, I started as Court Attorney for the Philippine Court of Appeals where I assisted Justices in evaluating and drafting decisions on cases appealed before them. I then had a short stint as department manager at a Government-owned and controlled corporation until I decided to join the Manila Electric Company or Meralco in 1999. Meralco is the largest electric distribution company in the Philippines. I started as a staff lawyer performing litigation work until I was designated to head its Corporate Legal team. During my free time, I also teach in law schools where I impart my knowledge of commercial law. Q: How big is your team and how is it structured? Our Corporate Legal office is composed of 10 lawyers and seven paralegal and administrative staff. Two teams report to me – one handles corporate legal work for Meralco and the other team renders legal services to Meralco’s subsidiaries and affiliates. Q: What are the biggest challenges facing In-House lawyers today? One big challenge in-house lawyers inevitably face is how to balance a duty to promote the company’s business and at the same time ensure it is compliant with rules, which are often perceived as obstacles in meeting goals and targets. The bigger the organization, the more risks are shifted to the in-house counsel and at times, they must make commercial decisions. So, it is for a counsel to understand the business, its goals and targets, as well as strategies. It is also imperative to communicate the...

1) Tell us a little about your professional background and how you came to be in your current role? I have more than 20 years of work experience as an in-house counsel and corporate secretary specializing in financial services, Corporate & Securities Laws, Insurance, Banking & NBFC Regulations, IPR Laws, IT Laws, Dispute Resolution, Contract Management and Transaction Advisory. I am working with Financial Services – Aditya Birla Group since June 2008. Starting with Aditya Birla Money as Head- Legal, Compliance and Secretarial and thereafter as Head Legal & Company Secretary with Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance in Feb 2014. In March 2021, I joined as Head Corporate Legal, Company Secretary & Compliance Officer – Aditya Birla Capital Limited. Aditya Birla Capital Limited is the holding company for the financial services businesses of the Aditya Birla Group. Key highlights of my career so far include the hands-on operating experience of multiple lines of business, working on different issues, dealing with regulations, problem solving, implementing best practices and developing the best in-house corporate legal and secretarial teams. 2) How big is your team and how is it structured? Like most in-house teams, it is a midsized corporate compliance and legal team catering to all kinds of regulatory matters and providing transactional advisory support to business. 3) What are the biggest challenges facing in-house lawyers today? The role of in-house lawyers is always challenging. With a plethora of regulations and an ever-changing regulatory landscape, these challenges are only increasing. One must stay fully updated on what is happening at all times and keep abreast of emerging laws to provide sound professional...

Q: Tell Us A Bit About Your Background And Your Current Role As Global Director Of Ethics And Compliance, And General Counsel, Asia Pacific, At Dentsu International I began my legal career in the litigation department of New Zealand law firm Bell Gully, working primarily on competition matters and market access regulatory issues, particularly in the pharmaceuticals, telecoms and energy markets. I progressed into an in-house role at the company that is now Vodafone NZ, which was then a client of Bell Gully. I left New Zealand in 1997, spent some time in Canada, then relocated to Hong Kong in 1998. I joined Hong Kong Telecom and was with that group under various ownership for 10 years. In 2008, I took some time out to entertain an alternative career in the restaurant business and trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Following the global financial crisis in 2008, I joined Aegis Group plc in 2009 and I’ve been here ever since. In 2013, Dentsu acquired Aegis Group plc and formed Dentsu International, one of the largest advertising groups in the world. Q: How Big Is Your Team And How Is It Structured? As the general counsel for Asia Pacific (excluding Japan), I run a team of more than 40 lawyers, data and compliance professionals. This team is managed through senior lawyers who directly report to me. The remit is primarily focused on five main areas: mergers & acquisitions, commercial client & supplier work, data & privacy, compliance and management of the legal and compliance team. In March 2021, in addition to the Asia Pacific role, I took on the...