Event information
The role of general counsel and senior in-house legal advisors is constantly evolving to meet the rapidly changing demands of organisations in today’s business world. In addition to overseeing the day-to-day legal challenges affecting the business and managing legal staff, in-house lawyers are expected to diversify their service offering in order to overcome a growing list of commercial challenges. Whether it is managing internal investigations, defending their company in cross-border disputes, handling complex data or adapting to the shifting trends in M&A, the required skillset of the profession is developing at an exponential rate.
The Legal 500’s GC Summit Taiwan 2023 invites the most esteemed in-house counsel from the country’s most prolific companies, and leading practitioners to discuss their changing roles as in-house leaders and the challenges, issues and opportunities they are set to face in 2023 and beyond.
Between comprehensive panel discussions, presentations and the opportunity to meet and engage with fellow in-house counsel in Taipei, GC Summit Taiwan promises to be a practical, forward-looking event bringing together the region’s top legal minds.
Agenda
8.15am – 8.50am Arrival and registration
8.50am – 9.05am Introductory remarks
- Joe Boswell, global editor, The Powerlist Series, The Legal 500
- Hung Ou Yang, managing partner, Brain Trust International Law Firm
9.05am – 9.35am Opening fireside chat: Corporate Internal Investigations – Brain Trust International Law Firm and Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP
- Hung Ou Yang, managing partner, Brain Trust International Law Firm
- Robert J. Malatak, partner, Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP
- Paul Ma, lawyer, Brain Trust International Law Firm
- Eloy Peral, Special Counsel, Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP
9.35am – 10.25am A discussion on energy and insurance in Taiwan – Lin & Partners
This panel discussion promises an insightful exploration of the intricate intersection between energy projects and insurance considerations within the Taiwanese context. This truly informative session brings together esteemed experts from Lin & Partners, in-house lawyers and management level to dissect the multifaceted challenges and opportunities that arise at this juncture.
Amidst Taiwan’s dynamic energy landscape, characterized among other things by a surge in renewable initiatives, the panel will delve into the unique legal and risk management aspects that in-house lawyers must navigate.
Key points on the agenda involve risk assessment, policy customization, and claims management strategies that align with the Taiwanese energy market’s evolving demands and how these relate to insurance matters. The distinguished panelists will share their expertise, drawing from legal, energy, and insurance sectors, to offer pragmatic insights and innovative solutions to the challenges faced by in-house legal teams.
- Dr. George Lin, managing partner, Lin and Partners Attorneys at Law
- David Lee, partner & director of corporate department, Lin and Partners Attorneys at Law
- Colin Wu, director of litigation department, Lin and Partners Attorneys at Law
- David Poo, president, Foxwell Energy
- Po-Hsiang Ou, general counsel, CISC Taiwan
10.25am – 11.15am US litigation and regulatory risks for Taiwan-based companies – Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Taiwan-based companies have been actively expanding their reach into the US market, given the close ties between the two countries and their economies. However, with such expansion comes a complex web of legal and regulatory challenges unique to the American context.
This panel discussion combines experts from Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher with extensive experience in US law and business operations and Taiwan-based in-house counsel at the coalface of these issues talk about some of the key challenges in this arena. The session will provide Taiwan-based companies with insights into the diverse array of legal risks and regulatory hurdles they might encounter when conducting business in the United States.
- Winston Y. Chan, partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Jason C. Lo, partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Debra Wong Yang, partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Ying Ying Jiang, manager- legal, JTI
- Dr. George Lin, managing partner, Lin and Partners Attorneys at Law
11.15am – 11.30am Coffee break
11.30am – 12.20pm Bankruptcy and Judgment Enforcement presented by Brain Trust International and Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP
- Hung Ou Yang, managing partner, Brain Trust International Law Firm
- Robert J. Malatak, partner, Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP
- Eloy Peral, special counsel, Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP
12.20pm – 12.40pm The Securities and Exchange Act: Managers’ liability under Article 20-1 by Formosa Transnational Attorneys at Law
The interpretation of proportionate liability under Article 20-1 of the Securities and Exchange Act in cases of false information has led to differing opinions within the judiciary. This has resulted in the potential for substantial compensation liability on directors, supervisors, and other individuals within companies responsible for false information. Although most companies have directors’ and officers’ liability insurance to cover such cases, the coverage often falls short of meeting investor claims. Additionally, it is noteworthy that beyond the common occurrence of false financial reporting, significant announcements and sustainability reports may also constitute false information under Article 20-1 of the Securities and Exchange Act.
- Janet Huang, associate partner, Formosa Transnational Attorneys at Law
- Weiyu Chiang, associate, Formosa Transnational Attorneys at Law
12.40pm – 1.40pm Lunch
1.40pm – 2.30pm The Fintech landscape – Legal changes in the payment services market in 2023 presented by Enlighten Law Group
Alongside Enlighten Law Group, this panel discussion will delve into the dynamic and rapidly transforming world of financial technology and its intersection with the legal framework governing payment services. At a time when the fintech world is facing increasing pressure from regulators and investors while continuing to disrupt and reshape traditional financial paradigms, staying abreast of the latest legal changes is paramount for in-house counsel in and out of the fintech world.
- Kunchou Tsai, leading partner, Enlighten Law Group
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Felix Wang, group general counsel, Nogle Limited
- 謝孟珊 Stella Hsieh, general counsel, Red Building Capital
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Sophie Shih-Yu Chu, senior counsel, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
2.30 – 3.20pm Placing the focus on ESG presented by KPMG
This session will equip in-house lawyers with the knowledge and strategies required to navigate the updated world of ESG in 2023, at a time when discussion of the topic has moved from industry insiders to the public at large.
Featuring an expert panel made up of individuals from session partners KPMG and the Taiwanese in-house legal community, this discussion will advise the audience on how they can effectively advise their companies in adopting ethical, environmentally conscious, and socially responsible practices, while shedding light on the integral role that in-house lawyers play in driving ESG initiatives within their organisations.
- Eugenia Chuang, partner, KPMG in Taiwan
- Hui- Sheng Feng, deputy director and chief ESG head, Taiwan Railway
- Lois Lin, chief legal officer, Wiwynn Corporation
- Claire (Yuchieh) Lin 林郁絜, director, legal and contract management, Copenhagen Infrastructure Wind Power Development Taiwan
3.20 – 3.25pm Closing remarks
- Hung Ou Yang, managing partner, Brain Trust International Law Firm
- Joe Boswell, global editor, The Powerlist Series, The Legal 500
Speakers
Hung Ou Yang, managing partner, Brain Trust International Law Firm
Hung Ou Yang specializes in transnational legal disputes, corporate law, business and white collar crime, business transaction, antitrust, and arbitration. Hung Ou Yang has successfully resolved many high-profile civil, criminal, and transnational disputes, including a complaint concerning pesticide-contaminated land leased by RT-Mart, anti-dumping investigation in connection with CSC’s carbon steel plate against Hyundai Steel company, and transnational property litigation concerning an internationally-renowned scholar.
Hung Ou Yang also has a wealth of experience in domestic and overseas litigation and negotiations. He is is currently a recommended Taiwan lawyer by The Legal 500 and other international organizations. In 2023, Asia Business Law Journal identifies Hung Ou Yang as the top 100 lawyers (The A List) in Taiwan’s legal profession.
Robert J. Malatak, partner, Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP
Robert represents national and international corporate entities, financial institutions, unsecured creditor committees, and trustees in a wide range of complex commercial disputes in federal, state, and bankruptcy courts throughout the country. He has litigated, arbitrated, and mediated issues involving bankruptcy, business torts and related disputes (including partnership and LLC membership disputes), commercial leases, contracts (including complex credit agreements), employment (including non-compete agreements), insurance, securities, and trusts and estates. Robert is also very experienced in enforcing judgments against the assets of recalcitrant judgment debtors. Prior to attending law school, Robert became a Certified Public Accountant and worked for a “Big Four” international accounting firm, where he conducted audits of and provided tax advice to the firm’s corporate clients, and therefore, brings unique business experience to his litigation practice.
Kunchou Tsai, leading partner, Enlighten Law Group
Mr. Kunchou Tsai, Esq. has been licensed in Taiwan and mainland China, and engaged in legal career for decades. He specializes in FinTech, financial regulations, corporate finance, securities laws, international investment and arbitration. He received his law degrees from the top tier law schools of University College London and UC Berkeley. In recent years, Mr. Tsai focuses on the resolution of financial investment disputes, such as TRF and complicated high-risk derivative products. He also assisted the Taiwan Bar Association and Chinese Arbitration Association in the design of relevant arbitration mechanism. Mr. Tsai was appointed as an arbitrator of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) since 2017, among the elite legal professionals, for his financial expertise. He has detailed knowledge of FinTech and Blockchain. He actively participates in the Fintech ecosystem and often consults the cross-strait investment and financial affairs
Joe Boswell, global editor, The Powerlist Series, The Legal 500
Joe Boswell has been a part of The Legal 500’s editorial team, specialising on the in-house legal community, for more than seven years. He now heads The Powerlist team, acting as chief editor for the over 40 separate editions of the GC Powerlist series which serve as The Legal 500’s flagship title celebrating the world’s top in-house counsel, as well as Global Editor for The Legal 500’s Private Practice Powerlist Series.
During the course of researching for the GC Powerlist series, Boswell has interviewed a vast number of world-renowned general counsel, chief legal officers, and legal directors about overcoming the challenges they face, their legal innovations, and how they see the general counsel role progressing in coming years. As well as this, he is a regular speaker at Legal 500 summits, roundtables, award ceremonies and other events, and often writes in-depth reports on business and legal issues.
Boswell is an alumnus of both the University of Sussex in The United Kingdom and the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen in The Netherlands.
Winston Y. Chan, partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Winston Y. Chan is a litigation partner in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s San Francisco office, and serves as Co-Chair of the White Collar Defense and Investigations practice group, and the False Claims Act/Qui Tam Defense practice group.
Mr. Chan is a trial lawyer, and has particular experience leading matters involving government enforcement defense, internal investigations and compliance counseling, and regularly represents clients before and in litigation against federal, state and local agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission and State Attorneys General.
From 2003 to 2011, Mr. Chan served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of New York, where he investigated a wide range of matters and served in numerous supervisory roles. Mr. Chan earned his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School and speaks conversational Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese.
Jason C. Lo, partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Jason C. Lo is a partner resident in the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher where he practices litigation with a specialty in intellectual property law, with a focus on patent and trade secrets litigation, as well as antitrust and competition law.
He has successfully represented leading companies in various industries, including the video game, semiconductor, military defense, and pharmaceutical industries. He has litigated high-stakes patent infringement cases in courts throughout the United States, as well as the U.S. International Trade Commission. Mr. Lo also has experience representing clients in high stakes antitrust litigation.
Additionally, Mr. Lo has served as a Lecturer in Law at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, teaching courses in patent litigation and intellectual property litigation. Mr. Lo graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2001 and is both fluent in Mandarin Chinese and a proficient speaker of Cantonese.
Debra Wong Yang, partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Debra Wong Yang is a partner in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Los Angeles office and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Ms. Yang is Chair of the Crisis Management Practice Group and former Chair of the White Collar Defense and Investigations and Information Technology and Data Privacy Practice Groups.
Ms. Yang focuses part of her practice on strategic counseling. She leads critical representations, both high profile and highly confidential, involving a wide variety of industries, economic sectors, regulatory bodies, law enforcement agencies, global jurisdictions and all types of proceedings.
Ms. Yang was appointed U.S. Attorney in May 2002 by President George W. Bush, becoming the first Asian-American woman to serve in that capacity. Prior to this service, Ms. Yang was a California state judge. She was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for seven years prior to her judicial career. Ms. Yang received her law degree from Boston College Law School.
Felix Wang, group general counsel, Nogle Limited
謝孟珊 Stella Hsieh, general counsel, Red Building Capital
Stella Meng-Shan Hsieh (謝孟珊) is a qualified Taiwan lawyer based in Taipei, currently serves as the General Counsel of the Red Building Innovation Group, including Red Building Capital (紅樓資本), its affiliated private funds, and POMO Network INC. （紅樓創新技術）. Miss Hsieh previously served in the KPMG Law Firm, Science Technology Law Institute of III, and the Cathay United Bank. Miss Hsieh holds the certificate of ACAMS and is the Doctoral Candidate in Law at National Taiwan University. With the experience in banking, technology, economic and commercial law, Miss Hsieh’s legal practice specializes in commercial transactions, PE fund, VC, Start-up, fintech, e-commerce, e-payment and web 3.0.
Eugenia Chuang, partner, KPMG in Taiwan
Eugenia Chuang has 20 years of experience in complex commercial litigation and international arbitration. She is a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Eugenia is the legal head of KPMG’s renewable energy industry service team and collaborated with KPMG’ Taiwan and worldwide tax, financial and circular economy experts in providing integrated renewable industry service to green supply chain companies in solar power, wind power, and circular economy. She has assisted a number of world- renowned companies in accomplishing investment related to wind and solar energies, assisted operators in completing legal due diligence in project finance and assisted several European vessel companies in their operation in Taiwan.
Paul Ma, lawyer, Brain Trust International Law Firm
Claire (Yuchieh) Lin 林郁絜, director, legal and contract management, Copenhagen Infrastructure Wind Power Development Taiwan
Dr. George Lin, managing partner, Lin and Partners Attorneys at Law
Dr. George Lin is the managing partner at Lin & Partners, specializing primarily in banking, Corporate M&A, securities, and insurance. Dr. Lin’s expertise has garnered recognition from Legal 500 and numerous esteemed ranking institutes, consistently ranking him as a leading/Band 1 attorney in various practice areas within Taiwan for over a decade. In 2020, Dr. Lin’s exceptional contributions led to his induction into the Legal 500 Hall of Fame for Banking & Finance, as well as Real Estate & Construction the following year.
Throughout the years 2019 to 2021, Dr. Lin was consistently bestowed with the prestigious title of “Lawyer of the Year, Taiwan.” This esteemed honor was conferred by a distinguished Asia Pacific litigation publication, with only one exceptional legal professional being selected in each jurisdiction annually. Dr. Lin’s notable achievements culminated in the successful reclamation of this title in the year 2023.
David Lee, partner & director of corporate department, Lin and Partners Attorneys at Law
Mr. David Lee is a partner and the head of corporate and M&A department at Lin & Partners. His main practice areas include projects & energy, corporate and M&A, gaming & gambling, aviation & shipping, labor & employment, TMT, franchise & licensing, and compliance. His practices have been recognized by Legal 500 and Asia Law.
David spearheads Lin & Partners’ projects & energy practice, which has been recognized by Legal 500 as the Tier 1 Firm for consecutive years. He has extensive experience in advising clients on various energy matters, including offshore wind farm, onshore wind farm, solar energy, hydro energy, LNG, energy storage, and nuclear decommission. In addition, he has been advising state-owned utilities on business restructuring in several consultation projects.
David also leads the firm’s aviation and shipping practice. In the maritime and shipping sector, David advises clients on shipbuilding, reflagging, ship sales and purchase, mortgage registration, charterparty, insurance and joint venture formation, particular those related to offshore wind farm projects in Taiwan. In the aviation sector, David advised both public and private sectors on various regulatory and commercial matters for consecutive years, including those in connection with UAV, air safety, chartered flight, crew management, and consumer disputes.
Colin Wu, director of litigation department, Lin and Partners Attorneys at Law
Mr. Colin Wu is the director of dispute resolution department at Lin & Partners, specializing in dispute resolution and investigations, civil and criminal litigation, and white-collar crimes within the banking and finance sector.
With nearly a decade of dedicated service, Colin served as both a criminal and civil court judge at the Taipei District Court, as well as a military prosecutor at the Military Northern District Prosecutors Office of Taiwan. During this tenure, he presided over the most intricate and high-profile commercial cases involving public offerings and issuances, anti-money laundering, corporate governance, and white-collar crimes within the banking and finance domain. In his private practice, Colin has represented and counsel to numerous renowned local and foreign public companies in effectively managing complex commercial disputes.
Colin earned his Bachelor of Law, Master of Law and Master of Business Administration degrees from National Taiwan University. He also obtained an LL.M. degree from Harvard Law School and is admitted to New York State Bar Association. Colin is one of the most unique lawyers in Taiwan with both law and business degrees, several years of judicial experiences and the ability to navigate international commercial disputes.
David Poo, president, Foxwell Energy
Weiyu Chiang, associate, Formosa Transnational Attorneys at Law
Weiyu Chiang is a seasoned legal professional who has made significant contributions to Formosa across diverse legal domains. With expertise in foreign-related civil matters, arbitration, infrastructural disputes, environmental law, corporate governance, business contracts, and insurance law, Chiang’s versatile skill set has left a lasting impact with a number of key clients.
Janet Huang, associate partner, Formosa Transnational Attorneys at Law
Janet Huang is an accomplished legal practitioner with a decade-spanning career. She initially served as an Attorney at the Securities and Futures Investors Protection Center from 2012 to 2019, showcasing her prowess in intricate securities and financial matters and, since joining Formosa Transnational Attorneys at Law in 2019, Huang’s impact at the leading Taipei-based firm has been notable.
Huang’s academic journey is equally noteworthy, having attained an LL.M. from the prestigious National Chengchi University, Institute of Financial Law, and an LL.B. from the same institution. She passed the Taiwan CPA Exam and achieved the highest rank in the Taiwan Bar Exam, underscoring the commitment to excellence which has served her well throughout her career.
Sophie Shih-Yu Chu, senior counsel, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Based in Hong Kong, Sophie Chu focuses on cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A), including equity transactions and assets transactions, and capital markets including Hong Kong, Taiwan and U.S. initial public offerings (IPO) and high-yield bond offering projects. Sophie also assists clients in cross-border commercial disputes, including U.S. litigation, international arbitration and mediation.
Lois Lin, Chief Legal Officer, Wiwynn
Lois Lin is a contract negotiator as well as legal counsel with over twenty years’ experiences. She currently serves as Chief Legal Officer at Wiwynn Corporation, a Taiwanese public company, which is an innovative cloud IT infrastructure provider of high-quality computing and storage products. There she built up a legal team combined with legal counsels, legal admins, and patent teams to manage contracts and IP portfolio. Previously she served as a transaction counsel for IT outsourcing companies such as EDS, HPE, as well as DXC for complex deals. Lois enjoys most when working with business team for contract negotiations or disputes, acting as a solution provider instead of a gatekeeper.
Eloy Peral, special counsel, Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf, LLP
Eloy Peral represents secured lenders, debtors, liquidating trustees, landlords, purchasers of distressed assets, and other interested parties in a wide range of complex bankruptcy proceedings and out-of-court restructurings throughout the United States. He also has significant experience representing creditors and litigants in cross-border restructurings, including in Chapter 15 cases.
Prior to Windels Marx, Mr. Peral practiced at a boutique firm and an AmLaw 200 firm in New York. Prior to law school, he worked as an aide to former U.S. Senator Mel R. Martinez (Florida) and as an intern for a lobbying and public relations firm.
Hui- Sheng Feng, deputy director and chief ESG head, Taiwan Railway
Po-Hsiang Ou, general counsel, CISC Taiwan
Ying Ying Jiang, manager- legal, JTI
Ying Ying Jiang is an accomplished legal professional with a diverse career spanning multiple international firms. Currently serving as a Legal Manager at JTI since October 2019, she specializes in navigating complex legal landscapes. Prior to this, Jiang contributed her expertise as a foreign lawyer at Nishimura & Asahi in Tokyo, and her substantial experience includes a stint at Formosa Transnational Attorneys at Law from November 2015 to October 2018, demonstrating a prowess in corporate law. Additionally, Jiang worked at Singtex Industrial Company, showcasing her versatility in various legal domains.
In association with...
Brain Trust International Law Firm was founded in 2014 by Hung (Mark) Ou Yang who holds a Juris Doctor from Washington University in St. Louis Law School and is licensed to practise in Taiwan and New York. Mark is highly regarded in the global legal community for his work in commercial, contracts and white-collar dispute resolution.
Brain Trust, a multidisciplinary team which consists of eight lawyers in varying practice areas, provides clients with tailor-made legal services. The firm has always been dedicated in every respect to the pursuit of justice and ultimate victory in every case and for every client it has worked with. The equality and justice of the judicial system stand both as the foundations upon which this firm is built, and also as the ideals that drive this firm to work tirelessly year after year to put these ideals into practice in its unending efforts to achieve equality and justice for every one of its clients.
Windels Marx is a full service law firm headquartered in New York City, with offices in New Brunswick and Madison, New Jersey, and Stamford, Connecticut. The Firm has more than 140 attorneys and provides services in excess of 20 practice areas, the largest of which by volume of business are financial transactions, real estate, litigation, and bankruptcy. The Firm serves a myriad of domestic and foreign clients, including banks and finance companies, insurance companies, manufacturers, non-profit entities, and government sponsored enterprises.
Enlighten Law Group, established by Mr Kunchou Tsai, Esq, aims at cross-border and cutting edge legal and financial issues. We are experts in finance, banking, M&A, capital markets, arbitration and transnational matters. We strive to function as the interface between legal, finance and technology, with our official logo representing the element of Blockchain, and we are recognised by The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific as one of the top tier Fintech law firms.
A seasoned and quality law firm: Our partners and counsel have long-standing legal and lawyer experience and are highly recognized by this industry and clients in their respective fields. We look forward to providing efficient and quality services in an innovative manner, especially in emerging and interdisciplinary areas, such as Fintech, Economic Crime or Forensic Accounting. Our goal is to bring a brand new wave to Taiwan’s legal services market and provide appropriate, efficient, and high quality services for customers with various needs.
Lin and Partners is Taiwan’s premier full-service law firm. Just like their slogan, “Think globally, act locally,” Lin & Partners takes a global perspective, enabling them to think beyond borders and cater to international clients. They have been recognized by reputable ranking institutions in numerous practices for over a decade and are the only law firm in Taiwan ranked as a Tier 1 firm by Legal 500 in Dispute resolution, Insurance, Projects & energy, Real estate & construction, and Shipping for consecutive 5 years. Meanwhile, Dr. George Lin, the Managing Partner, holds a prestigious place in The Legal 500 Hall of Fame for Banking & finance, and also Real estate & construction.
For more than 45 years, Formosa Transnational Attorneys at Law (FT) has demonstrated and harnessed the spirit of ‘specialization, teamwork and service.’ FT always stands at the forefront of industry development assisting companies, entrepreneurs, agencies and organizations, whether domestic or foreign, to resolve various and myriad problems that have arisen as results of technological improvements and economic growth. This assistance helps many of FT’s clients to achieve the goals they set and enables authorities to facilitate industrial advancement and continued economic prosperity. Today, FT is widely recognized as one of the top and most prestigious law firms in Taiwan.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is a leading international law firm. Consistently ranking among the world’s top law firms in industry surveys and major publications, Gibson Dunn is distinctively positioned in today’s global marketplace with more than 1,800 lawyers and 20 offices, including Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Brussels, Century City, Dallas, Denver, Dubai, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Orange County, Palo Alto, Paris, San Francisco, Singapore, and Washington, D.C. For more information on Gibson Dunn, please visit our website.
LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 130 countries with 10,000 employees worldwide, is part of RELX Group, a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries.