Aaron Shao – GC Powerlist
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China and Hong Kong 2017

Aaron Shao

Area lead counsel, China | Abbott Laboratories

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China and Hong Kong 2017

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Aaron Shao

Area lead counsel, China | Abbott Laboratories

Aaron Shao - China 2019

Head of legal, Greater China | Abbott

In what ways do you see the in-house legal role evolving in your region over the next few years? I personally see the in-house legal as a role that organically...

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About

Beginning his legal career working on foreign direct investment initiatives in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, Aaron Shao built on this valuable experience by progressing to a rewarding career in private practice of multiple years with Hogan Lovells (formerly Hogan & Hartson) and Jones Day, respectively. When US-based industry leading company SPX Flow Technology was looking for an in-house legal lead with extensive legal experience and outstanding leadership, Shao was an ideal candidate, and after securing the role he spent over five years there as the regional general counsel for Asia Pacific. Shao revolutionised his regional in-house legal function and role at SPX, and he recalls how he managed to change the incorrect perception of him as what he calls a ‘revenue prevention officer’ to that of ‘a well trusted business partner [who] was part of almost all major business decisions’ within ‘one to two years’. After ‘building [his team]… and the team structure’ successfully at SPX, Shao looked for a new challenge to ensure his success could be replicated elsewhere, and in February 2015 he moved on to his current role at leading international healthcare company Abbott Laboratory. Here, Shao explains that ‘the first change I made was to clarify the role with the team, global leadership and the local business leaders. The second was to the mentality and external perception of the local legal team, as I wanted them to have a stronger ownership and result oriented attitude towards making decisions together with businesses to resolve complicated issues and achieve positive results, rather than just executing orders or providing pure paper legal advice’. That this approach has been successful is borne out by the fact that his team has doubled in size and received increasing recognitions from local and global management during his almost two year tenure. Instead of giving direct advice to prospective in-house counsel, as he points out the specificities of each role preclude this, Shao posits two questions for those who are looking to make their way as an internal lawyer. ‘I would like peers to think about why a business needs in-house lawyers as opposed to external counsel and, furthermore, how they can be a true business partner to the company’.

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