Team size:  25

  Career Biography

Brian Chen is Senior Vice President and General Counsel for KONE companies in the Greater China Area and a member of the regional leadership team. He leads the legal and compliance department of 25 attorneys and looks after all legal and compliance affairs, as well as risk management of KONE operations in the Greater China region. Prior to joining KONE over 14 years ago, Brian served as Director and Head of Legal for Chrysler companies in the Asia Pacific region. Before moving in-house, Brian practiced with two US based leading international law firms in Shanghai and Hong Kong as well as one of the top Chinese law firms in Shanghai. Brian received his LL.B. from the East China University of Political Science & Law in Shanghai, his LL.M. from the Columbia University School of Law, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and his executive M.B.A. from the Fudan University and Washington University EMBA Program, where he was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma. Brian is admitted to practice in the State of New York and is also qualified to practice as an attorney in China.

What are the most significant cases, projects and/or transactions that you and/or your legal team have recently been involved in?

Account receivable lawsuits, infrastructure and new building solutions projects, modernisation projects, service platform project, acquisition of service companies, setting up new greater bay area headquarter, compliance investigations, etc.   

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience? 

It can be approached with the following strategies: crisis management practice, contract risk management, compliance monitoring and audits, legal risk assessment and reporting, stakeholder communications, and a crisis response plan, as well as contract and insurance considerations.

What strategies do you employ to ensure the successful digital transformation of a legal department while maintaining compliance with your country’s data protection laws? 

To ensure legal department digital transformation (DX) complies with data laws (e.g., PIPL, GDPR), start with a pre-DX risk assessment mapping data flows to regulations. Establish a cross-functional governance team (IT, legal, compliance) with executive sponsorship. Enforce data governance: classify data, apply least privilege, and automate retention/deletion. Choose compliant tech via vendor vetting (certifications, data residency) and embed Privacy by Design (encryption, audit logs). Train staff role-specifically on security and phishing. Monitor continuously with audits, access logs, and an incident response plan (notifying regulators per law). Handle cross-border data via lawful transfers (SCCs, security assessments) and localisation. Adapt by tracking law updates and annual reviews to balance innovation with compliance, embedding it in the department’s culture.

How can general counsel foster a corporate culture that supports ESG principles and compliance across all levels of the organisation?

General counsel can foster an ESG and compliance culture by embedding ESG into governance — securing board oversight, tying it to risk management, and updating policies — and collaborating with executives to align ESG with business goals (e.g. sustainability KPIs in incentives). They integrate ESG into daily operations (ethical procurement, anti-discrimination in HR) and communicate it as a core value, not a checkbox: train staff on role-specific impacts (engineers reducing waste, marketers avoiding greenwashing) and share wins (lower emissions cutting liability). Enforce accountability via audits, whistleblower programs, and linking compliance to performance reviews. Leading by example, GCs frame ESG as vital to reputation and long-term success, turning principles into action across all levels.