Hong Kong 2024 – GC Powerlist
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Hong Kong 2024

  • Industries

  • Powerlist

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Albert Chak

General counsel | Sun Hung Kai Properties

Industrial and real estate

Alexander Shaik

Partner and general counsel | Asia Debt Management Hong Kong

Financials

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Alice Shum

Group legal counsel | DFI Retail Group

Consumer products

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Alison Tsai

Vice president and general counsel | Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

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Amy Lee

Regional counsel | Abbott Laboratories

Healthcare

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Andrew Ning

Head of legal and compliance; managing director | Greater Bay Area Homeland Investments

Financials

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Annie Chung

General counsel | Richemont

Consumer products

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Anthony Poon

Senior deputy group general counsel | China Resources Holdings

Industrial and real estate

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Asha Balachandra

Regional head of legal | Invesco

Financials

Audrey Shum

Managing director and general counsel, APAC | Christie’s Hong Kong

Commercial and professional services

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Belinda Leung

General counsel | AIA

Insurance

Ben Bury

Director, group general counsel | Gammon Construction

Industrial and real estate

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Benjamin Chan

Vice president legal and SSC director for Asia Pacific | Hugo Boss

Consumer products

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Bernadette Lomas

General counsel and company secretary | Swire Pacific

Industrial and real estate

Beryl Sit

Head of IBD legal and managing director | CITIC Securities

Financials

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Brandon Yap

Head of legal and compliance, Asia | Bouygues Construction Group

Industrial and real estate

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Brian Pong

Asia Pacific and greater China general counsel | Ernst & Young

Financials

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Brijesh Balakrishnan

Managing counsel, Asia Pacific | McKinsey & Company

Financials

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Carmen Kan

General counsel | Bank of China

Financials

Cathy Liu

General counsel | CCB International (Holdings)

Financials

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Charalabos Klabos

Senior vice president, general counsel Asia Pacific | Colgate-Palmolive

Consumer products

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Charles Nixon

General counsel | HUTCHMED

Healthcare

Chee Hoong Pang

Head of legal | Nikon Holdings Hong Kong

Consumer products

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Cora Ang

General counsel and chief compliance officer | Infini Capital

Financials

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Craig Katerberg

Chief legal and corporate affairs officer | Budweiser

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Cynthia Cheng

General counsel | Guoco Group

Financials

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Delia Lang

Global head of legal and general counsel Asia Pacific | Allianz Global Investors

Financials

Delia Lang is the Global Head of Legal and General Counsel Asia Pacific at Allianz Global Investors (AllianzGI). Based in Hong Kong, Delia is responsible for the firm’s global legal...

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Derak Lam

General counsel | L'Oréal

Consumer products

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Derek Chan

General counsel | Agricultural Bank of China

Financials

Do Do Chan

Senior legal counsel | Emperor International Holdings

Industrial and real estate

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Ed Shek

Legal and company secretarial manager | Henderson Land Development

Industrial and real estate

Eddie Chan

Legal director | Hong Kong Tourism Board

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

Eddie Chan is the Legal Director at Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), a statutory body with a core function to promote Hong Kong globally as a leading international city in...

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Eleanor Chan

Director, legal and corporate affairs | Nestlé

Food, beverages and tobacco

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Elizabeth Byun

Head of Corporate and regulatory legal | Tencent

Information technology

Elizabeth joined Tencent Legal in 2013 and currently heads the Corporate and International Regulatory Legal Center. Elizabeth is responsible for a diverse range of workstreams outside of China, each comprised...

Elsa Wong

Head of group legal and company secretary | The Hong Kong and China Gas Company

Energy and utilities

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Eoin Gillen

APAC general counsel | BNP Paribas

Financials

Eoin Gillen is APAC General Counsel at BNP Paribas, based in Hong Kong. Eoin leads a team of approximately 140 legal professionals based in 12 jurisdictions across APAC supporting BNP...

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Eric Lai

Group deputy general counsel | Bolttech

Insurance

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Frances Wong

Managing director - head of APAC global banking legal and head of APAC | UBS

Financials

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Frank Yuen

Group general counsel, head of compliance | CK Hutchison Holdings

Industrial and real estate

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Giselle Bates

Group general counsel - APAC | Allegis Group

Commercial and professional services

Gordon Ban Chuan Sng

Head of legal | Yunfeng Financial Group

Financials

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Han Wai  Khor

Managing director and general counsel | ICBC International Holdings

Financials

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Iain Seow

General counsel and company secretary | Shangri-La

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

Headquartered in Hong Kong, Iain Seow leads the Shangri-La Group’s Legal Department which oversees the Group’s legal and regulatory affairs in over 24 countries. Shangri-La Group is primarily listed in...

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Irene Cheung

Senior legal counsel | Luk Fook Holdings Company

Consumer products

Ms. Irene Cheung received her BA from the University of Toronto and her LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School. Ms. Cheung was qualified as a solicitor, barrister, and notary public...

Iris Kwok

Chief compliance officer, general manager, and head of the legal and compliance department | Shanghai Pudong Development Bank

Financials

Iris Kwok is currently the Chief Compliance Officer, General Manager, and Head of the Legal and Compliance Department of Shanghai Pudong Development Bank (SPDB) Hong Kong Branch. She has over...

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Jacky Tep

General counsel | Sino Group

Industrial and real estate

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James Bidlake

Executive vice president and general counsel | DFS Group

Consumer products

Jeffrey Campbell

Regional general counsel for Asia Pacific | G4S

Commercial and professional services

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Joanna Lai

General counsel | Cathay Pacific

Transport and infrastructure

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Jodis Lee

General counsel | Hang Seng Bank

Financials

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Joe Zhou

Chief compliance officer, head of legal and compliance | China International Capital Corporation 

Financials

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John McLean

General counsel | Vistra

Commercial and professional services

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Jonathan Pyne

Group legal counsel | SJM Holdings

Industrial and real estate

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Jonathan Phillips

General counsel for legal, compliance and ESG for APAC | Natixis

Financials

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Jonty Vavasour

General counsel, strategy director and company secretary | Bupa

Healthcare

Jonty is General Counsel, Strategy Director, and Company Secretary at Bupa Hong Kong. In his current role, he leads the provision of legal advice, strategic development, and company secretariat support...

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Judy Yang

Vice president and general counsel | Sun Life Hong Kong

Financials

Jun Li

Chief legal and compliance officer | China Wantian Holdings

Financials

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Karen Ip

Executive director and senior counsel | Goldman Sachs

Financials

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Kathie Choi

General counsel, vice president, legal affairs | Kering

Consumer products

Keith Ka Wai Hung

Head of legal | Great Eagle Company Group

Industrial and real estate

Keith Hung was admitted as a Solicitor in Hong Kong in 1996 and holds Master’s Degrees in Law from the University of New South Wales and the University of Hong...

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Kening Li

General counsel and chief compliance officer | GenScript Biotech Corporation

Healthcare

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Kit Chan

General counsel | China Resources Land

Industrial and real estate

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Kitty Chan

General counsel and company secretary | China Gas Holdings

Energy and utilities

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Lance Wu

Head of legal and compliance | NIO

Industrial and real estate

Lily Chan

Group general counsel | Daniel Wellington

Consumer products

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Lu Li

Head of legal | China Orient Asset Management (International) Holding

Financials

Marco Chung

Group head of legal and managing director | CITIC CLSA

Financials

As Group Head of Legal at CITIC CLSA, Marco oversees the legal function globally, covering all 14 jurisdictions where CLSA has offices. In addition to leading the Legal Team at...

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Mark Duncan

Regional general counsel | Société Générale

Financials

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Mark Loynd

General counsel | Giordano International

Consumer products

Mark Loynd took up the position of General Counsel at Giordano International in 2013 and has since expanded his responsibilities to include Company Secretary, Head of Overseas Market Development and...

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Matthew Bland

Director and group general counsel | Jardine Matheson

Industrial and real estate

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Michael Ting

Genral counsel (legal and compliance), Hong Kong and Macau | Manulife

Insurance

Michelle Hung

General counsel and company secretary | COSCO SHIPPING Ports

Transport and infrastructure

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Michelle Chen

Head of legal and company secretary | Blue Insurance

Insurance

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Paul Chow

General counsel | HKEX

Financials

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Peter Tang

Head of legal, company secretary | NWS Holdings

Financials

Regina Chan

Senior director, APAC legal | Viavi Solutions (Greater China)

Telecommunication services

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Regina Cheung

Head of legal and secretariat | DBS Bank

Financials

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Rembert Meyer-Rochow

Executive director and general counsel, APAC and EMEA | Lenovo

Information technology

Richard Blair  

Senior managing director and general counsel Asia Pacific | Blackstone

Financials

Richard Blair is Senior Managing Director and General Counsel Asia Pacific. He sits on a number of boards including those of The Blackstone Group (Hong Kong) Limited and Blackstone Singapore....

Rita Tang

Head of legal | Hong Kong Disneyland

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

Rita Tang is the Assistant Chief Counsel and Head of Legal at Hong Kong Disneyland and has been with the company since 2009. Having established a career in the legal...

Sharyn Ch’ang

Global tax and legal services director, risk and quality | PwC

Commercial and professional services

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Shella Ng

Executive director, legal and compliance | The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Sports and media

Shih-Jern Liang

General counsel, International | Ralph Lauren

Consumer products

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Simon Chan

Head of legal | Langham Hospitality Group

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

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Simon Lai

Chief legal officer | Chow Tai Fook Enterprises

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

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Sophia Yap

Global general counsel | HKBN

Telecommunication services

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Sophie Shen

General counsel | Wingtech Technology

Telecommunication services

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Stanley W.H. Lui

Legal director - Asia | TI Fluid Systems

Industrial

Stanley Lui, a seasoned legal and compliance professional, brings extensive expertise across diverse industries. Currently serving as Legal Director for Asia at TI Fluid Systems, Stanley oversees supply contracts, product...

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Susan M. Sayers

General manager and regional general counsel for Asia Pacific | HSBC

Financials

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Teruce Yuen

Global legal and compliance director | SML Group

Commercial and professional services

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Tiffany Wong

General counsel | EcoCeres

Energy and utilities

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Toni Chan

General counsel | China Overseas Land and Investments

Industrial and real estate

Tracey Turner

Group general counsel | AS Watson Group

Consumer products

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Vanessa Cheung

Group general counsel and company secretary | PCCW Limited/HKT Limited

Telecommunication services

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Victor Ding

General counsel | CLP Holdings

Energy and utilities

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Vincent Leung

Group general counsel and company secretary | Melco International Development Limited

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

Melco is a dynamic company that continues to explore new opportunities, and the previous years have been a transformational phase for the Group. I have been working closely with the...

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Vincent Ng

General counsel | Klook

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

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Wang Tao

Legal drector, head of legal compliance | Samsung

Information technology

Wendy Chan

Regional compliance officer and head of business ethics, Asia Pacific | Chanel

Consumer products

Wendy is the Head of Business Ethics for Asia Pacific at Chanel. She is the first regional compliance officer in APAC region and has established and led the team since...

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William Huynh

Head of legal | Generali Life

Insurance

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Wilson Chan

General counsel | Morgan Stanley

Financials

Winnie Ma

Director, general counsel and company secretary | Hang Lung Properties

Industrial and real estate

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Winston Yu

Senior vice president and associate general counsel | Jefferies

Financials

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Yibing Mao

General counsel | Marriott International

Hotels, restaurants and leisure

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Ying Chen

General counsel and chief compliance officer | TF International Securities Group

Financials

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Yinyun Yu

Chief legal officer | Huaqin Technology

Information technology

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Yu-Yuen Wong

General counsel | MTR Corporation

Transport and infrastructure

On behalf of The Legal 500, I am delighted and honoured to present the GC Powerlist: Hong Kong 2024 

 

This edition is a tribute to the exceptional general counsel and in-house lawyers who have made, and continue to make, significant strides in one of the most influential and complex legal landscapes in the region. Our research journey has allowed us the opportunity to engage deeply with Hong Kong’s foremost legal professionals, uncovering their pioneering strategies, transformative leadership, and unwavering dedication to excellence. 

 

In a market characterised by rapid evolution and intricate regulatory challenges, Hong Kong’s general counsel are redefining their roles. No longer confined to traditional legal functions, these leaders are integral to the shaping of their companies’ strategic directions, fortifying organisational resilience, and adeptly navigating the complexities of economic fluctuations, technological advancements, and evolving regulations. The powerlist candidates featured in this year’s list are not only distinguished by their legal expertise but also by their pivotal contributions to guiding their organisations through an era of extraordinary change and challenges. 

 

The 2024 powerlist is dedicated to those who are at the forefront of driving business success, embracing innovation, and upholding the highest standards of integrity. From leading groundbreaking digital initiatives and establishing robust governance frameworks to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, these general counsel set new benchmarks for legal leadership.  

 

As Benjamin Chan, vice president legal and SSC director for Asia Pacific at HUGO BOSS Hong Kong, aptly observes:In times of instability, managing legal issues requires a flexible and proactive approach. For our fashion and retail business, which is inherently impacted by changing trends and economic fluctuations, a robust legal strategy is essential for both immediate risk management and long-term stability’. 

 

The GC Powerlist: Hong Kong 2024 celebrates the remarkable achievements and distinctive contributions of these legal trailblazers. We are proud to share their stories and insights, showcasing their commitment to redefining the role of in-house counsel and shaping the future of legal practice in Hong Kong. 

 

Congratulations to all the distinguished general counsel and in-house lawyers selected in 2024’s GC Powerlist: Hong Kong. 

 

 Allan Cohen| Lead Editor – The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Hong Kong 2024 

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All of us at Jones Day are delighted to be a part of the 2024 edition of the GC Powerlist Hong Kong, together with the General Counsels recognised. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to each and every one included in the GC Powerlist: Hong Kong 2024. Your achievements and contributions to the corporate and legal ecosystems in Hong Kong and beyond are truly commendable.

Having had the privilege of working with many of you, we are thrilled to see your efforts being recognised. In particular, we extend a special welcome back to those of you who were recognised in the previous editions of the GC Powerlist Hong Kong.

As the dominant commercial hub in Asia, Hong Kong is home to the regional headquarters of the world’s top business organisations and serves as the base from which leading businesses run their regional and global operations. In this vibrant and evolving landscape, General Counsels like yourselves play an indispensable role in shaping the future of their organisations. Your contributions extend well beyond traditional legal advisory functions; you are essential to the strategic direction and operational success of your organisations. As General Counsels, you navigate complex legal frameworks across multiple jurisdictions and diverse legal systems, all while balancing commercial priorities and minimising legal risks. Your ability to adapt to the relentless pressures of ever evolving global issues not only enhances resilience of your organisation but also positions it for sustainable growth.

At Jones Day, we understand the challenges you face. As one of the first US law firms to expand into Asia, we have witnessed various business cycles since the opening of our Hong Kong office in 1986 and have been proud to support our clients in Hong Kong and throughout the region through our offices worldwide.

As one of the world’s largest and most geographically comprehensive law firms, Jones Day is synonymous with responsive and dedicated client service. Spread over five continents, Jones Day has more than 2,400 lawyers in 40 offices based in key cities and financial centres, working together as “One Firm Worldwide”, providing our clients with seamless access to a full spectrum of practice areas. When client matters have an interdisciplinary dimension, we are proud to offer our unique blend of talent and service across specialties and jurisdictions.

Jones Day’s partners hold a core set of common values, with a unity of purpose in providing unparalleled service and quality to our clients, reflecting Jones Day’s deep-rooted set of shared professional values, which can be traced to our beginnings in 1893.

Our dedication to client service has not gone unnoticed. We have earned a Number 1 ranking in the Client Service A-Team report 14 times, including six consecutive years atop the list, by BTI Consulting Group, based on unprompted responses from in-depth interviews with in-house legal counsel from Fortune 500 organisations. Securing the Number 1 ranking 14 times is an unprecedented achievement for any law firm.

We are honoured to celebrate the recognition of the General Counsels on their well-deserved inclusion in this 2024 edition of the GC Powerlist: Hong Kong. As we celebrate your recognition, let us also look ahead to the exciting possibilities that await us. Together, we as legal practitioners can make a meaningful difference in the communities we serve. We look forward to many more years of close partnership with each of you.

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GC Summit Japan 2024

Legal 500 launched the fifth edition of GC Summit Japan in Tokyo on October 3rd, bringing together the top in-house legal leaders and professionals from across Japan at the beautiful Grand Ballroom of the Peninsula Hotel, opposite the Imperial Palace. Gathering over 150 attendees, the event provided a great opportunity for legal teams to dive into the main challenges they’re facing and explore new opportunities among peers.

Opening remarks were provided by the highly accomplished and universally respected GC of Fujitsu, Kyoko Mizuguchi. Her speech touched upon a number of issues, but went into detail on technological advancements for in-house legal teams and how these can be used to increase efficiencies.

Tsuyoshi Ikeda of Ikeda & Someya was joined by associate Aya Yasui on stage to lead an extremely detailed look at their firm’s specialist subject, that of competition law. They had assembled a crack panel to feed in to the session, with Naoko Teranishi of The Japan Fair Trade Commission, Naokuni Kuwagata of Novartis Pharma and Keiko Uchida of Roche Diagnostics.

Rimon Law’s Intellectual Property session followed, which provided the four speakers on stage ample opportunity to showcase both their expertise and their engaging personalities. Eric D. Kirsch​​​​ and David E. Case of Rimon Law were joined by Natsue Ishida, managing director of legal and intellectual property division at SEGA Sammy Holdings and Nobumasa Hiroi, global general counsel of Mujin for this hugely interesting discussion.

The post-coffee break session on Global Whistleblowing Systems in association with GI&T Law Office was extremely detailed, providing a practical look into the challenges faced by in-house lawyers in Japan in implementing global systems that meet varying regulatory requirements across jurisdictions. Mihoko Kawamizu (general counsel of Philips) and Koh Yamaki (senior manager, compliance dept., Hitachi) gave extremely valuable insights into their own companies’ systems and how they were set up, with founding partner Kengo Nishigaki being joined by Hiroko Miyazaki, Patrick Forman and Yuji Yamamoto of GI&T Law Office to give their expert perspectives.

Kenta Ikeb and Izuru Goto of City-Yuwa Partners then took to the stage to give their take on the current regulatory landscape for digital assets in Japan. Aided by a meticulously researched presentation, they provided a thorough overview of the state of play.

Atsumi & Sakai’s session on cybercrime received very positive feedback from the audience and inspired a lot of questions. Takafumi Ochiai and Daniel Jarrett of Atsumi & Sakai were joined by an interesting mix of in-house counsel: Brian Yu of Tencent, Mina Hoshizawa of Bayer and Andreas Höppel of Koki Group. Together, they outlined the threats and countermeasures each of their organisations face, providing an overview of the current cybercrime landscape for large corporates in Japan.

The next panel, managing international disputes, featured partners from two major international law firms (Peter Harris of Clifford Chance and Dominic Sharman of Baker McKenzie) and senior corporate counsel from two large international companies (Tomoya Hashimoto of Marubeni and Ryo Asakura of Olympus Corporation) to provide a balanced outlook of potential challenges in international disputes. As well as the theoretical side of matters, we looked at practical examples of challenges faced in disputes, advice on when to settle and potential traps to avoid, making this session a standout.

Finally, the Legal 500 invited a panel of some of Japan’s top general counsel from a variety of industry sectors to form a panel conversation on the changing role of in-house counsel, moderated by Editor Joe Boswell: Naoki Hamada, general counsel Japan, HSBC; Fumika Ito, general counsel, SAP; Toshimi Itakura, general manager, legal department, Sojitz; and Yuichiro Watanabe, lead counsel, Airbnb Japan were the hugely talented individuals who lent the benefit of their expertise to the audience. As well as discussing the ways in which corporate counsel’s responsibilities have changed in the past ten years, we discussed how to chart a rewarding career path as an in-house counsel and how to achieve the best work-life balance.

With every year, the audience for our Japan GC Summit grows, both in numbers and the seniority of attendees. We look forward to putting on an even more impressive 2025 event, and if you would like to be a part of it, please get in touch with [email protected]