Hong Kong 2025
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Senior Vice President, General Counsel Asia Pacific | Colgate-Palmolive
Global Head of Legal & General Counsel Asia Pacific | Allianz Global Investors
Chief Compliance Officer, General Manager & Head of Legal & Compliance Department | Shanghai Pudong Development Bank
Executive Director Legal and Compliance, General Counsel | The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Regional General Counsel, Asia & Middle East | G4S
Chief Compliance Officer and Head of Legal and Compliance | China International Capital Corporation
Chief legal and compliance officer and strategic investment director | China Wantian Holdings
General Counsel, Board Secretary, Chief Compliance Officer | COSCO SHIPPING Ports
Group General Counsel and Group Chief Sustainability Officer | Hong Kong Exchange (HKEX)
Global Tax and Legal Services Director, Risk & Quality | PwC
General Counsel and Company Secretary | Melco International Development Limited
Director-General Counsel and Company Secretary | Hang Lung Properties
Senior Deputy Group General Counsel | China Resources Holdings
Asia Pacific and Greater China general counsel | Ernst & Young
Managing counsel, Asia Pacific | McKinsey & Company
Legal and company secretarial manager | Henderson Land Development
HEAD OF LEGAL AND COMPANY SECRETARY | The Hong Kong and China Gas Company
General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer | IEIT SYSTEMS Co., Ltd
Group general counsel, head of compliance | CK Hutchison Holdings
Vice President and Group General Counsel - APAC | Allegis Group
Head of Legal for Great Eagle Company Group | Great Eagle
Executive director and general counsel, APAC and EMEA | Lenovo
Rembert commenced his legal career with leading law firms in New Zealand and Australia, before arriving in Hong Kong in 1997 and working as a solicitor with Hong Kong law...
Senior Managing Director & General Counsel Asia Pacific | The Blackstone Group
Head of Global Markets Legal Asia Pacific | Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank
Principal Legal Advisor - Mainland China & International Business | MTR Corporation
On behalf of The Legal 500, I am delighted to introduce the GC Powerlist: Hong Kong 2025.
This edition celebrates general counsel and in-house legal teams who are shaping Hong Kong’s fast-moving legal and business landscape. Through our research, we discussed with professionals who are not only advising on legal matters but also making strategic decisions for the business.
Today’s general counsel are stepping well beyond traditional roles. In Hong Kong, they play a vital part in business planning, managing complex regulations, supporting digital transformation, and guiding organisations with their commercial awareness. The GC Powerlist: Hong Kong 2025 recognises those who combine legal expertise and leadership.
Winnie Ma, Director, General Counsel, and Company Secretary at Hang Lung Properties, shares her perspective:
‘As in-house advisors, we have a unique perspective when our own business is in crisis and can provide insights which even expert external counsel may not have.’
Her perspective reflects a broader shift across the region. As Lily Chan, Group General Counsel at Daniel Wellington, explains:
‘Due to the rapid changes in geopolitics, economic landscape and business operation environment, it is inevitable that we have to deal with unforeseen crises and instability on a regular basis. As the Group General Counsel, it is of paramount importance to play a leadership role in building and maintaining a robust compliance programme and risk management strategies.’
We are proud to present the GC Powerlist: Hong Kong 2025, a celebration of legal professionals who drive the future of corporate law, and whose work connects local insight with global impact.
Jones Day is proud to support the 2025 edition of the GC Powerlist Hong Kong and to celebrate the exceptional General Counsels recognized this year. Congratulations to each and every awardee for your impressive achievements and contributions to the corporate and legal ecosystems in Hong Kong.
It has been a privilege to work alongside many of you, and we are delighted to see your dedication recognized. In particular, we extend a special welcome to those of you who are first time nominees to the GC Powerlist Hong Kong. To the familiar faces who were in the previous editions, welcome back.
As Asia’s leading commercial hub, Hong Kong is a thriving international gateway into the Asian markets and home to the regional headquarters of the world’s premier business organisations. In this dynamic and globalized legal environment, General Counsels are pivotal leaders, guiding their organisations through constant change, both locally and internationally. As General Counsels, you are trusted advisors providing guidance beyond traditional legal consultation; you navigate intricate legal systems across multiple jurisdictions, and offer your unique perspectives and strategic solutions that lead your organisations through uncertainty. Your ability to adapt to the relentless pressures of ever evolving global issues not only enhances the resilience of your organisations but also positions them 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 firsthand the various economic and political cycles since the opening of our Hong Kong office in 1986. This long standing experience has equipped us to not only anticipate uncertainty but also partner with you to develop proactive strategies to thrive in any environment.
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 2,500 lawyers in 40 offices based in key cities and financial centres, working together as “One Firm Worldwide”, and 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. Jones Day is the only firm in the history of the BTI Consulting Group’s Client Service 30 to remain in the top 5 for all 23 years since BTI began publishing its results, which are based on unprompted responses from in-depth interviews with in-house legal counsel from Fortune 500 organisations. We are proud to offer an unparalleled level of commitment to our clients and look forward to continuing to cooperate with many of you.
We are honoured to celebrate the recognition of the General Counsels on their well-deserved inclusion in this 2025 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.
On 26 March, Legal 500 partnered with Portuguese law firm PLMJ to bring its renewed sustainability‑focused conference series to Lisbon with the ESG Forum: Portugal 2026. The half‑day event gathered senior leaders from the legal, financial, energy and sustainability spheres for a concentrated programme hosted at PLMJ’s offices. Throughout the sessions, speakers explored the regulatory, governance and enforcement forces reshaping ESG strategy in Portugal, offering a clear cross‑sector perspective on how organisations are adapting to an increasingly complex and fast‑moving landscape.
The event opened with some welcome remarks from Legal 500 editor Francisco Castro, who emphasised the value of events that bring the in‑house community together to learn, exchange experiences and build meaningful professional networks. In his welcome address, he highlighted the growing complexity of ESG obligations across Europe and the increasing pressure on organisations to adopt integrated, business‑wide approaches to compliance, risk management and strategic planning. By underscoring the need for practical, grounded discussion rather than abstract theory, he set the tone for a programme designed to deliver actionable insight and foster collaboration among practitioners navigating a rapidly evolving ESG landscape.
Followed an opening brief delivered by PLMJ’s Managing Partner, Bruno Ferreira, who provided a concise yet comprehensive overview of the ESG priorities defining Portugal in 2026. He outlined the expanding influence of EU regulatory frameworks on corporate reporting, due diligence and governance, noting how these requirements are reshaping expectations around data quality, transparency and accountability. His remarks positioned ESG not as a peripheral concern but as a central driver of corporate behaviour, capital flows and long‑term competitiveness in the Portuguese market.
The first panel, moderated by João Marques Mendes, Partner at PLMJ and joined by Cláudia Teixeira de Almeida of Banco BPI, Nuno Moraes Bastos of GALP and Diogo Graça of REN, explored how corporate governance and sustainable finance are shaping Portugal’s energy transition. The discussion examined how boards and executive teams are adapting oversight structures to manage transition‑related risks and how legal, compliance, sustainability and procurement functions are increasingly intertwined in project governance. Panellists described the growing influence of financing structures on project execution, noting that lenders’ expectations around ESG metrics, contractor performance and transparency now shape governance decisions from the earliest stages. They also addressed the operational constraints that continue to challenge Portugal’s transition ambitions, including permitting timelines, grid capacity limitations and delivery risk. While acknowledging the complexity of EU‑level frameworks, speakers emphasised that these standards also present strategic opportunities to harmonise practices, unlock investment and strengthen Portugal’s competitive position in the energy transition.
Following a short break, the second panel turned to litigation, liability and the emerging enforcement era surrounding sustainability claims. Moderated by Raquel Azevedo, Partner at PLMJ and featuring contributions from Carla Góis Coelho of PLMJ, Carlos Martins Ferreira of Jerónimo Martins, Filipa Rodrigues Carmona of Caixa Geral de Depósitos and Céline da Graça Pires of NOVA, the session examined the rapid rise of ESG‑driven disputes, investigations and regulatory actions. Panellists discussed the typical trigger points for scrutiny, ranging from sustainability reports and corporate websites to marketing materials and investor presentations, and highlighted how these touchpoints are increasingly tested by regulators, competitors, consumers and NGOs. They analysed recent case law developments and their implications for Portuguese organisations, noting the emergence of more stringent evidentiary standards around disclosures and due‑diligence obligations. The panel concluded that sustainability claims can no longer be treated as aspirational messaging; they now carry the weight of binding legal obligations, requiring more rigorous internal validation and cross‑functional coordination.
The forum concluded with closing remarks from Francisco Castro, after which attendees were invited to continue their conversations over a light lunch, providing a relaxed setting to deepen connections and reflect on the themes explored throughout the morning.
Legal 500 extends its thanks to PLMJ for its collaboration in bringing this conference format to Portugal’s in‑house legal community. The team looks forward to returning soon for the launch event of this year’s GC Powerlist: Portugal.
