How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure organisational resilience?  

During periods of instability or crises, my approach to managing legal aspects is proactive and agile, and closely align with the broader business strategy to ensure organisational resilience which are further elaborated as follows:

(1) Proactive risk assessment and scenario planning – I prioritise identifying potential legal exposures early (regulatory, contractual, compliance related or otherwise) and assess their impact on operations, and by stress testing legal frameworks against various crises scenarios (e.g. financial downturns, geopolitical issues, operational disruptions, extreme weather situation, etc.) adaptable responses that mitigate liabilities could be formulated; (2) Agile legal strategy aligned with business priorities – I work closely with senior management and various functional department such as finance, operations, investor relations, etc. to align legal decisions with business continuity goals. I also monitor regulatory updates and advocate for compliance yet pragmatic solutions to keep the business operational; (3) Stakeholders communication and reputation safeguarding – I maintain clear communication with board members and regulators to build trusts and reduces legal backlash; and (4) Long-term resilience building – I put in efforts to update compliance related protocol and conduct internal trainings to integrate legal and compliance foresight into business planning, operation and decision making.    

What is the biggest shift you have seen in the role of General Counsel in the past five years, and how do you see it evolving further?

The most significant shift in the role of General Counsel over the past five years has been the transformation from a primarily “reactive, compliance-focused” function to a “strategic, value-driving” partner at the leadership table. This evolution reflects broader trends like heightened regulatory complexity, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) imperatives, digital disruption, and the rising importance of risk agility in volatile markets, which are further elaborated in the following:

(1) From Legal advisor to strategic enabler – General Counsel is required to assist in shaping business strategy, advising on opportunities (e.g., digital transformation, ESG investments) alongside risks; (2) Technology as a catalyst – legal technology (AI, contract automation, predictive analytics) may have shifted General Counsel from manual processes to data-driven decision-making; (3) ESG and reputation stewardship – nowadays stakeholders demand accountability beyond financials. Some General Counsel may lead ESG compliance (e.g., climate disclosures) while mitigating litigation risks; (4) Crisis preparedness as a core competency – the pandemic and geopolitical upheavals forced General Counsel to embed crisis-response frameworks (e.g., force majeure clauses, sanctions protocols) into everyday operations.  

For the way forward, General Counsel will grapple with ethical AI use, intellectual property in generative AI, and regulatory gaps as AI adoption grows. Besides, with fractured regulations (e.g., US-China tensions), General Counsels will need to balance localisation with global strategy.  Further, General Counsels would be required to drive accountability in corporate culture (e.g., whistleblower protections) and sustainability reporting.