Team size: 115

What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past twelve months?

In addition to my ongoing responsibilities in corporate governance, corporate secretary matters, and compliance, I was involved in several high-stakes strategic matters over the past twelve months. These included a business divestiture valued at approximately $3bn, where I played a leading role in negotiations with the buyer to finalize the definitive agreement within the contemplated timeline.

Another project was the Chapter 11 reorganisation of a key business partner, where I led negotiations to establish a feasible structure within FDI and antitrust regulatory requirements, navigating the complexities of the Chapter 11 process and securing the necessary approvals.

I was also involved in a major international arbitration brought against the company, which concluded successfully, including recovery of legal fees from the claimant; and negotiations with a key customer on a critical commercial project through an international mediation process.

Across these matters, my role was to help align legal strategy with the company’s broader business objectives, working closely with internal stakeholders, external counsel and advisors to support outcomes that protected and advanced the company’s interests.

Please describe a situation where your advice had a significant impact on business outcomes or objectives.

In the critical projects described above, I worked closely with my team and the business teams to improve key transaction terms so that the company’s commercial and strategic interests were appropriately reflected in the final agreements. In the major arbitration matter, I collaborated with colleagues across geographies and functions to develop a cohesive defense strategy, which ultimately led to a successful outcome, including dismissal of the claims and recovery of legal costs. These experiences reinforced my belief that the most effective legal advice comes from being closely integrated with the business and from mobilising cross-functional expertise toward a shared objective.

Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?

Two pivotal moments stand out in my career, both involving decisions to embrace unfamiliar challenges.

The first came early in my career, when — after five years of corporate M&A practice in Tokyo and two years of training through a U.S. LL.M. program and a U.S. law firm — I moved to Shanghai to join the firm’s China practice. It was a leap into a very different legal and business environment, and it gave me the opportunity to broaden my experience across a wide range of matters while also learning how to build trust and work effectively with international colleagues and stakeholders across cultures.

The second was taking on a global general counsel role at a multinational company. Leading a legal function across multiple jurisdictions, cultures and business lines, in close alignment with senior management, requires a very different skill set from private practice, and it has been the most rewarding professional challenge of my career.

AI remains at the forefront of conversations about the future. How can in-house counsel ensure the successful integration of legal tech, while maintaining the human element?

The evolution of AI tools continues at a remarkable pace, and the ability of in-house counsel to adopt and use these tools effectively will be an important factor in delivering strong legal support to the business. To do so, in-house lawyers need a clear understanding of what AI can do well, where its limitations lie and where human judgment remains indispensable. With that foundation, in-house counsel can use AI to enhance efficiency and insight while preserving the human elements that matter most: contextual judgment, relationship-building, creative problem-solving and ethical stewardship. The lawyers who will thrive in this environment are not those who resist the technology, nor those who rely on it uncritically, but those who learn to use it thoughtfully and responsibly.

What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

What drives me most is the opportunity to keep growing — both personally and together with the people around me. I find real fulfillment in working through challenging issues collaboratively with colleagues, business clients and external stakeholders across geographies, backgrounds and cultures. At its best, legal work is not a solitary exercise; it is about building trust, earning mutual respect and finding solutions together. That process — navigating complexity as a team and arriving at an outcome that no one could have achieved alone — is what makes this profession so meaningful and rewarding to me.