Malaysia 2023
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Legal manager, indirect procurement AMEA | Kellogg Company
Group general manager, group legal and regulatory affairs | Media Prima
Director of legal affairs and general counsel | Asian Football Confederation
Head of legal, secretarial and corporate affairs division | Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings (PROLINTAS)
Group company secretary and head of corporate services | KNM Group
Head of legal and compliance - Malaysia | Airbus
Senior manager, legal and property management | Eco World
Head of legal, Malaysia, Australia and Philippines | OSRAM Opto Semiconductors
Legal and compliance | Panasonic Appliances Air-Conditioning Malaysia
Tan Ming Hong has spent 15 years as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya, handling dispute resolution matters from the first instance court to the supreme...
Assistant head division of corporate services | Penang Port
General counsel and chief strategy officer | OCR Group
Director, legal and compliance and company secretary | Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia
Senior vice president, group legal and group general counsel | Petronas
Senior general manager, legal, corporate secretarial and compliance | Malaysia Marine & Heavy Engineering Holdings
Associate general counsel - global labour and employment APAC | JABIL
Head, group legal, compliance and risk management | Warisan TC Holdings
Legal executive | Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings (PROLINTAS)
Chief legal officer and company secretary | AmGeneral Insurance
Executive director, general counsel, company secretary and head, corporate and support services | Khazanah Nasional
Vice President and general counsel, Asia Pacific | Emerson Automation Solutions
Assistant manager, legal | Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings (PROLINTAS)
Senior counsel, global operations | Ansell
A dedicated, experienced and well-regarded corporate counsel with close to 21 years of experience across a number of prominent companies in a diverse range of industry sectors. Shalinee Fernandez graduated...
Director of legal affairs and general counsel | Network Innovations
As one of the brightest lights on the Southeast Asia business scene, boasting some of the most prominent companies supported by highly qualified and distinguished legal teams, it is an honour to be able to launch this first-ever Malaysia-only edition of the GC Powerlist after so many years of the GC Powerlist being in circulation.
Through the Southeast Asia edition of the GC Powerlist, our research team has become well-acquainted with the hugely talented general counsel, chief legal officers and other high-ranking in-house legal leaders in Malaysia. What was excellent about this standalone Malaysia edition, however, was that we got to delve deeper into the in-house legal community of this wonderful market and speak to people we had not had the pleasure of interviewing before.
The results we, as always, extremely interesting, and gave light to a number of trends. Fintech and the new possibilities that it brings continues to loom large in the minds of many general counsel in Malaysia, but perhaps not quite as large as the spectre of AI. While some were sceptical of its benefits in recent years, many more are now looking towards it with great interest for the potential time-saving it heralds.
Congratulations to all the talented in-house lawyers who made it in to this first Malaysia- edition of the GC Powerlist series. From a long list of over 400 nominees, you are the highly qualified individuals who remain. We look forward to seeing how your careers progress going forward!
Joe Boswell
Global Editor, GC Powerlist Series
The Legal 500
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.
