What are the most significant cases or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

It has been a challenging year for our legal team as we managed multiple tasks and juggled several projects simultaneously. We have explored several renewable energy projects in Southeast Asia, and it has been an interesting period as we learn the laws and regulations of different jurisdictions, as well as understand the technical issues involved in dealing with such energy projects.

Closer to home, Malaysia has recently started the Corporate Green Power Program which provides companies the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint. We have been actively involved in this programme and look forward to seeing the country achieve its renewable energy capacity targets.

What are some of your main tips for dealing with a crisis?

No matter what precautions are taken, at some point in our lives, we must deal with a professional crisis. The most important thing is to stay calm and take control of the situation.

It is important to identify the issue, get all the necessary details and try to solve it. Do not hesitate to ask for help because some things are beyond our ability. Reaching out and asking for suggestions does not make you an incompetent leader, it makes you a pragmatic one.

We are likely to encounter countless crises throughout our working lives and each crisis is a lesson learned. Remember that learning from our experiences or mistakes is what makes us better at our jobs.

How do you see the general counsel role evolving in Malaysia over the next five-ten years?

As the law is always evolving, I believe the general counsel needs to become more adaptable to the changing times. It is no longer sufficient for the general counsel to simply be a skilled lawyer, but what other additional abilities can they bring to the table. The role will not only require commercial and strategic skills but being tech savvy will also be an important part of the job.

Artificial intelligence (“AI”) is becoming an integral part of the legal field, from being used to help draft contracts, predict legal outcomes and conduct extensive legal research. We must embrace, adapt and acknowledge that AI is the way forward.