Malaysia 2026
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Executive vice president, regional group legal, corporate and secretarial affairs | Asahi Holdings
Head of legal and data protection officer (APAC) | Noventiq Holdings
Group head of legal, governance and compliance | Hyundai Motor Malaysia & Hyundai Manufacturing Malaysia
Managing director, legal operations, Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa | FedEx
Legal manager, indirect procurement AMEA | Kellogg Company
Legal manager and company secretary | Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia
Head Legal, Group Global Banking, and Regional Head, Legal | Maybank Investment Bank
Legal and compliance director and company secretary | Carlsberg Malaysia
Senior general manager, legal, corporate secretarial and compliance | Malaysia Marine & Heavy Engineering Holdings
Associate general counsel - global labour and employment APAC | JABIL
Director of legal affairs and general counsel | Network Innovations
It is a great honour for Legal 500 to bring the second Malaysia-only edition to life. As one of the most forward-looking Southeast Asian legal hubs, Malaysia is home to some of the legal teams of the companies that are driving change in the region. As our previous research into the Southeast Asian in-house legal market gave us a great insight into high-ranking in-house legal leaders in Malaysia, this powerlist edition allowed us to get a deeper insight into the intricacies of the in-house legal community of this fast-growing market.
Since our last research on Malaysia’s in-house legal market individually, in 2023, the evolution of the in-house legal practice has been remarkable. Throughout your interviews, your focus on AI and automatization, regulatory compliance, digital transformation, specialised advisory services, and Malaysia’s growth in the ASEAN trade market has drawn a very innovative and forward-looking picture of the Malaysian in-house legal community.
From the Legal 500 team, a warm congratulations to all the highlighted in-house senior legal talent in this last edition of the GC Powerlist: Malaysia 2026. Thank you for your openness and willingness to share with us your insights on the in-house legal market in the country. We look forward to keeping in touch with and learn from you in the future!
Carmen Godoy Martin
Editor- Corporate Counsel
Legal 500
On 9 June, Legal 500 hosted the launch of the GC Powerlist: Brazil 2026 at the Grand Hyatt in São Paulo, once again in exclusive partnership with Cescon Barrieu – marking the fourth consecutive year of collaboration with our longstanding key partner in the country. This flagship publication celebrates the most accomplished and influential in-house lawyers in Brazil, bringing together leading corporate legal professionals to recognise their outstanding achievements.
The evening opened with remarks from Francisco Castro, Research Editor at Legal 500 and editorial lead behind the publication. He highlighted the exceptional accomplishments of this year’s honourees and shared key insights drawn from the research and submissions process, including the prominence of certain industries, the continued expansion of in-house roles into executive and strategic functions, and the growing diversity, particularly the increasing presence of women in legal leadership positions.
This was followed by remarks from Alexandre Barreto, Managing Partner at Cescon Barrieu, who congratulated the featured general counsel and reflected on the ongoing evolution of Brazil’s legal and business sectors. He underscored the importance of recognising the in-house legal community and noted how the firm continues to adapt to the shifting demands of both clients and the wider business landscape.
With over 100 guests in attendance, including many of Brazil’s leading corporate legal professionals, the event once again demonstrated Legal 500 and Cescon Barrieu’s shared commitment to championing the country’s in-house legal talent.
Legal 500 extends its sincere thanks to Cescon Barrieu for their continued partnership, now in its fourth consecutive year. We are also pleased to announce our return to Brazil later this year with the GC Summit Premier, our new flagship platform for in-house counsel to exchange ideas, strengthen networks, and explore the key legal challenges shaping today’s business environment.
