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
Last week, Legal 500 had the absolute pleasure of celebrating the launch of the GC Powerlist Canada 2026. With the skylines of Toronto and Vancouver as our incredible backdrop, we gathered at DLA Piper’s offices in both cities with some of the most prestigious names in the country’s in-house legal community.
Behind those names, titles and recognitions are exceptional professionals who, over the past year, have demonstrated remarkable resilience, a commitment to innovation, and an impeccable understanding of what it means to be a good leader in a profession that is under constant pressure and change.
During the evening, Carmen Godoy, lead editor of this year’s GC Powerlist Canada, welcomed attendees and shared the findings of this year’s research. Throughout the past year, key themes emerged, including resilience in the face of uncertainty, the responsible integration of AI into the legal function, and the growing strategic role of the general counsel within the business.
What stood out most during the research was how the legal leaders recognised in this year’s Powerlist understand that the lasting impact of their achievements must be grounded in a leadership style that always puts people first.
During our events, Russel Drew, Partner and CEO at DLA Piper Canada in Toronto, and Brian Hiebert, Partner at DLA Piper Canada in Vancouver, also shared words of encouragement and gratitude, recognising the important and valuable contributions that our powerlisters make to their organisations and to the broader legal profession.
We would like to thank DLA Piper for its support in fostering these opportunities to bring together the in-house legal community around the world.
And to our powerlisters, congratulations on a truly well-deserved recognition. It was a great pleasure to host you and learn more about your experiences and achievements. Thank you for being part of our GC community, and we hope to see you again soon.
Carmen Godoy Martin – Lead editor GC Powerlist Canada 2026.
