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

As general counsel of Manulife Holdings Berhad (MHB), overseeing the legal, compliance, corporate governance and risk management functions of MHB’s subsidiaries, namely Manulife Insurance Berhad and Manulife Insurance Labuan, I manage a wide range of responsibilities which is testament to my adaptability and versatility. In the past 12 months, I have advised on the establishment of a number of key distribution partnerships, that were critical to the growth of the group’s insurance distribution, as well as tax issues impacting the life insurance industry. In addition to these, I continue to play a critical role within the group in building and managing regulatory relations and engagement on a variety of evolving issues, which are key to the group’s operations and the life insurance industry in Malaysia.

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most? Which have you found most useful in your legal team?

The ability to connect virtually whether via Zoom or Teams has resulted in greater flexibility in terms of work arrangements, as the team experienced a better work life balance. I did not feel the change compromised the quality of the work in any way, in fact the team adapted very quickly to flexible work arrangements and yet the level of team engagement remained solid and strong.

As we enter the next decade, what skills will a corporate legal team need to succeed in the modern in-house industry?

A corporate legal team must see itself as a stakeholder of the company’s direction and decisions, and that means a seat at the table where decisions are made, rather than just executing the directions of the senior leadership. The general counsel has a key role guiding and navigating the EXCO and the Board through the many aspects of its strategy and decisions, and maintaining the fine balance between doing business, taking risks appropriately and carefully managing its reputational risk. They should see themselves as confidantes, advisors and voices of reason of the CEO.

How do you suggest in-house lawyers build strong relationships with business partners?

Trust and candour are important, as is an understanding of the business needs and priorities, to help manage the right risks and exposures.