Thailand 2024
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Department head - international legal and intellectual property | Boon Rawd Brewery Company
Director in Legal Affairs, Company Secretary and Director | Tao Kae Noi Food and Marketing
Senior director – legal, compliance and quality | Ek-Chai Distribution Systems (Lotus)
Assistant general counsel APAC | McKinsey & Company
General counsel Thailand and general counsel for homecare Southeast Asia | Unilever Thai Trading
Vice president, legal affairs and compliance | Berli Jucker
Senior specialist counsel | Agoda
Rising Star
Head of legal compliance strategic initiatives, legal, compliance and risk | Token X
Executive vice president, head of compliance | Siam Commercial Bank
Vice president and head of legal | TCC Assets Thailand
Executive vice president, legal and international projects | Thoresen Group
Head of business laws counselling | Asset World Corporation
General counsel | HSBC Thailand
Currently serving as HSBC’s country general counsel for Thailand, John Cordova is passionate about serving HSBC’s clients. He brings them a breadth of banking and financial solutions, helping them connect...
Regional legal manager | Dole Food and Beverages Group
Head of legal compliance and risk management APAC | Limagrain
Senior Legal Director | Bitkub Capital Group Holdings
Director, global legal and compliance | Pandora Productions
Senior Legal Counsel, South East Asia | Align Technology Thailand
Rising Star
Deputy head of legal and compliance group | Kiatnakin Phatra Financial Group
General manager, legal department | CG Corporation
Rising Star
General manager compliance management and legal | Mercedes-Benz
Legal Lead of Corporate and Content | LINE Company
Rising Star
Legal and compliance deputy division manager, company secretary | AGC Vinythai
Senior Executive Vice President, Office of General Counsel | PTT Public Company
Chief legal compliance and financial crime officer | KrungThai Bank
Vice president, legal and compliance, company secretary | Major Development
Company secretary and head of legal, compliance and international tax | Thai Union Group
Group head of legal and corporate affairs and company secretary | aCommerce Group
Executive vice president, head of legal affairs division and company secretary | The Stock Exchange of Thailand
General counsel, Thailand and Mekong region | PwC
Chief commercial officer and general counsel | Minor International
Vice president – legal and compliance | Country Group Development
Counsel – utilities, infrastructure, technology contract, labour, general procurement law division | Siam Commercial Bank
Rising Star
Chief Legal Officer and company secretary | Bangkok Glass
Assistant vice president, legal and compliance | Shera
Senior vice president , legal department | The Erawan Group
First vice president, legal | Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC)
Country Head of Legal & Secretariat Data Protection Officer | UOB United Overseas Bank (Thai)
Legal director, head of litigation and regulation department | True Corporation
Company secretary and legal director | Carabao Group
Legal senior manager, dispute resolution and litigation legal department | Delta Electronics (Thailand)
Senior vice president – general counsel and data protection officer | Thai Group Holdings
Vice president, senior lawyer, utilities and infrastructure law division | Siam Commercial Bank
Rising Star
It is with the warmest of congratulations to all the successful GCs featured from everyone at The Legal 500 that I welcome you to the second edition of The Thailand GC Powerlist: 2024.
This year, we have built on the success of 2023’s opening publication by creating an even more exclusive grouping of top GCs in Thailand, with the absolute cream of the crop featured within the 2024 edition. Some lucky people are featured for a second time, but there are plenty of new faces this year too. We have also added some particularly precocious rising stars into the mix, people who will be the business leaders of the future and help steer the Thai economy as it continues to grow.
As always, the interviews we did were particularly illuminating. One of the topics we consistently see as being important for the GCs we speak to around the world is getting the most out of the other members of the legal team; in short, how to motivate each individual in the team in order to foster excellent team work. Akarin Aganidad of Boon Rawd Brewery gave a particularly well thought out answer to this question which bears highlighting:
“I keep my legal team motivated and manage their morale in many ways.
Share as much information as possible: during times of disruption and transition, as has been the case recently, communication is king. Hold virtual meetings or send email updates more frequently, share useful information as much as you can about what is happening and what will happen next.
Set clear goals and expectations: legal team members are less likely to feel unsettled by disruption if they have tangible goals to work towards. Set these goals carefully — they should be challenging but realistic. Escalating workloads can place considerable strain on team members, so meet regularly with your team to evaluate workloads, set priorities and rebalance responsibilities. Encourage teamwork, as change or challenge is less intimidating when teams confront it together. By giving individuals opportunities to contribute their skills and ideas in a positive way, you can encourage team members to feel a sense of accomplishment in everyday tasks.
Show appreciation: adapting to change is never easy, so it’s important to give kudos to teams who rise to the challenge. Show appreciation for outstanding work during the most crucial weeks and months by recognizing achievements or providing appropriate rewards — thank-you notes, gift cards, or public recognition during meetings or company events, for example.
Set clear performance standards: hold regular staff meetings to discuss what went right and what went wrong in specific instances, stressing that these meetings are not about assigning blame but resolving problems. Approaching these instances in a positive, proactive, and collaborative manner can leave the team feeling involved in the process. Having a role in establishing these performance standards will leave them feeling invested in meeting them.”
None of the research for this year’s edition could have been possible without the four excellent Law Firms who sponsored the 2024 edition. Thank you to Chandler MHM, Herbert Smith Freehills, Kudun & Partners and Tilleke & Gibbins for all their hard work in helping to put the GC Powerlist Thailand together – many of those featured here have them to thank for the accolade. Thank you also to the Thai-CCA for providing a number of key names and support along the way too.
Finally, a huge congratulations once again to everyone featured, and we look forward to the next edition!
Joe Boswell
Global Editor: The Legal 500 GC Powerlist
On July 8th, Legal 500, in exclusive partnership with PLMJ, proudly unveiled a new edition of the GC Powerlist: Portugal, this time marking the first-ever Teams issue. Hosted at PLMJ’s Lisbon office, the highly anticipated event brought together the country’s most prominent and accomplished corporate legal teams to celebrate this important milestone.
Over 120 general counsel and senior in-house lawyers attended the evening reception, representing leading legal departments across Portugal. The event began with a warm welcome from Francisco Castro, Legal 500’s editorial lead for the publication. In his opening remarks, Francisco set the tone for the evening by emphasising the significance of this new format, which shifts the spotlight from individuals to entire teams. He noted that in today’s fast-evolving business landscape, in-house legal departments play a central role in their organisations’ success – and the publication seeks to reflect the strength and collaboration of Portugal’s in-house legal community.
Next to speak was Bruno Ferreira, Managing Partner at PLMJ, who delivered heartfelt congratulations to those selected for the GC Powerlist: Portugal Teams 2025. In his address, he highlighted the indispensable role in-house legal teams play in supporting business operations and advancing legal excellence. His words served as a strong endorsement of the value, resilience, and strategic insight these teams bring to the table.
Concluding the speeches was Daniela Silva e Sousa, General Counsel at Start Campus, who delivered a compelling keynote address. Speaking to her peers, she reinforced the growing importance of legal departments in shaping the future of their organisations and helping them navigate complexity and innovation.
Overall, the launch of the GC Powerlist: Portugal Teams 2025 was a resounding success – an evening of recognition, reflection, and celebration. It not only honoured the exceptional talent within the in-house legal community but also reaffirmed Legal 500’s commitment to showcasing the remarkable contributions of legal professionals across Portugal.
On behalf of Legal 500, we extend our sincere thanks to PLMJ for their continued partnership. We look forward to returning to Lisbon in October for the GC Summit: Portugal 2025.
