What are the most significant cases, projects and/or transactions that you and/or your legal team have recently been involved in?

M&A – Singapore acquisition:

In January 2025 Linfox made its first foray into the Singapore logistics market with its acquisition of Masindo Logistics. Linfox legal engaged Clyde & Co to advise on the acquisition. This was a significant deal for Linfox, with Singapore having previously been one of the few markets in SE Asia in which it had no presence. The acquisition was a straight share purchase of the target group.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

It is essential to focus on people and process. Are we adequately resourced both in terms of the number of lawyers and also in terms of expertise to be able to support the business’s needs? Secondly, does the company have solid legal and compliance processes to follow which, in times of instability or crisis, provide certainty and guidance to stakeholders within the business, whether at the purely legal level, but also HR, finance, safety, operations levels too.

Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?

After over 20 years in SE Asia, I’ve seen significant change in the legal landscape, both at law firms but much more so in-house. Many Thai companies, or foreign companies with presence in Thailand, would not have any in-house representation in Thailand 20 years ago. This has now changed, and it is common for medium to large-sized companies to have a team of lawyers. Further, and importantly, the role of the General Counsel has changed from being merely transactional and advising on contracts, corporate matters, etc., to becoming a key strategic advisor to owners, boards of directors, and executive teams. Whilst this doesn’t speak to my own personal experiences, it is something that has been essential to have occurred in the legal market to allow me to take up the position I have now and for the legal teams to grow as they have done so. Thailand has an impressive lineup of in-house counsel, of which it can be proud.

We are currently living through a time of geopolitical change, and the world order that we have come to take for granted for many years is being rewritten. Does this affect your company’s risk profile and, if so, what are you doing to mitigate this?

We are looking to partner more closely with our customers to secure future growth and stability of service provision. This is reflected by Linfox’s JV with Boonrawd Brewery and its ongoing JV talks with two significant companies.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

Listening skills that contribute effectively to communication skills. Listening is the most underrated skill to have. Without this, the legal team’s advice can become misguided or even irrelevant.