Vietnam 2023
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Head of legal and external affairs | British American Tobacco Vietnam
Chief legal officer - general counsel | Asian Coast Development (Canada)
Deputy CEO in charge of legal and compliance division | VinES Energy Solutions
Country finance controller, head of legal, tax and compliance | ofi (Olam Food Ingredients) Vietnam
Senior legal manager | Industrial and Commercial Bank of China - Hanoi City Branch
Director of legal affairs and organizational capacity development | AstraZeneca
Legal contracts manager | Gelex Group Joint Stock Company
Senior legal manager, legal and compliance | SEA Logistic Partners (SLP)
Vice president, legal | Coca Cola Beverages Vietnam
Spotlight on… Tran Bui currently serves as the vice president, legal and local ethics officer at Coca-Cola Beverages Vietnam. She joined the company in 2019, with her role operating as...
Investment and corporate legal manager | A group of companies in renewable energy
Head of Legal and Compliance | Vietnam Investors Service and Credit Rating Agency
On behalf of The Legal 500, we are truly delighted to introduce our first-ever GC Powerlist: Vietnam 2023! This edition marks a milestone publication for the Vietnamese legal community, as this meticulously researched document represents our inaugural Vietnamese edition of the GC Powerlist series, The Legal 500’s premier title celebrating and awarding the world’s top in-house lawyers. After covering Southeast Asia as a region for many years, we decided it was high time to highlight and recognise the exceptional community of in-house counsel active within one of the world’s most dynamic and rapidly-growing economies, and the excellent corporate counsel who make it work. This research could not have been possible without the cooperation of three of Vietnam’s leading law firms: DFDL Legal & Tax, Frasers Law Company and VILAF, whose expertise and assistance was instrumental in making this edition such a success.
We are proud to present insightful conversations with Vietnam’s finest corporate counsel as we look to celebrate their respective achievements. Our in-depth interviews have yielded fascinating insights into the intricate and often complex world of corporate legal counsel. The publication showcases the many impressive transactions, projects and innovations led by these individuals, the evolving role of in-house counsel in Vietnam, and the trends that are transforming the traditional legal approach to business operations.
In the interviews our research team conducted, there is a noticeably prevailing belief that the scope of the general counsel role should extend beyond its conventional boundaries. The general counsel is not solely a highly skilled legal professional; rather, they are expected to now serve as a business partner responsible for influencing strategic direction and crucial decision-making. For example, Mai Phuong Thao, legal and compliance manager at Roche Vietnam envisions that “in the next five to ten years, the function of the general counsel will undergo significant change due to the constantly shifting and intricate nature of Vietnam’s legal framework. This transformation requires a multidimensional and strategic approach. In addition to providing regulatory guidance, the general counsel’s responsibilities must extend beyond traditional legal activities. They should take on greater responsibilities in the areas of corporate governance and sustainability, including actively shaping the company’s strategy, with a strong emphasis on compliance and risk management, while simultaneously ensuring business effectiveness. Additionally, it is essential for general counsel to interact with the larger legal community and advocate for government policies. This activity not only strengthens their position within their respective organisation but also raises awareness of crucial legal issues, ultimately contributing to Vietnam’s social development”.
Alongside the evolving role of the general counsel, there is the emergence of novel technologies which are transforming the way in-house teams perform. The implementation of AI for research, the digitalisation of contracts, and the creation of repositories all enhance the capabilities of the legal function. However, despite the opportunities there are potential pitfalls that must be considered. a sentiment shared Nguyen Thi Phuc, senior legal manager of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China – Hanoi City Branch. They believe that that the growing digital revolution ‘brings new opportunities and markets … but it also increases regulatory and cybersecurity risks’.
These interviews offer a thoughtful yet engaging understanding of Vietnam’s legal community, providing insight into the mindset of top-tier corporate counsel and the wide array of challenges they must navigate – from regulation to technological innovation and beyond – to play an integral part in their business’s success. By reading these interviews it is clear to see why these individuals are trusted legal and business partners in equal measure.
On behalf of everyone at The Legal 500, and especially our GC Powerlist research team, we would like to extend our congratulations and gratitude to everyone who was featured in this inaugural edition of the Vietnam Powerlist. We thank them for sharing their time and insights, allowing us to celebrate their achievements and acknowledging their rightfully earned spot in this milestone edition. We also look forward to future publications celebrating the achievements of the excellent Vietnamese GC community.
From our editorial team on this project:
Joe Boswell | Global Editor, The Legal 500 Powerlist Series
Jugroop Singh | Research Analyst
The recent news that elite US firm Sullivan & Cromwell had apologised to a judge over AI hallucinations in a court filing prompted a collective wince from the legal profession.
But while some lawyers remain wary of AI, others are striking a more open-minded note, and at the LexisNexis AI Forum hosted this Wednesday (20 May) by Legal 500 and Legal Business, panelists argued that the risks are far outweighed by the opportunities.
Barbara Zapisetskaya, principal technology counsel at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, made the case that hallucinations and other potential pitfalls can be overcome with a shift in mindset.
‘What makes a difference,’ she said, ‘is empowering your lawyers to take responsibility for AI output – helping them become active AI operators, not just passive AI users. You have agency to decide whether you agree with the output or not.’
Zapisetskaya was among a line-up of leading in-house figures speaking on two panels, which covered everything from practical steps for AI implementation to the key decisions GCs need to be making in the coming months.
Financial Times general counsel Dan Guilford began by stressing the importance of building the right culture for AI adoption. In addition to proactively upskilling himself, Guilford talked about how he had implemented a voluntary weekly ‘show and tell’ meeting for team members to share successful use cases – or an exercise that became a gratifying measure of progress.
Other panelists discussed how increased in-house productivity is altering the dynamic with their external counsel.
While some see the use of AI by law firms as a precursor for reduced fees, Russell Davies, head of global operations for legal and compliance at Dentsu, said that faster results – however they are delivered – are something to be valued.
GSK assistant general counsel Anthony Kenny agreed, saying that while there was an expectation that external counsel would be utilising AI, the focus should be on the value of the output, rather than an overemphasis on identifying AI use as a justification to reduce fees.
Speaking on the second panel, MUFG EMEA general counsel James Morgan stressed the critical importance of education, noting that educating the C-suite on the advantages and risks of AI is just as important as enabling large in-house teams to use these tools.
Shanthini Satyendra, vice-chair of the AI Committee, Society for Computers & Law, CEO and founder of Manisain, offered a reminder of the importance of making the connection between tasks and the purpose behind them, extolling the virtues of identifying use cases for AI that can solve a meaningful problem.
Zapisetskaya concurred, adding that one of the most important tasks for GCs across the next six to twelve months is to create AI playbooks and templates, noting that ‘it is easy for lawyers to see problems – much harder for lawyers to see opportunities.’
There was also broad agreement among panellists that GCs should focus on upskilling their junior lawyers on AI, rather than – as some may expect – cutting back their workforce. As Satyendra summarised: ‘Some people are replacing human capital with AI without thinking about what’s required to make AI work. Retain your people and train them up.’
The panels were moderated by Emma Millington, head of the UK Lexis+ Finance Group, and LexisNexis director of segment management Stuart Greenhill.
