Renowned for its debt capital markets expertise, Zaid Ibrahim & Co is frequently instructed on complex mandates involving the issuance of bonds, commercial papers and medium term notes. The team’s experience of securitisation and structured finance extends across real property, hire purchase receivables and whole business securitisations. Lilian Liew and Chin Sook Kwan form the duo who head up the practice. Liew is a popular choice for large debt restructurings and sustainability-linked financing. Sook Kwan is highly regarded for her expertise in asset securitisation and other structured financing transactions.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Mentions
Profile
Work Department
Capital Markets
Position
Partner
Career
Sook Kwan’s work encompasses a variety of debt transactions including direct and syndicated corporate loans, conventional and Islamic private debt securities, project finance transactions, aircraft and ship financing. Sook Kwan also advises clients on asset securitisation and other structured financing transactions. She was legal counsel for a number of securitisation transactions in Malaysia including the first of such transactions approved under the Securities Commission guidelines.
Sook Kwan has been named as a leading lawyer in banking and finance and debt capital markets in many notable publications including Chambers, Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal and IFLR. She was one of only six lawyers from Malaysia included in the IFLR1000 Women Leaders Guide since 2018 up till 2023. She has also won multiple awards for her role in capital market transactions from, among others, Islamic Finance News, Asian Legal Business, Malaysia Law Awards and nominated for leading deals at the Financial Times Asia Pacific Innovative Lawyers Awards. Sook Kwan is also listed in Malaysia’s Top 100 Lawyers by Asia Business Law Journal since 2020.
Sook Kwan began her legal career at Russell McVeagh Mckenzie Bartleet & Co, one of the largest commercial law firms in New Zealand. In 1996, Sook Kwan returned to Malaysia and joined Zaid Ibrahim & Co. as an Associate. Sook Kwan was made a Partner of the firm in 2000.
Languages
- English
- Malay
Education
- Advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya (1996)
- Barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand (1993)
- Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree from Victoria University, New Zealand
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The team at ZICO is one of the leading capital markets practices in Malaysia and have been at the forefront of offshore financing in the conventional and sukuk markets for a number of years. Their depth of knowledge and experience provides a strong value add to any transaction.’
‘Sook Kwan and Lilian are both very approachable and commercial when acting on capital markets matters, solutions-oriented and able to guide the parties to a sensible outcome.’
Key clients
- HSBC Amanah Malaysia Berhad
- Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad
- Maybank Investment Bank Berhad
- CIMB Investment Bank Berhad
Work highlights
Advised HSBC Amanah Malaysia Berhad on the first ever Islamic Securitisation Transaction in Malaysia.
Acted as legal advisers to (i) Maybank Investment Bank Berhad as the principal adviser, and (ii) CIMB Investment Bank Berhad and Maybank Investment Bank Berhad as the joint lead arrangers for the establishment of an Islamic commercial papers programme and Islamic medium term notes programme.