30 Asian Legal Business | September 2024 ALB Asia Top 15 GCs 2024 In the fast-paced world of Asian business, general counsel are emerging as key players in shaping corporate strategy. Gone are the days when these legal experts were confined to the sidelines of compliance and risk management. Today, they’re at the forefront of innovation, building trust, and driving their organisations forward. Rankings by Asian Legal Business, text by Nimitt Dixit importance of legal skills to advance a company’s vision. Through their insights, we can uncover the key performance indicators that matter most, the strategies employed to stay ahead of the curve, and the delicate balance between quantitative metrics and qualitative assessments. Measuring success The role of general counsel has evolved beyond traditional reputation management and risk mitigation. According to Beryl Sit, legal head of CITIC CLSA’s global investment banking business, success involves actively elevating the firm’s reputation and brand as a trusted and proficient partner for all our clients and stakeholders. She also emphasises the importance of building an effective legal team. “Achieving success requires proficient leadership in effectively guiding and nurturing a legal team that consistently engages in learning and upskilling to keep pace with the ever-evolving market and regulatory landscape. As a leader, it is crucial to uphold integrity, as team members will trust and follow a leader who demonstrates unwavering integrity,” Sit adds. Alex Au, director of legal (corporate and investment) at Link Asset Management, measures his legal team’s success by their level of involvement in the organisation’s business decision-making process. “This shows the level of trust we have in each other and it requires a lot of work and proactiveness to foster a true business partnership between the legal function and other functions,” Au says. “Quality legal advice is essential but, with a high level of trust among different functions, we can achieve even more for the organisation because our advice and solution would much better suit the needs of relevant business units and the overall corporate strategy,” he adds. Vernon Samuel, general counsel at Mercedes-Benz Malaysia agrees, saying he measures his success “by evaluThe role of general counsel in Asia’s corporate world has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years. No longer just legal advisors, these professionals have become integral to strategic decision-making and organisational success. As we celebrate the leading general counsel across the region, we explore how they’re redefining their roles and measuring their impact. Beryl Sit of CITIC CLSA encapsulates this shift, emphasising that true success lies in nurturing a legal team that thrives on continuous learning and integrity. Similarly, Alex Au of Link Asset Management highlights the transformative power of collaboration, where legal advice becomes a catalyst for business innovation. This paradigm shift is echoed by Vernon Samuel at MercedesBenz Malaysia, who measures success through alignment with strategic goals, ensuring that legal frameworks serve as enablers rather than obstacles. Thu Thien Pham of B Grimm Power emphasises the
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