Rutheran Sivagnanam, Managing Partner, The Chambers of R. Sivagnanam & Associates

As the Managing Partner of RSA Chambers, Mr Sivagnanam commands nearly 3 decades of experience over a wide sphere of practice. He started his career in the field of employment and industrial law which continues to be amongst the firm's leading practice divisions. Here he continues to lead the firm in difficult cases, leveraging upon his wide industry knowledge and multidisciplinary strengths. His dispute resolution practice is supported by his wide ranging practical and sectoral knowledge which enables Mr Sivagnanam to marshal convincing arguments bringing together commercial pragmatism and depth across a wide spectrum of legal principles. In the field of Employment Law, he pioneered wage reform by restructuring old collective agreements and phased out uncompetitive practices, paving the way for new and robust reward schemes and PLWS systems. He also took on industrial conflict and fiduciary infractions at the highest levels. Since our inception he has aggressively diversified the firm and his own sphere of practice, across the Corporate and Commercial value chain. This transformed RSA Chambers over the last 2 decades into what it is today - a robust full-service practice, with a credible cross border footing. He has been able to carve out a unique and niche practice in the fast-paced corporate sector where he is called upon to advise leading corporations, prominent entrepreneurs, high net individuals and institutions in a wide range of complex issues and transactions. These include navigating the establishment of joint ventures, acquisitions, commercial supply contracts, capital raising and insolvency related problems and challenges. 

Eric Lim, Head of Corporate & Governance Legal, CelcomDigi Berhad

Eric is the Head of Corporate & Governance Legal at CelcomDigi, Malaysia’s largest mobile network provider. He advises CelcomDigi on a wide range of legal matters, counting corporate transactions, capital markets and financing transactions, joint ventures, partnerships and governance matters. Eric also handles all legal matters pertaining to CelcomDigi’s innovation and technology businesses. Prior to joining CelcomDigi, he had led teams in the areas of fintech, oil and gas, renewables, satellite and digital platform development. Outside of law, he reads widely on strategy, finance and technology. Eric obtained his LLB in 2005 from the University of London.

Fareez Zahir, Head, Group Corporate Affairs, Prolintas Group of Companies

Fareez is currently the Head of the Group Corporate Affairs Division of Prolintas Group covering all Legal, Company Secretarial and Compliance matters. Fareez has more than 15 years of experience in many industries ranging from media, retail to property and infrastructure development. Fareez loves applying his wide-ranging experience to help companies establish sustainable systems and governance policies.

Jeny Yeh, Head of Legal, ACO Tech Sdn Bhd

Jeny Yeh is the Head of Legal at ACO Tech, specializing in vehicle connectivity and smart technology. With a strong background in law and a focus on AI ethics, she combines innovation with legal standards. Her leadership earned her team the Technology, Media and Telecommunications In-House Team of the Year at the Thomson Reuters ALB Malaysia Law Awards 2024. Jeny was also a finalist in several categories, including In-House Lawyer of the Year and Woman Lawyer of the Year. Through her collaborative approach and notable achievements, she bridges the gap between technology and compliance for a more innovative future.

Lee Eng Yeow, Chief Corporate Counsel, Chevron Malaysia Limited

Lee Eng Yeow is the Chief Corporate Counsel at Chevron Malaysia Limited, with a rich background in corporate legal advisory. He has both in-house and practicing experience in corporate transactions and advisories in Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand), including, cross-border M&A, corporate restructurings, due diligence exercises, foreign direct investments, joint ventures/shareholder arrangements, commercial contracts, securities laws and exchange control regulations. Lee is polyglot and can speak English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and multiple Chinese dialects fluently.

Nik Azli Abu Zahar, Group General Counsel, Telekom Malaysia

Nik Azli has extensive experience as an in-house legal counsel and has been part of the leadership team of several prominent organisations. Prior to joining TM, Nik Azli held several pivotal positions at companies such as Sapura Energy Berhad and Malaysia Airlines Berhad, with notable and commendable achievements. Whilst practising law, he was one of the advisers for several multinational companies in commercial transactions and energy and utility projects, including overseas transactions and projects spanning from China to the Middle East. Nik has also held board positions in investment companies of Malaysia Airlines and Telekom Malaysia, recently at Digital Nasional Berhad, DNB. He was also one of the recipients of the Energy and Resources In-House Legal Team Award at the prestigious Asia Legal Business (ALB) Malaysia Law Awards in 2015. Last year, he was recognised and enlisted in the Legal 500 GC Powerlist Malaysia 2023.

Ong Yin Ee, General Manager, Head, Group Legal, Compliance & Risk Management, Warisan TC Holdings Berhad

Yin Ee takes on a huge set of responsibilities for Warisan TC Holdings Berhad, a conglomerate with main activities in automotive, machinery, travel, car rental and consumer products. As well as being general manager and head of group legal, compliance and risk management, she also functions as the group integrity officer, group sustainability liaison officer and the designated compliance officer for the Group's insurance company. Alongside legal and regulatory advice, she is a trusted advisor on the Group’s activities both in Malaysia and abroad, particularly in the areas of risk management, sustainability, anti- bribery and corruption as well as anti-money laundering. Yin Ee has over 20 years of working experience in private practice, financial and automotive industries. Prior to working with Warisan, she was with Tan Chong Motor Holdings Berhad, OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, Hong Leong Financial Group and Bank Berhad. She has international experience, having worked at Hong Leong Bank Vietnam Limited for eight years and supported Hong Leong Bank’s investment in China.
 

Sharan Kaur, Head of Legal, Hong Leong Investment Bank Berhad

Senior Corporate Counsel with more than 20 years of experience in capital markets, investment banking, and asset management.  As Head of Legal at Hong Leong Investment Bank, Sharan leads high-value legal negotiations, ensuring business-enabling solutions and driving regulatory compliance initiatives. She has also played a key role in domestic and international M&A transactions in Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Dubai. An advocate for strategic legal leadership in financial services, she continues to drive legal innovation in an evolving regulatory landscape.

Sharifah Thaherah Alasree, Head of Legal & Regulatory, APAC and India, Infobip

With 20 years of experience in legal, corporate, government engagements and regulatory matters across industries like development and construction, waste management, telecommunications, oil and gas, E&E, and information technology, she is currently the Head of Legal & Regulatory for APAC and India at Infobip. She began her career as an advocate and solicitor, specializing in corporate law, and she is also a certified company secretary. She holds an MBA from the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom and an LLB (Hons) from the National University of Malaysia.

Thivina Kumaran, Head, Group Legal & Contracts, Muhibbah Engineering (M) Bhd

Thivina is the Head, Group Legal & Contracts of Muhibbah Engineering (M) Bhd, one of Malaysia’s renowned engineering, construction, oil & gas, marine and fabrication companies, with projects locally and internationally. She oversees the Group’s legal affairs, manages risk and provides legal advice for the various business units. She is also an accredited mediator, certified by the Malaysian Mediation Centre. Prior to this role, she was a partner in a law firm with a focus on civil and commercial disputes. 

Tricia Appaduray, Chief Compliance & Sustainability Officer, Berjaya Sompo Insurance Berhad

Tricia Appaduray is the Chief Compliance & Sustainability Officer at Berjaya Sompo Insurance Berhad with over 20 years of working experience including more than 8 years as a legal practitioner in 2 large KL based law firms. Specializing in regulatory compliance and sustainability, Tricia has a track record in navigating complex legal and regulatory landscape in Malaysia. She is a meticulous professional dedicated to ensuring organisational and adherence to legal standards, managing risks and fostering a culture of compliance. Currently based in Kuala Lumpur, Tricia oversees the Legal, Compliance, Risk Management, Company Secretarial and Sustainability departments within the company. Tricia is a committee member of the Joint Committee on Climate Change (JC3) and Persatuan Insurans Am Malaysia (PIAM)’s Committee on Regulatory Compliance. In 2023, she was included in the GC Powerlist Malaysia, an award recognising the best general counsels in Malaysia. In addition to their professional work, Tricia is passionate about volunteering in welfare societies and helping under privileged women and children. When not working, she enjoys playing pickleball!

Vernon Samuel, General Counsel, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Sdn Bhd

He oversees all legal and compliance matters for the assembly, retail and wholesale operations of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and spare parts in Malaysia. Additionally, he supports the regional hub functions based in Malaysia and provides legal counsel for the parts distribution operations to over 20 countries across the region. In 2024, he was recognized as one of Asia’s Top 15 General Counsels by Asian Legal Business while his department received the Manufacturing and Trade In-House Team of the Year award at the ALB SE Asia Law Awards.