Heart Of The Matter - A Podcast On Legal Developments From Around The World

"Do more with less" has been the call of many legal departments for almost a decade. Legal departments have had to ask themselves whether they are operating in a strategically sound manner when responding to this call. Thus, we are seeing a rise in legal operation functions in legal departments.

Legal department heads must find ways to maximize productivity, streamline processes, and create value. All this while keeping a close eye on costs.

In legal operations, multidisciplinary skills are combined to optimize the delivery of legal services. It is likely that you deal with legal operations already if you are in a legal department.

To find out how these legal departments can make the most of legal operations, we spoke with Nicolas Leroux, founder and managing partner of Kalexius, and Eric O'Donnell, head of legal operations at Total Energies.

Nicolas Leroux is the Founder and Managing Director of Kalexius. He leads operations across all practice areas and is responsible for strategic orientations and business development. Prior to founding Kalexius in 2011, Nicolas was in private practice, working on public international law and arbitration.

Nicolas is a member of the Geneva and Paris bars and holds a PhD in international law from Université Panthéon Assas Paris II

Eric O’Donnell qualified as a solicitor in Ireland in 1995 and began his in-house career soon afterwards in France with Eurosport, a pan-European sports broadcaster. There, he was responsible for operational aspects of the business and was involved in the launch of several language versions and the first “window” in the UK. In 2001, Eric changed sectors and moved to Chanel, the luxury company and in 2003 started in the Refining & Marketing branch of Total (now TotalEnergies). Over the next 10 years, Eric worked on several landmark files including the Black Empowerment project for Total South Africa, development projects in Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Egypt & Ghana), Asia (Pakistan), and Europe (UK), and a refining joint venture with Saudi Aramco in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. In 2013 Eric took up the position of Head of Legal Marketing & Services for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, covering the legal management of over 50 affiliates as well as development projects. He has been Head of Legal Operations for TotalEnergies since August 2018, where he has led a team that has implemented an ambitious innovation roadmap for TotalEnergies, including several digital projects.

What it takes for a company to be resilient is constantly evolving, driven by macro socio-economic disruptions and micro business issues influencing a change in business models. A four-part series with FTI Consulting and Conventus Law focusing on the key areas where organisations can protect value and take action, to address critical issues and mitigate risks.

We are in a period of rapid regulatory evolution with respect to data privacy. As Julie Brill, Chief Privacy Officer and Corporate Vice-President for Global Privacy and Regulatory Affairs, Microsoft says, “The regulatory tsunami is coming”. The data privacy landscape in Asia is varied, complex and evolving. We are already seeing the wheels of change in motion as the data privacy laws of several Asian jurisdictions are being updated to reflect more closely the European data protection regime (eg PIPL).

In this special episode, FTI Consulting's Gino Bello hosts Sandeep Jadav and Tim de Sousa at FTI Consulting to unpack the state of regulations in the data privacy space and how businesses can tackle these challenges.

Andrea Ng, Partner with Singapore-based law firm Shook Lin & Bok LLP takes a deeper look into the world of NFTs. How they are regulated, the complexities surrounding each NFT, and how NFTs make a business case for investors.

To find out more about NFT regulations in Singapore, visit https://www.shooklin.com/en/

Andrea specialises in trust, asset and wealth management matters with a focus on REITs. She advises on securities, funds, capital markets intermediaries and trusts-related regulatory matters such as capital markets licensing and securities offering requirements, private trusts and wealth management matters. She also advises on the establishment of private funds and handles the full range of fund documentation.

Andrea also advises on a wide range of corporate finance matters, such as listed company transactions, as well as general corporate matters, such as private equity investments and start-up funding matters.

More recently, Andrea has been advising on regulatory and transactional matters related to virtual assets/digital tokens and in particular, the regulatory regime surrounding token offerings. She has also advised intermediaries operating in the virtual assets/cryptocurrency space such as issuers and platform operators on the relevant licensing and regulatory requirements.

There is a naked ambition in Singapore for it to become a global fintech hub. Singapore has adopted a proactive approach to strengthening fintech by forming international partnerships and ensuring its regulators remain ahead of the curve.

Singapore's financial technology industry will likely become a global fintech hub if it continues to mature through its application in several industries and efforts to build a cohesive digital ecosystem.

To find out how Singapore can achieve this ambition, we spoke with Andrea Ng, partner at Singapore-based law firm Shook Lin & Bok LLP.

To find out more about crypto regulations in Singapore, visit https://www.shooklin.com/en/

Andrea specialises in trust, asset and wealth management matters with a focus on REITs. She advises on securities, funds, capital markets intermediaries and trusts-related regulatory matters such as capital markets licensing and securities offering requirements, private trusts and wealth management matters. She also advises on the establishment of private funds and handles the full range of fund documentation.

Andrea also advises on a wide range of corporate finance matters, such as listed company transactions, as well as general corporate matters, such as private equity investments and start-up funding matters.

More recently, Andrea has been advising on regulatory and transactional matters related to virtual assets/digital tokens and in particular, the regulatory regime surrounding token offerings. She has also advised intermediaries operating in the virtual assets/cryptocurrency space such as issuers and platform operators on the relevant licensing and regulatory requirements.

Singapore has one of the strictest requirements for Crypto Exchanges to obtain crypto exchange licenses. This has resulted in the small number of exchanges being granted licenses and some of the biggest names failing to obtain licenses. While Singapore's drive for "Best In Class" regulations may bring some short-term competitiveness issues, ultimately this could place Singapore as the main crypto exchange hub in the long run.

Andrea Ng, partner with Singapore-based law firm Shook Lin & Bok LLP joined us to discuss everything about crypto exchanges in Singapore and what the future holds.

To find out more about crypto regulations in Singapore, visit https://www.shooklin.com/en/

Andrea specialises in trust, asset and wealth management matters with a focus on REITs. She advises on securities, funds, capital markets intermediaries and trusts-related regulatory matters such as capital markets licensing and securities offering requirements, private trusts and wealth management matters. She also advises on the establishment of private funds and handles the full range of fund documentation.

Andrea also advises on a wide range of corporate finance matters, such as listed company transactions, as well as general corporate matters, such as private equity investments and start-up funding matters.

More recently, Andrea has been advising on regulatory and transactional matters related to virtual assets/digital tokens and in particular, the regulatory regime surrounding token offerings. She has also advised intermediaries operating in the virtual assets/cryptocurrency space such as issuers and platform operators on the relevant licensing and regulatory requirements.

In February this year, the MAS in Singapore introduced the new Financial Services and Markets Bill 2022 to regulate virtual asset service providers in Singapore. Andrea Ng, partner with Singapore-based law firm Shook Lin & Bok LLP joined us to discuss the potential impact on the crypto market.

To find out more about crypto regulations in Singapore, visit https://www.shooklin.com/en/

Andrea specialises in trust, asset and wealth management matters with a focus on REITs. She advises on securities, funds, capital markets intermediaries and trusts-related regulatory matters such as capital markets licensing and securities offering requirements, private trusts and wealth management matters. She also advises on the establishment of private funds and handles the full range of fund documentation.

Andrea also advises on a wide range of corporate finance matters, such as listed company transactions, as well as general corporate matters, such as private equity investments and start-up funding matters.

More recently, Andrea has been advising on regulatory and transactional matters related to virtual assets/digital tokens and in particular, the regulatory regime surrounding token offerings. She has also advised intermediaries operating in the virtual assets/cryptocurrency space such as issuers and platform operators on the relevant licensing and regulatory requirements.

In Vietnam, the fintech industry is growing rapidly, especially in the amount of investment and the number of new firms, which grew by over 150% since 2017. With the rise of e-commerce in Vietnam, digital payments have been the most prominent segment of the fintech landscape.

Knut Nguyen and Philip Ziter, lawyers with Vietnam-based law firm Russin & Vecchi joined us to discuss the fintech market in Vietnam. We discussed all areas of fintech including crypto, blockchain and NFTs, and the challenges for investors in this space. We also examined whether fintech regulations is keeping up to speed with Vietnam's wider narrative of increasing FDI activities.

For more on fintech in Vietnam, please visit https://www.russinvecchi.com.vn/

Nhut has experience in international business and multi-jurisdictional transactions.

His practice focuses principally on M&A, private equity, international finance, and inbound foreign investment in general.

Nhut has been involved in a number of large transactions in which he has acted for multinational clients to provide solutions to structure and to implement the transaction.

He has particular experience in structuring complex M&A deals that require creative structures of share acquisition in light of existing legal restrictions and ambiguities.

He has led the Russin & Vecchi team in various large-scale transactions, including comprehensive, non-conventional due diligence investigations, deal structuring, transaction documentation, performance of conditions precedent and rectification of due diligence issues, funding structures and funding documentation, closing coordination, and post-acquisition integration.

Nhut has practiced law in Vietnam for 20 years.

Prior to joining Russin & Vecchi, Philip worked in Vietnam as an attorney at a top tier regional law firm and later with a commercial firm involved in blockchain.

Philip advises on corporate and transactional matters, and on financing arrangements.

Philip has been legal advisor to a handful of startup companies. He is knowledgeable in the fintech, blockchain, and e-commerce industries in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the US.

Philip has also worked with manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and many entities in cross-border transactions.

He advises on inbound investments involving corporate finance, manufacturing, intellectual property, and mergers and acquisitions.

In light of the recent FDI reforms, what are the laws and regulations facing investors doing business in the Philippines. Ciselie Marie T. Gamo-Sisayan, partner of DivinaLaw joins us to discuss these matters.

Atty. Ciselie Marie T. Gamo-Sisayan is a partner of DivinaLaw. She is a corporate and tax practitioner for almost ten (10) years, and specializes in commercial and tax law, particularly mergers and acquisitions, taxation, cross-border investments, and regulatory compliance.

She has advised and represented foreign companies in their investments transactions in the Philippines, providing, among others, risk assessment and recommendation on legal strategy and structure. Among others, she has acted as lawyer for a multinational corporation engaged in music digital distribution in its share acquisition with a local entertainment corporation, and as Philippine counsel for a cross-border acquisition of a multinational company with Philippine presence. She also represented a leading logistics solutions provider in the Philippines in its joint venture with a foreign private equity company for a P6B investment. She also advised a multinational food and beverage company in conducting its nationwide regulatory compliance of its supply chain.

She obtained her Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Philippines College of Law – Diliman, and her Bachelor of Arts, major in Management Economics and minor in Philosophy from Ateneo de Manila University.

Ciselie Marie T. Gamo-Sisayan, partner of DivinaLaw joins us to discuss what sectors will benefit from the recent PSA amendments, what this means for FDI into the Philippines and what this means to the domestic economy.


Atty. Ciselie Marie T. Gamo-Sisayan is a partner of DivinaLaw. She is a corporate and tax practitioner for almost ten (10) years, and specializes in commercial and tax law, particularly mergers and acquisitions, taxation, cross-border investments, and regulatory compliance.

She has advised and represented foreign companies in their investments transactions in the Philippines, providing, among others, risk assessment and recommendation on legal strategy and structure. Among others, she has acted as lawyer for a multinational corporation engaged in music digital distribution in its share acquisition with a local entertainment corporation, and as Philippine counsel for a cross-border acquisition of a multinational company with Philippine presence. She also represented a leading logistics solutions provider in the Philippines in its joint venture with a foreign private equity company for a P6B investment. She also advised a multinational food and beverage company in conducting its nationwide regulatory compliance of its supply chain.

She obtained her Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Philippines College of Law – Diliman, and her Bachelor of Arts, major in Management Economics and minor in Philosophy from Ateneo de Manila University.

The amendment to the Public Service Act (“Amendment”) is considered a game-changing economic measure as it lifts the foreign equity restrictions for a wide range of public services, except those considered as public utilities or critical infrastructure.

Ciselie Marie T. Gamo-Sisayan, partner of DivinaLaw unpacks the new amendements for us.

Atty. Ciselie Marie T. Gamo-Sisayan is a partner of DivinaLaw. She is a corporate and tax practitioner for almost ten (10) years, and specializes in commercial and tax law, particularly mergers and acquisitions, taxation, cross-border investments, and regulatory compliance.

She has advised and represented foreign companies in their investments transactions in the Philippines, providing, among others, risk assessment and recommendation on legal strategy and structure. Among others, she has acted as lawyer for a multinational corporation engaged in music digital distribution in its share acquisition with a local entertainment corporation, and as Philippine counsel for a cross-border acquisition of a multinational company with Philippine presence. She also represented a leading logistics solutions provider in the Philippines in its joint venture with a foreign private equity company for a P6B investment. She also advised a multinational food and beverage company in conducting its nationwide regulatory compliance of its supply chain.

She obtained her Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Philippines College of Law – Diliman, and her Bachelor of Arts, major in Management Economics and minor in Philosophy from Ateneo de Manila University.