Author: Jeff Leong

I am the senior partner of Messrs Jeff Leong, Poon & Wong, Malaysia. I am also serving with the Law Association For Asia And The Pacific (LAWASIA), the peak body for national bar associations and law societies in more than 40 jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region as Chair of the Corporate, Securities & Investment Law and Co Chair of the Belt And Road Initiative Standing Committees. I lead a Special Projects team, structure and run complex M&A deals, resolve critical problems faced by clients such as crisis management, regulatory investigations, shareholder fights and board tussles and advise founders, business owners and senior management on business transactions. With numerous IPOs and M&A deals over 30 years, I am often consulted by clients in Shipping and Logistics, Technology and Digital Economy, Oil & Gas and other heavily regulated industries on complex, urgent and critical matters. I have been included on Asia Business Law Journal’s A List of Malaysia’s Top 100 Lawyers and Legal 500’s Hall of Fame for Corporate and M&A for Malaysia. I am an accredited Mediator of the Malaysian Mediation Centre, the International Commercial Mediation Centre For the Belt And Road Initiative, Benchmark Chambers International & Benchmark International Mediation Centre, Shenzhen Qianhai International Commercial Mediation Centre, CCPIT/CCOIC Hangzhou Mediation Centre and Hainan International Arbitration Court. I founded JLPW in 1999 during the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis with 2 other founders. We were deep into corporate rescues and mergers of banks, insurance companies and stockbrokers to resuscitate the bleeding Malaysian economy, working on some of the major corporate rescues of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. Affiliations with Deacons Graham & James 2001- 2012 and Dacheng (now Dentons China) 2012-2016 quickly followed. In 2012, we founded JLPW CROSSBORDER ASIA, a regional law firm network. In JLPW, we developed the current due diligence system adopted and used by industry participants in capital markets transactions in 1999. I assisted the review of the 2020 Due Diligence Guide for Malaysia with investment bankers, accountants, capital market lawyers and other industry participants. I currently lead our Japan Services Group, assisting Japanese companies venturing into Malaysia and South East Asia with market entry strategies, M&As and post merger integration advisory together with our Japanese speaking team. I am also leading our China Services Group and regional JLPW Belt and Road Services Group assisting Chinese companies investing and undertaking Belt and Road projects in Malaysia and other ASEAN countries. As leader, strategist, chief talent scout, builder and problem solver, I have initiated and developed various practice groups in JLPW and am now leading our Legal Tech initiatives to better support our clients in the new Digital Economy.

Malaysia as Belt And Road Initiative Hub Along the Maritime Silk Route

Jeff Leong

Interesting views from André Wheeler as usual: See http://en.hkuws.com/chinas-belt-and-road-will-help-hong-kong-top-rival-singapore/ My take is there is room for independent and geopolitically acceptable Belt And Road Initiative Hubs in Asean and Central Asia. Hong Kong is too close to China and with decades of focus as Gateway to China, it does not have the credibility nor the clusters… Continue reading Malaysia as Belt And Road Initiative Hub Along the Maritime Silk Route

Personal Liabilities Of Directors And Management For Failed M&A Deals Due To Wrong Valuation

Jeff Leong

What happens when M&As fail over issues of valuation? Are Directors and management of companies personally liable to account for the losses to shareholders? Should shareholders suffer in silence in the clutches of irresponsible, incompetent or worse, devious self serving management and directors? Directors owe fiduciary duties to act in good faith and in the… Continue reading Personal Liabilities Of Directors And Management For Failed M&A Deals Due To Wrong Valuation

Corporate Internal Investigations, Conflicts of Interests And The Outside Counsel And Financial Accountant

Jeff Leong

In the current difficult operating environment of government linked companies and the reported incidents of hidden corporate scandals in Malaysia, new corporate leaders and incoming board of directors are faced with the risks of personal liability for breach of directors duties and breach of employment contracts for failing to act in the best interests of… Continue reading Corporate Internal Investigations, Conflicts of Interests And The Outside Counsel And Financial Accountant

The Duty To Report Suspicious Transactions Under Anti Money Laundering Laws In Relation to 1MDB and other scandals in Malaysia

Jeff Leong

As we usher in the new Malaysia and the revival of Rule of Law, we hear of scandal after scandal being disclosed as the new government assume the reins of power. The new cabinet ministers are no doubt working hard with rolled sleeves to manage the country and restore it to financial health. Reports have… Continue reading The Duty To Report Suspicious Transactions Under Anti Money Laundering Laws In Relation to 1MDB and other scandals in Malaysia