Leadership in Law Hong Kong Conference – Event Report 


Law.com’s inaugural Leadership in Law Hong Kong conference took place on 10 June 2026 at the prestigious Kowloon Shangri-La. The event was a great success, bringing together senior in-house counsel and private practice leaders for a day of keynote insights, panel discussions, and interactive roundtables. 

The agenda featured two focused tracks, Global Strategy, Risk and Leadership and Future-Proofing Legal Operations Processes, addressing critical themes including geopolitical risk, regulatory complexity, technological transformation and the evolving expectations of legal leadership across Asia-Pacific. The conference was proudly presented in association with Lexology. 

Alexander Kwok, General Counsel at Hong Kong Airlines, and Yvette Rodriguez, Managing Director and Associate General Counsel at Deutsche Bank, brilliantly chaired the conference, setting the tone and keeping the audience engaged throughout the day. 

The conference opened with a keynote address by Lisa Chen, Executive Director - Legal Services, Securities and Futures Commission: 

Keynote Address: A Sharper Lens on Emerging Risk - and the Leadership Habits that Reduce Surprise - Takeaways: 

Risk is converging across legal, compliance, operational and technological domains, positioning legal teams as strategic early warning systems. 

Five leadership habits that reduce surprise: 

  1. Ask the right questions early - particularly before launching products, outsourcing, or entering cross-border structures. 
  2. Strengthen escalation culture - recognising escalation as a responsibility - most failures stem from partial awareness that does not travel far or fast enough. 
  3. Understand the regulator and market lens, ensuring decisions can be clearly explained and defended in terms of fairness, transparency and accountability. 
  4. Build real technological literacy - leaders must interrogate data, AI systems, limitations, failure modes and biases. 
  5. Develop judgment-rich teams - cultivating professionals who can navigate ambiguity, challenge constructively and speak up with confidence. 


The morning programme opened with “Legal Tools for Cross-Border IP Management”, moderated by CK Kwong JP, Senior Partner, SFKS CK Kwong Solicitors, alongside Iris Deng, Managing Director and General Counsel, Ellis Consulting Hong Kong; James Choi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong Recording Industry Alliance; and Jack Keung, Head of Compliance, Hong Kong Digital Asset Exchange. 

Legal Tools for Cross-Border IP Management - Takeaways: 

  • Global strategy requires local execution - success depends on navigating both fragmented national laws and global frameworks. 
  • Brand protection is not one-size-fits-all - IP strategies must adapt to local language, culture and enforcement environments across APAC. 
  • Early legal involvement drives commercial value - proactive engagement enables growth and reduces risk. 
  • Enforcement must be prioritised - companies need to focus on key jurisdictions and the most effective channels. 
  • IP should be managed as a strategic asset - prioritising high-value areas that drive revenue and competitive advantage. 


Moderated by Brian W. Tang, Founding Executive Director, LITE Lab (HKU) and Co-Chair, Asia-Pacific Legal Innovation and Technology Association, “The Future of Employment in an AI-Driven World” featured Jinny Suh, Associate General Counsel, McKinsey and Company; Phil Leung, Head of Legal, Bitget Wallet; Richa Mohanty Rao, General Counsel, Urban Company; and Adam Au, General Counsel and VP of Investor Relations, Toys “R” Us Asia. 

The Future of Employment in an AI-Driven World - Takeaways: 

  • AI is the operating environment, not a standalone topic. 
  • Talent disruption is the defining challenge. 
  • Lawyers add value through judgment, leadership and accountability. 
  • Legal leaders are increasingly responsible for decisions and outcomes. 
  • Risk is fully interconnected across the organisation. 
  • Legal functions as an early warning system. 
  • AI must deliver real business outcomes. 


Moderated by Raymond Goh, Group General Counsel, Quantum Intelligence, M&A in a Geopolitical Risk Era: Due Diligence Strategies for Takeovers featured Cora Ang, Head of Legal and Compliance APAC, AMINA Bank; Athena Ang, Head of Legal, Hong Kong Technology Venture; Warren Thomson, Director - General Counsel (HK and Overseas), Link Asset Management; and Andy Ho, Global Group Head of M&A, bolttech. 

M&A in a Geopolitical Risk Era: Due Diligence Strategies for Takeovers - Takeaways: 

  • Geopolitics is central to deal viability. 
  • Risk extends beyond traditional due diligence. 
  • Continuous monitoring replaces static processes. 
  • Structuring is driven by regulation first. 
  • Risk must be priced upfront. 
  • Post-closing exposure remains significant. 


Supported by Davis Polk, Private Equity Evolution: Legal Perspectives in an Evolving Market, moderated by Miranda So, Partner, featured Andrew Ning, Managing Director, Greater Bay Area Homeland Investments; Richard Blair, Senior Managing Director, Blackstone; and Marco Chung, Managing Director, CITIC CLSA. 

Private Equity Evolution: Legal Perspectives in an Evolving Market - Takeaways: 

  • Volatility presents strategic opportunity. 
  • Regulation shapes deals from the outset. 
  • Legal is central to deal design. 
  • Robust structures are replacing workarounds. 
  • Risk ownership defines leadership. 


Supported by Pillsbury, Governance on Trial: Are Legal Teams Equipped to Stop White-Collar Crime?, moderated by Carol Lee, Partner, included Leo Tian, Regional Director, Corporate, External and Legal Affairs at Microsoft; Jeffrey Campbell, Regional General Counsel, Asia and Middle East - G4S, An Allied Universal® Company; Kapil Kirpalani, Chief Compliance Officer APAC – RGA; and Eddy Wong, Former Vice President - Legal and Compliance - StarDream Cruises. 

Governance on Trial: Are Legal Teams Equipped to Stop White-Collar Crime? - Takeaways: 

  • Failures are behavioural rather than structural. 
  • “Paper compliance” creates false assurance. 
  • Silence signals cultural risk. 
  • Escalation breakdown is critical. 
  • Leadership accountability drives integrity. 
  • Governance must be actively tested. 


The following session, “International Arbitration Unlocked: Navigating the Modern Dispute Landscape”, supported by Jingtian and Gongcheng LLP and moderated by Pak Sun Hau, featured Liu Qin, Legal VP - STATS ChipPAC; Celine Sojin Park, Country General Counsel, Director - ESR Kendall Square; Mariel Dimsey, Independent Arbitrator - MD Arbitration and Advisory; and Jingzhou Tao, Independent Arbitrator - Arbitration Chambers. 

International Arbitration Unlocked: Navigating the Modern Dispute Landscape - Takeaways: 

  • Disputes are increasing in volume and complexity. 
  • Arbitration is becoming part of deal structuring. 
  • Technology improves efficiency but not advocacy. 
  • AI exposes weak reasoning. 
  • Sanctions impact enforceability and access. 
  • Contract design is now the key battleground. 


After a networking lunch, the event continued with interactive roundtables, enabling peer discussion and practical insight. Topics included: 

  • What’s Next in Regulation (2026/27): Key Changes and Emerging Risks - moderated by Debra Au, Chief Compliance Officer and Alternate Chief Executive, RD Innotech. 
  • Finding and Enforcing Assets Across Borders: Corporate Governance, Accountability, and Strategies for High-Stakes Disputes – supported by Pillsbury Law and moderated by Geoffrey Sant, Partner. 
  • Crisis Management for Legal Leaders: Key Lessons to Adapt and Thrive - moderated by Civi Yap, Journalist, Lexology PRO and Mateena Hammad, Journalist, Lexology PRO. 
  • Beyond the AI Hype: What Top Legal Teams Actually Need from Legal AI in 2026 - supported by Finiti Legal Technologies and moderated by Quinn Liu, CEO. 
  • Virtual Assets, Real Risk: AML Obligations in a Digital Economy - moderated by Joshua Chu, Co-Chair, Hong Kong Web3 Association 
  • Can Legal Leaders Drive Digital Resilience - or Simply React to It? - moderated by Federico Fabiano, Head of Legal and Compliance, Hex Trust 


The afternoon continued with two concurrent sessions: 

Investing in Risk: Allocating Legal Spend Where It Matters Most, moderated by Vincent Ng, General Counsel and Head of Public Affairs, Klook, featured Fiona Cheng, Senior Legal Counsel, Asia Pacific - Zurich Insurance; Victor Chan, Head of Legal and Compliance - Ping An Digital Bank; and Carson Tse, AVP, Senior Legal Counsel - Manulife. 

Investing in Risk: Allocating Legal Spend Where It Matters Most - Takeaways: 

  • AI is compressing legal cost structures. 
  • Data-driven budgeting is becoming standard. 
  • Spend is aligned to real business risk. 
  • Legal is evolving into a resilience function. 
  • Commercial communication is critical. 


ESG Playbook: Balancing Internal and External Sustainability Requirements, moderated by Jessica Seah, Asia Editor, Law.com International, featured Emmanuelle De Saint Seine, Asia Legal Leader, Kiabi, and Corinne Katz, Senior Director, Group Legal Affairs, CLP. 

ESG Playbook: Balancing Internal and External Sustainability Requirements - Takeaways: 

  • ESG is now regulated and measurable. 
  • Leading organisations embed ESG across operations. 
  • Accountability is increasingly quantified. 
  • Legal is shaping ESG strategy. 
  • Communication risk is as important as compliance risk. 
  • ESG drives long-term value creation. 


The day continued with a plenary session supported by Long An and Lam LLP, Raising the Bar: New Expectations of In-House Counsel for External Advisors, moderated by Timothy Lam, Partner, with Do Do Chan, Associate Director - EMPEROR Group; Jonathan Shun Wah, Vice President and Lead Compliance Counsel - Pfizer; and Amanda Lau, Director and Senior Lead Counsel - Citigroup. 

Raising the Bar: New Expectations of In-House Counsel for External Advisors - Takeaways: 

  • In-house teams act as strategic partners. 
  • Deep business understanding is essential. 
  • Delivery and clarity matter as much as advice. 
  • Relationship management is critical. 
  • AI is eliminating low-value work. 
  • Junior lawyers must step up faster. 
  • Trust defines competitive advantage. 


The conference closed with a fireside chat, The Next Chapter: Hong Kong’s Legal Leadership in a Changing Asia-Pacific, moderated by Jessica Seah, Asia Editor, Law.com International, featuring Paul Chow, Group General Counsel and Group Chief Sustainability Officer, HKEX. 

Fireside Chat: The Next Chapter: Hong Kong’s Legal Leadership in a Changing Asia-Pacific – Takeaways: 

  • Markets show renewed momentum. 
  • Strong regulation underpins trust. 
  • Strategic diversification is driving growth. 
  • External legal services are evolving rapidly. 


The day concluded with a networking drinks reception, providing an opportunity to strengthen relationships and continue discussions. 

The Leadership in Law Hong Kong conference 2026 was a resounding success. We thank our sponsors and partners for their support and look forward to returning in 2027.