Ju-Lien is a Partner in the Corporate Practice Group in Christopher & Lee Ong.
She began her legal career at the Attorney General’s Chambers, serving in the Advisory Division for International Affairs, before transitioning to private practice in 2013.
Her core areas of expertise include mergers & acquisitions, employment advisory, and regulatory & compliance matters. Ju-Lien has advised a diverse portfolio of local and international clients across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals & medical devices, insurance & reinsurance, IT solutions, consumer & retail, and financial advisory services.
She is frequently engaged to support clients in navigating complex compliance landscapes, particularly in areas such as anti-bribery and anti-corruption, whistleblower protection, human rights, sustainability, and fair labour practices.
Ju-Lien also specialises in designing tailored compliance programmes, including the development of policies, procedures, and best practices that align with each client’s unique corporate culture and operational ecosystem. Her experience extends to conducting internal investigations, especially those involving audit inquiries, bribery, and corruption-related matters.
EXPERIENCE
Mergers & Acquisitions
- Advised Mérieux NutriSciences Corporation, a global leader in food safety, quality, and sustainability, on its €360 million global acquisition of the food testing business from Bureau Veritas.
- Acted for OMS Energy Technologies as Malaysia counsel for its initial public offering on New York’s NASDAQ exchange.
- Acted for a British insurer in its proposed acquisition of majority interests in two insurance broking businesses based in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan.
- Represented a Singapore-based insurer in its proposed acquisition of a minority stake in a Malaysian takaful general insurance provider.
- Advised a Chinese state-owned insurance company on its proposed acquisition of a minority interest in a Malaysian general insurance operator.
- Acted for One Rock Capital, a U.S. private equity firm, in its acquisition of a tire additives manufacturing business in Malaysia, as part of a global transaction involving the purchase of a business segment from a NYSE-listed specialty materials company.
- Represented multiple sellers in the sale of 100% equity interest in Lypometal Holdings Sdn. Bhd. to Dymon Asia. Lypometal is one of the largest providers of specialized and high-value metal fabrication and stamping solutions.
- Advised Mérieux NutriSciences Corporation on the divestment of its majority interest in a Malaysian company offering chemical, microbiological, and environmental testing and consultancy services.
- Advised Sumitomo Corporation on the strategic divestment of its minority stake in Merchantrade Asia Sdn. Bhd., concluding a 15-year investment partnership.
- Acted for a leading Chinese electronics and telecommunications company in the acquisition of a controlling stake in a Dutch semiconductor manufacturer, and subsequently in a proposed convertible bond issuance on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
- Represented Quadrum Capital Investment Fund IV B.V., a Dutch private equity firm, in its acquisition of a majority stake in KMWE Group, a global supplier for the high-tech equipment and aerospace industry.
- Advised HELM AG on its acquisition of shares in SPCI Group, a Singapore- and Malaysia-based manufacturer and distributor of specialty chemicals.
- Acted for a Singapore-based agricultural company with over 90 years of operations in Malaysia in its proposed divestment from a joint venture in Sarawak managing palm oil estates.
- Represented an American global food processing corporation in its bid to acquire an animal nutrition and livestock breeding business in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Advised a Japanese IT solutions provider on its acquisition of an IT consulting business operating in Singapore and Malaysia.
Joint Ventures and Investments
- Acted for a Chinese state-owned steel conglomerate in its joint venture with a Malaysian steel business (established since the 1970s) to develop and operate a special steel business in Malaysia.
- Advised Persolkelly Singapore on its joint venture with Hiredly group to establish a technology-driven recruitment platform operating across Singapore and Malaysia.
- Acted for Ireka Corporation Berhad in its joint venture with CRRC Urban Traffic (Europe) Co Ltd to explore transportation business opportunities in Malaysia and the Southeast Asian region.
- Acted for Ireka Corporation Berhad in its joint venture with Hankyu Hanshin Properties Corp. for the development of real properties in Nilai.
- Acted for a Korean financial services company in its investment into a private capital syndication platform based in Singapore.
Corporate Restructuring
- Advised CJ Logistics, the logistics division of South Korea’s largest chaebol, on the restructuring of its courier operations in Malaysia. This included the strategic carve-out from CJ Century Logistics Holdings Berhad and the subsequent asset divestiture to a local Malaysian logistics provider.
- Advised a state sovereign wealth fund on the integration of its subsidiaries as part of a strategic consolidation of its fund investment arm.
Employment
- Advised and conducted a domestic inquiry for a steel manufacturing company into allegations of employee misconduct and bribery.
- Advised and attended to an investigation of an industrial LED lighting solutions company on allegations of forced labour, bribery and employee misconduct.
- Advised various clients on industrial relations and employment issues covering retrenchment, dismissal of employees and mutual separation arrangements.
- Advised a Japanese printing company in the winding-up of its subsidiary in Malaysia including on the retrenchment procedure and the selection process.
Corporate Governance
- Advised clients on compliance with anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws of Malaysia, including training of board of directors and management officers.
- Reviewed and localised the global anti-bribery and corruption policies (“ABAC”) of Voestalpine Group to be implemented for its Malaysian entities, including training local management team on the ABAC policies.
- Advised a Japanese oil & gas company on compliance with Malaysian ABAC laws, specifically on its interactions and business arrangements with local business partners.
- Advised an ASX listed company in its investigation (including conducting the investigation) into employees’ alleged misconduct involving conduct which are in breach of ABAC laws.
- Conducted due diligence for multiple M&A transactions on the adequacy of target entity(ies) ABAC policies to Malaysian law requirements.
Investigations
- Advised and conducted internal investigation into alleged corrupt conducts by certain management personnel of a Malaysian subsidiary of an ASX listed company. In the course of this investigation, we work closely with an international firm and an expert forensics team in carrying on the investigation and interviews.
- Advised and conducted internal investigation into the general operations of a Malaysian subsidiary of British based electronics business to ascertain and address compliance issues relating to, amongst others, corrupt conducts and labour treatment / conditions.
Other General Corporate Commercial
- Advised in the restructuring of an institute for banks in Malaysia in its transformation to a professional body.
- Advised and reviewed agreements for a Singapore debt venture firm in its provision of guarantee to a Malaysian company.
- Advised a Cyprus based operator of an online trading platform for contracts for differences in respect of a compliance and regulatory survey on their proposed establishment of a regional customer services centre in Malaysia to provide services to clients involved in the trading of contracts for differences.
- Advised a British multinational alcoholic beverage company in alcohol advertising materials in Malaysia, including labelling requirements on their products.
- Assisted client with the drafting, review and revision of the project agreements relating to a dairy farm project in Malaysia.
- Advised multiple manufacturing companies in various sectors on environmental issues, such as permissible levels of omission, EIA requirements, land rehabilitation, spill accidents and remediation actions, and liaising with the Department of Environment on behalf of clients on relevant issues.
