Yi Li has practised as a foreign lawyer specialising in cross-border mergers and acquisitions ("M&A") transactions and private equity fund matters in Singapore before resuming her practice in Malaysia. She currently handles M&A transactions with a special focus on ethics and integrity matters.

She advises her clients in navigating red tape and regulatory requirements in M&A transactions and is regularly called upon to assist clients in complying with anti-bribery and anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, whistleblower’s protection, human rights, sustainability and fair labour rights laws.

She designs compliance programmes including policies, processes and best practices according to each client’s corporate culture and ecosystem. Her experience further extends to investigations, in particular relating to audit inquiries, bribery and corruption, fraud and money laundering.

She is also part of the firm’s Sustainability Practice Group, which encompasses the Environment, Social and Governance factors ("ESG") and is involved in combatting fraud and financial crimes, crisis management and instilling good corporate governance behaviour under the governance limb.

Experience

Regulatory Compliance

• Assisted a Fortune 500 oil and gas company in developing a compliance program covering bribery and corruption, money laundering and human rights issues and the subsequent global roll out and implementation.
• Assisted major developers, manufacturers and public bodies in the country in developing anti-bribery compliance framework and rolling out adequate control measures for compliance with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.
• Assisted MNCs with Malaysian subsidiaries in the aviation industry, MLM industry and oil and gas industry in developing local anti-bribery compliance framework and syncing the same with their global frameworks.
• Designed whistleblowing systems, client onboarding KYC systems and enterprise risk management systems for clients in various industries; provided training for board members and employees on bribery compliance.
• Assisted in the incorporation of a bank and advised on banking regulatory compliance issues.
• Advised an international payment systems provider on banking regulatory matters and on rolling out new banking products in Malaysia.
• Advised several local conglomerates on compliance with personal data requirements and privacy issues.

Fraud & Investigations

• Assisted a Japanese F&B conglomerate in investigating its Malaysian subsidiaries for accounting fraud.
• Assisted a Malaysian conglomerate in investigating its previous board members for fraud, criminal breach of trust, breach of fiduciary duties in several.

Mergers & Acquisitions

• Advised CVC Capital Partners', through Starlight Asset Sdn Bhd, on its purchase of a 68.35% stake in Affin Hwang Asset Management Bhd for RM 1.54 billion. This is the private equity fund’s sixth investment in Malaysia since 2007, bringing its total capital invested to over US$1 billion.
• Advised Digi.com Berhad ("Digi") in respect of the proposed merger of Digi and Celcom Axiata Berhad ("Celcom") by way of acquisition of 100% of shares in Celcom from Axiata Group Berhad ("Axiata") and the issuance of shares in Digi to Axiata.
• Assisted a US-based private equity firm in relation to the acquisition of an investment holding company with various business interests including green energy. We advised the client on Malaysian laws, including any regulatory advice in connection with the proposed acquisition, local Bumiputera equity requirements, foreign equity restrictions, and the structuring of ownership post-acquisition.
• Represented Homage Co Pte Ltd & Homage Sdn Bhd in securing a Series B round of funding from various VC funds for scaling an online healthcare platform business in the region.
• Acted as Malaysian counsel for Vision Ophthalmology Group GmbH, Europe's leading provider of ophthalmic products, in its acquisition from Pascal Aeschlimann the Swissmed group companies involved in the marketing and distribution of medical devices.
• Advised on the joint venture of a leading European telecommunications company with a local player to provide mobile virtual network operator services.
• Acted as Malaysian counsel for Johnson Controls Group, a multinational conglomerate listed on the New York Stock Exchange, in its acquisition of a custom metal fabrication business.
• Led a billion-dollar cross-border IT transformation programme for the biggest bank in Malaysia.
• Advised on the rollout of telco-related services nationwide for a leading telecommunications market player in Asia.
• Acted for a leading homegrown media and advertising firm in the divestment of a majority stake to Dentsu Aegis, Japan.
• Acted for a Singapore bank in relation to a merger and consolidation of brokerage firms with a total market capitalisation of US$200 million in Malaysia.
• Acted for a Thai conglomerate in a US$200 million deal on acquiring prime land and subsequent development and financing of a mall in Malaysia.
• Acted for regional private equity funds in cross-border acquisition of companies in the manufacturing sector and F&B sector.
• Acted for SOXAL, one of the biggest gas manufacturing groups headquartered in France in its acquisition of a local gas manufacturing business and real estate.
• Advised on the joint venture of a leading European telecommunications company with a local player to provide mobile virtual network operator services.

Memberships / Directorships

• Member, Malaysian Bar
• Member, Inner Temple (non-practising)

Publications

• Author, Chapter on "Malaysia", Quick Guide on Anti-Corruption, published by Rajah & Tann Asia (June 2020) (read here: https://eoasis.rajahtann.com/eoasis/lu/pdf/2020-06_Regional-Guide_A-Quick-Anti-Corruption-Guide_FINALv2.pdf)