Overview

Janet L.H. Looi is a Partner in the Corporate Division of Skrine and has been named as a leading lawyer for her mergers & acquisitions (M & A) work by Chambers and Partners in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 and the Asia Pacific Legal 500 for the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. Janet is also recognised as a leading individual in the Who's Who Legal - The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers 2010, 2011 and 2012 in the areas of Corporate Governance and Banking.

Apart from M&A work and advising on compliance and regulatory issues as part of her corporate advisory work, Janet regularly advises Malaysian and multinational corporations on cross-border transactions, joint ventures, government tenders and contracts. She has been responsible for establishment in Malaysia of the businesses of numerous multinational corporations such as BMW and The Coca-Cola Company from the start-up stage through to fully operational stage and thereafter continues to advise them on all aspects of their businesses.

In addition to her corporate advisory practice, Janet is Head of Skrine's Environmental Practice. The projects undertaken by the practice include negotiation with the Government of Malaysia of a 15 year exclusivity on behalf of the project company client for operation of the first integrated scheduled wastes treatment system in Peninsular Malaysia for the transportation, treatment and disposal of scheduled wastes, and the Integrated River Basin Management project, a joint project of the Governments of Malaysia and Denmark. The latter culminated in the drafting of a Water Resources Bill for one of the States in Peninsular Malaysia.

Janet is the author of the Malaysian Chapter for the Herbert Smith Guide to Financial Services Regulations in Asia (2011/2012). In addition to her Bachelor of Laws degree from Monash University, Australia (Monash), Janet has a Bachelor of Economics degree from Monash, through which she acquired knowledge in the areas of accounting and business administration.

On the recommendation of the leadership of Lex Mundi, a leading network of independent law firms in over 160 jurisdictions worldwide, Janet was appointed to the Board of Directors of Lex Mundi and served as a Board member from 2007 to 2011. She currently serves as Regional Vice Chair for Asia Pacific for the Women And The Law, GOAL Task Force and Diversity Committees of Lex Mundi.

Further Details

Areas of Practice
Acquisitions, Mergers & Takeovers, Corporate Governance, Corporate Responsibility, Government Contracts, Corporate/ Debt Restructuring, Corporate Finance, Environment, Foreign Investments, Joint Ventures, Privatisation.

Professional Affiliations
Director (2007 - 2011), Board of Directors of Lex Mundi, a leading network of independent law firms in over 160 jurisdictions worldwide

Past Chair, Program Committee, Lex Mundi

Regional Vice Chair for Asia Pacific, Women And The Law and GOAL Task Force Committees, Lex Mundi

Regional Vice Chair for Asia Pacific, Diversity Committee, Lex Mundi

Chair Emeritus of the Environmental Law Committee of Lex Mundi

Honorary Fellow of the Association of Fellows and Legal Scholars of the Center For International Studies, Salzburg, Austria

Past Chair of the Environmental Law Committee of the Inter Pacific Bar Association

Chairperson of the Environmental Law Sub-Committee of the Kuala Lumpur Bar (March 2001 – March 2002)

Member of the Environmental Committee of the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce

Qualifications
Advocate & Solicitor, High Court of Malaya

Bachelor of Economics, Monash University, Australia 1983

Bachelor of Laws, Monash University, Australia1985

Experience

Some of the transactions in which Janet was involved are:

• Lead Partner for ING in the AIA Group Ltd purchase of ING Malaysia for US$ 1.73 billion (RM5.3billion). SKRINE was Malaysian Counsel for the matter.
• Lead Partner advising the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) in connection with acquisition by Massive Equity Sdn Bhd of the businesses of KFC Holdings (M) Bhd (KFCH) and QSR Brands Bhd (QSR). Massive Equity was a special purpose vehicle set up to privatize KFCH and QSR. The deal valued both companies close to RM5.2billion.
• Lead Partner for Zurich Insurance Company in its acquisition of Malaysian Assurance Alliance Berhad (MAAB), Malaysian Alliance Property Services Sdn Bhd, Multioto Services Sdn Bhd and Maagnet Systems Sdn Bhd. The Zurich Financial Services Group is a leading multi-line insurance provider with a global network in Europe, North America, Latin America, the Asia- Pacific region and the Middle East. The acquisition of MAAB was a milestone in Zurich's emerging market strategy.
• Lead Partner advising Reyes Holdings LLC on its acquisition of Mac Donald's food distribution business in Malaysia from McKey Luxembourg S.àr.l. The acquisition was made through a local subsidiary of Martin-Brower Company LLC, a part of the Reyes group of companies worldwide.
• Lead Partner in the disposal to the Spanish GrupoPikiolin SL of Sime Darby Allied Products Berhad's 100% equity interest in Dunlopillo Holdings, in several jurisdictions including Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and the Middle East.
• Lead Partner for ING in the setting up of the ING PUBLIC Takaful Ehsan Berhad (Takaful Ehsan), a strategic alliance between ING Management Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd, Public Bank Berhad and Public Islamic Bank Berhad. This was one of the four joint ventures to have obtained the family takaful licence from Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank of Malaysia) in 2010. Janet was involved in advising on and drafting the joint venture agreement between the joint venture parties, drawing up local documentation on the setting up of Takaful Ehsan as well as in advising on the Distribution Agreement to be entered into by Takaful Ehsan.
• Lead Partner for American International Assurance Bhd in the setting up of AIA AFG Takaful Bhd (AIA AFG Takaful), a takaful joint venture company between American International Assurance Bhd and Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad, This was one of the four joint ventures to have obtained the family takaful licence from Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank of Malaysia) in 2010.
• Lead Partner in advising and negotiating for The Coca-Cola Company a transition agreement with an existing bottler and distributor that ended their business relationship and partnership of 73 years. Janet was responsible for establishment in Malaysia of TCCC's bottling plant from start up stage, including advising and drafting the agreements for the purchase of industrial land and construction of a new bottling and manufacturing plant, advising on the arrangements for local equity participation and drafting the documentation for the investments in the local bottler company and distribution company and attending to their incorporation and setting up. The establishment of a bottling plant from start up was a first in TCCC's history.
• Advised on the RM3.2 Billion rationalisation/merger exercise undertaken by two Malaysian public listed companies involving inter alia, the acquisition and disposal of companies within their group.
• Lead Partner in advising a major German automobile company on the restructuring of their wholesale business in Malaysia and setting up of Malaysian companies for their Malaysian businesses. This involved the establishment of a new company in joint venture with a Malaysian public listed company and drafting and negotiation.
• Advised on the privatisation of hospital support services for certain of the Ministry of Health hospitals in Malaysia.
• Advised a Japanese multinational company on its joint venture with a Malaysian public listed company for the double tracking rail project between Rawang and Ipoh including advising on the agreements with KTM Berhad for the project.
• Advised Westland UK on the sale of Super Lynx helicopters to the Ministry of Defence of Malaysia.
• Lead partner for the banks in connection with the debt restructuring for some Lion group companies which formed part of a group wide debt restructuring scheme of the Lion Group.

  Publications  

Authored the following chapters/ books:-

• Malaysian Chapter for the Herbert Smith Guide to Financial Services Regulations in Asia.
• Annotation of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 – Annotated Statutes, published by the Malayan Law Journal together with Jacqueline Welch.
• Malaysian Chapter – Sweet & Maxwell Asia 2002 publication “Environmental Law and Enforcement in the Asia-Pacific Rim”.
• Malaysian Chapter – Global Legal Group - The International Comparative Legal Guide to Environment Law 2010.

Organised sessions/ delivered presentations as follows:-

• “Legislative Framework for Privatisation: Policy and Regulations” at a seminar entitled “Challenges & Opportunities of Investing in Malaysia’s Land Transport System” organised by the Asia Business Forum.
• “Practical Aspects of Joint Ventures in Malaysia” at the Inter Pacific Bar Association European Seminars.
• “Practical Aspects of Joint Ventures in Malaysia” – Asian Commercial Law Review (a Journal of Commercial Law and Regulation in the Asia-Pacific Region) Volume 1 Issue 3, June – July 1996.
• “Malaysian Environmental Legislation” at the “Seminar on Environmental Law” organised by the Asia Pacific Institute of Environmental Assessment in conjunction with the publication of a Digest of Asean Environmental Laws.
• “Malaysian Environmental Legislation” at the workshop entitled “ASEAN’s Environmental Future” at the Asean Law Association’s 7th General Assembly and Conference.
• “Environmental Impact Assessment Requirements: A Federal or State Matter?” at the Environmental Issues Section of LAWASIA Energy Section 8th Biennial Conference held at Darwin, Australia.
• “Globalisation and the Environment – Opportunities and Challenges in the new Millenium” session at the 10th Inter Pacific Bar Association Conference in Vancouver, Canada.
• Chair and organiser of the Environmental Law Workshop on “Corporate Responsibility for Environmental Management” in February 2002 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• “Key Developments on Mergers and Acquisitions in Malaysia” at the Herbert Smith Pan-Asian 2004 seminar, February 2004.
• Chair of session on “Corporate Social Responsibility vs Profitability: The Current Issues Facing Corporations and Environmental and Corporate Counsel” at the Fourteenth Inter Pacific Bar Association Conference in Seoul, Korea in May 2004.
• “Directors’ Personal Liability for Environmental Offences” at the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers’ seminar on “Managing Business Risks In An Environmental Context” on 11 August 2004 organised in collaboration with Skrine.
• Presented “The Relevance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for Asian Business” at the Asia Corporate Governance Conference 2005 organised by ASLI.
• Presented “Complying with Environmental Legislation and Regulations” at the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers’ Briefing to Industry in June 2005.
• Planned and organised the Corporate Social Responsibility Plenary Session of the Lex Mundi Asia Pacific Regional Conference in November 2005.
• “Key Developments on Mergers and Acquisitions in Malaysia” at the Herbert Smith Pan-Asian seminar, February 2006, Singapore.
• Moderator at session entitled “Comparative Analysis: Malaysia and the UAE Special Initiatives and Business Opportunities” at the SKRINE Dubai Seminar entitled “Synergistic Investment Opportunities: The UAE and Malaysia” on 13 April 2008.
• Joint Presenter at session entitled “Corporate Debt Restructuring Alternatives for Financially Troubled Companies” at the LexisNexis Corporate Restructuring Workshop on 24 June 2009.