Francine Ariel Paul Senior Associate

Contact
T +603 2081 3999 ext 838
E francine@skrine.com
 

Overview

Francine graduated from the University of Manchester with LL.B (Hons) in 2015. She then completed the Bar Professional Training Course in the United Kingdom and trained as a Barrister-at-Law in Lincoln’s Inn, before being admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor of the Malaysian Bar in 2017. Francine is now a Senior Associate in the Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Advisory and Transactions practice.

 

 

Key Practice Areas

  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Corporate Advisory and Transactions
  • Environment
 

Note: This list includes engagements completed prior to joining Skrine.
  • Advised and assisted a South Korean construction engineering company in respect of its acquisition of a majority stake in a Singaporean-based electronics waste management solution provider. 

  • Advised and assisted a Malaysian publicly listed private healthcare company in its proposed acquisition of a large private healthcare group with facilities in Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Australia. 

  • Advised and assisted a major Japanese oil and gas company on its proposed joint venture with a Malaysian company for the manufacture and distribution of a specialised petrochemical product in the Malaysian market. 

  • Advised and assisted a government-linked private equity fund management company on the proposed acquisition of a 75% equity stake in a leading distributor of pharmaceutical and healthcare supplement products in Malaysia. 

  • Advised and assisted a private education group on its proposed acquisition of a major pre-tertiary education business. 

  • Advised and assisted a Singaporean private equity firm on its proposed investment in a major book retail business in Malaysia. 

  • Advised and assisted a large Japanese conglomerate on its proposed subscription in a leading Malaysian telecommunications group. 

  • Advised and assisted a leading distribution and marketing services provider in its proposed acquisition of a 100% stake in a distributer of ophthalmology medical devices in Malaysia. 

  • Advised and assisted a Dutch company on its proposed acquisition of a Malaysian food and pharmaceuticals business. 

  • Advised and assisted a private equity firm on its proposed capital injection in a Malaysian joint venture vehicle used to facilitate investment in the Philippine retail business. 

  • Advised and assisted on the proposed reorganisation of a government-linked conglomerate involved in the sectors of agriculture, healthcare, food & beverage and real property.

  • Advised a Singaporean company on the applicable foreign equity restrictions and possible corporate structures for investment in the Malaysian petroleum industry. 

  • Advised a Singaporean oil and gas company on the sub-contracting of petroleum upstream activities under Malaysian law. 

  • Advised foreign companies on the applicable licensing regime and foreign equity restrictions in respect of the distribution and retail business in Malaysia. 

  • Advised foreign companies on the implications for carrying on business in Malaysia under the Companies Act 2016 and establishing a principal-agency relationship with its Malaysian subsidiaries under the Contracts Act 1950. 

  • Advised on the existence of a conflict-of-interest situation involving the duties of nominee directors in terms of their participation in and representation of their nominator’s interests in corporate meetings.

  • Advised on whether a bonus pay-out to employees involved in the preparatory and due diligence work for a corporate transaction constituted a form of financial assistance under the Companies Act 2016. 

  • Advised a global pharmaceutical company on the possible options for operating a pharmaceutical distribution business in Malaysia. 

  • Advised a global pharmaceutical company on the amendments required to be made to an existing agreement to accommodate the proposed distribution of products through named patient programmes in Malaysia. 

  • Advising on a long-term multi-faceted plan to overhaul the structure and functions of a State water authority by increasing its enforcement, licensing and decision-making powers in water supply and water resources management, assimilating integrated water resources management into existing practices and merging as a single entity the various water supply entities for a more streamlined and efficient process. 

  • Advised on environmental laws for the Malaysian subsidiary of a multinational listed pharmaceutical company based in South Africa as part its annual global legislative update. 

  • Reviewed and advised on the terms of a proposed forest carbon credits trading agreement to be entered into between a State government and a potential Singaporean-based investor. 

  • Advising on the licensing requirements under the Water Services Industry Act 2006, including on the categories of water tariffs and charges for the private supply of water in specific States. 

  • Advised on and secured the donations licence for a non-profit organisation in Malaysia which forms part of a worldwide network to increase climate change awareness amongst non-executive directors.

  • Co-Author – Malaysian Chapter, Lex Mundi Global Climate Change Guide (2021)
  • Co-Author – Malaysian Chapter, CCLI and CGI Primer on Climate Change: Directors’ Duties and Disclosure Obligations (July 2022)
  • Co-Author - Malaysia chapter of the Net Zero Engagement in Asia Guide (November 2022), Client Earth in collaboration with the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC)
  • Co-Author – Lexology Malaysian Chapter, Getting the Deal Through: Real Estate 2023

  • Advocate and Solicitor, High Court of Malaya (2017)
  • Barrister-at-Law (Lincoln’s Inn) (2016)
  • Very Competent, Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), BPP Law School, UK (2016)
  • Second Class Upper Division, LL.B (Hons), University of Manchester, UK (2015)