Anita Sheila

Strategic Legal Advisory

Cross-Functional Legal Support: Delivered proactive legal counsel to marketing, sales, supply chain, and R&D teams, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and commercial objectives.

Corporate & Commercial Transactions: Led legal oversight for high-value commercial agreements, joint ventures, and vendor partnerships, supporting rapid product cycles and market responsiveness.

Regulatory & Governance Compliance: Navigated complex regulatory landscapes, including food safety, labeling, advertising standards, and consumer protection laws across multiple jurisdictions.

Brand, Franchise & IP Protection: Spearheaded the development and protection of trademarks, packaging designs, and proprietary materials, safeguarding brand equity in competitive markets.

Marketing & Promotion Compliance: Reviewed and advised on promotional campaigns, product claims, and advertising content to ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards.

Litigation & Risk Management: Managed litigation and dispute resolution, including product liability and regulatory investigations, with a focus on cost-efficiency and brand reputation.

External Counsel Management: Engaged and supervised external legal advisors for specialized matters, ensuring quality, cost control, and alignment with business goals.

Contract & Document Management: Drafted, reviewed, and negotiated a wide range of legal documents, including distribution agreements, licensing deals, and supplier contracts.

Statutory Compliance & Board Governance: Ensured compliance with the Companies Act 2016 and other statutory obligations; prepared Board papers, resolutions, and minutes.

• Corporate Agreements; Advised on a range of corporate agreements, including term sheets, letters of offer, memorandums of understanding, non-disclosure agreements, and shareholder or joint venture agreements, as well as other agreements beyond routine business.
• Intellectual Property Rights; Provided guidance on the documentation and registration of Symphony's intellectual property rights related to its intellectual works.
• Coordination with External Solicitors; Liaised with external legal counsel on all legal matters concerning the Symphony Group, including industrial relations cases.
• Regulatory Compliance Advisory; Offered advisory services to business units on statutory compliance and legal requirements, ensuring adherence to regulations, guidelines, and circulars from relevant authorities.
• Preventive Law Strategies; Developed strategies for preventive law, as well as corporate policies and compliance programs to mitigate legal risks.
• Litigation Management; Managed litigation cases, third-party disputes, and other project-related legal issues while maintaining a comprehensive understanding of applicable laws.
• Legal Updates; Ensured that significant changes in Malaysian law were communicated to management and relevant stakeholders, advising on compliance with updated requirements.
• Timely Task Completion; Successfully completing all tasks in a timely and coherent manner, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in legal operations.
• Risk Advisory to the Board; Provided strategic advice to the Board on potential risks, safeguarding the company's interests and facilitating informed decision-making.
• In-House Legal Management; Efficiently managed all legal work in-house for the entire Symphony Group of Companies, eliminating the need for external counsel.
• Pending Litigation Management; Oversaw the Legal & Compliance Department, maintaining a record of no pending litigation cases, which highlights effective dispute management and compliance practices.

• Cross-Border Listing Exercises; Led a task force handling cross-border listings, coordinating with various exchanges, commissions, and solicitors, including Linklaters, Clifford Chance, and Merryl Lynch.
• Corporate Due Diligence; Headed corporate due diligence exercises for tenders in targeted cross-border projects, providing findings and recommendations to senior management.
• Mergers and Acquisitions Participation; Actively involved in working committees for M&A projects, internal restructuring, and corporate consolidation exercises.
• Compliance and Regulatory Affairs; Oversaw compliance and regulatory affairs for the parent company and its subsidiaries, ensuring directors and senior management were informed of Securities Commission guidelines, stock exchange regulations, and corporate governance practices.
• Corporate and Commercial Law Expertise; Possessed extensive experience in corporate finance, capital markets, property matters, and corporate banking.

• Legal Drafting and Review; Drafted and reviewed legal contracts and agreements for corporate clients, banks, and individual clients.
• Court Proceedings; Attended court proceedings related to litigation and other corporate matters, representing clients effectively.
• Corporate Litigation Focus; specializing in corporate litigation, handling company-related disputes, shareholder matters, and winding-up and liquidation proceedings.
• Corporate Agreements Advisory; Provided advice on various corporate agreements, including proposals, letters of offer, memorandums of understanding, non-disclosure agreements, and shareholder or joint venture agreements.
• Intellectual Property Services; Offered advice on the documentation and registration of intellectual property rights.
• Industrial Relations Representation; Represented clients in industrial relations cases, advocating for their interests.
• Litigation Management; Managed litigation cases, third-party disputes, and developing strategies for potential project developments while maintaining an in-depth understanding of relevant laws.