
Trevor Faure, the recipient of the In-House Community Achievement Award, providing valuable insights from his 25 years of experience
The In-House Community presented Trevor Faure the In-House Community In-House Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to the world-wide in-house community, through his pioneering work at Tyco International and his authoring of “The Smarter Legal Model: More for Less”.
The winner of the In-House Community In-House Counsel of the Year 2017 is Karim Fawaz, Corporate Counsel, Cisco Capital. Our independent judges* considered Karim deserved the award through his commitment to the Country Digitization Acceleration program in Saudi Arabia and his commitment to initiatives relating to Women, Business and Law in the Middle East.
We are also pleased to announce below the other winners of the In-House Community Counsels of the Year Awards 2017. The In-House Community Counsels Awards, hosted on May 11 2017 in Hong Kong, represent a comprehensive measurement of the performance and value-add of the in-house departments in Asia and the Middle East. Guests came from the UK, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Thailand and the Philippines.

Nominees from from a dozen jurisdictions came together for the celebration
Sixty-nine companies submitted teams to be considered for the In-House Community Awards this year — the Best Practice Awards; the Industry Awards; and the Best In-House Teams and Counsels of the Year 2017. The submissions were evaluated on the criteria of: Dedication; Innovation; Efficiency & Value; Integration; Encouragement Improvement; and Corporate Social Responsibility & Diversity.
The Asian and Middle Eastern Teams of the Year, and the In-House Counsel of the Year awards were determined by *an independent panel of judges, comprising: Kirsty Dougan, Head of Asia, Axiom; David Miles, former Chair of Latham & Watkins; Evangelos Apostolou, President, EMEA SirionLabs and former Asia-Pacific General Counsel for EY, BT and Fujitsu; Ginny Wilmerding, partner of Brunswick Group; and Joanna Donne, Director of Brunswick Group.

Hanim Hamzah, Regional Managing Partner of Zico Law was generous enough to demonstrate her hidden talent as a jazz singer
In addition, we celebrated exceptional external legal teams and counsel, including Visionary External Provider of the Year, 2017 – an award judged by David Miles and Evangelos Apostolou – for the legal providers that demonstrably stand inside the shoes of their clients to deliver outstanding service.
The evening included a fantastic performance from our mystery star, who turned out to be Hanim Hamzah, Regional Managing Partner of Zico Law, with jazz geniuses Scott Dodd (bass) and Allen Youngblood. You had to be there!
The In-House Community was founded back in 1998 and now has some 21,000 in-house members, for whom we provide 16 annual In-House Congress events, as well as Asian-mena Counsel magazine and online resources.
In-House Community In-House Achievement Award and In-House Counsel of the Year
- Stefan Gannon of the HKMA, our recipient in 2010, presents to Trevor Faure with the In-House Community Achievement Award
- Kirsty Dougan of Axiom announces Karim Fawaz, Corporate Counsel, Cisco Capital as the In-House Community Counsel of the Year
In-House Community Teams of the Year
- Middle Eastern Legal Team of the Year: Cherine Ghali of Dubai Group with Patrick Dransfield of the In-House Community
- International Legal Team of the Year – Middle East: Geordie Toh collects the award on behalf of Cisco Capital
- Small Team Winner: Sun Life Malaysia Assurance – Hema Sinnakaundan of Sun Life Malaysia receives the award from Kirsty Dougan of Axiom
- International Legal Team of the Year – Asia: Peter Gregoire of AIG collects from Kirsty Dougan of Axiom
External Counsel of the Year Awards
- Deal Firm of the Year: Richard Morgen of Blackberry presents the award to David Tsai of Clifford Chance
- Most Responsive Firm of the Year: Richard Weisman of Baker McKenzie receives the award from Richard Morgen of Blackberry
- Yozua Makes (right) receives the External Counsel of the Year – South Asia award from David Miles
- Visionary Legal Services Provider – non-law firm: KorumLegal’s Titus Rahiri (right) receives the award from Matthew Kendrick of Daimler China
- Yong-Pyo Yeom of Yulchon is presented with the Visionary Law Firm Asia award by Matthew Kendrick
- Matthew Kendrick of Daimler China presents the Visionary International Law Firm of the Year award to Veronique Marquis of Eversheds
Commended External Counsels of the Year
Attending Commended External Counsel of the Year (listed alphabetically):
Anh Tuan Nguyen Aris Gulapa Bui Ngoc Hong Carlos M. Villaruz Cynthia Roxas-del Castillo Fay Zhou Francis Lim Gia Huy Chuong Nguyen HMBC Rikrik Rizkiyana |
Jinny Suh Jomini Nazareno Joseph Chung Julia Gorham KK Cheung Laure de Panafieu Louie Ogsimer Martin C.W. Tam Michael Gu |
Michael Pepper Mohamed Idwan Ganie, S.H. Patricia-Ann Prodigalidad Pria Swadiri Alamsyah Rafael A. Morales Rossana Chu Thavalingam C. Thavarajah Yong-Pyo Yeom Yozua Makes |
Industry Teams of the Year
- Banking Winner: CIMB Group – Chin Tok Lee of CIMB receives the award from Sarah Grimmer of the HKIAC
- Conglomerate Winner: 3M Asia Pacific – 3M China’s Albert Wang receives the award
- Energy & Natural Resources Winner: ABB (China) – Fengwen Jiang (right) of ABB China collects the award
- Financial Services (ex-Banking) Asia Winner: Aboitiz Equity Ventures – Manuel Colayco of Aboitiz collects from Ivy Lai of Reed Smith
- Financial Services (ex-Banking) Middle East Winner: Cisco Capital – Geordie Toh of Cisco Systems receives the award from Ivy Lai of Reed Smith
- Insurance Team Winner: AIG Asia Pacific Insurance – Christine Tam of AIG (right) receives the award
- Life Science & Pharma Winner: Sanofi (China) Investment – Christine Zhuang of Sanofi China and Michael Pepper of Reed Smith
- Manufacturing & Engineering Winner: Hyundai Heavy Industries – Kellie Yi of Hyundai Heavy with Michael Pepper
- Property, Infrastructure & Logistics Winner: MTR Corporation – Yu Yuen Wong of MTR receives the award
- Retail & Healthcare Winner: Haier Group – Ricky Lioe of King & Wood Mallesons receives the award on behalf of Haier Group
- Technology, Media & Telecom Middle East Winner: Dell FZ – Sean Lee of Pivotal (left) receives the award on behalf of his colleagues at Dell FZ Middle East
- Travel & Leisure Winner: Melco Resorts & Entertainment – Tim Sung of Melco collects the award from Stanley Lui of Hilti Asia
Best Practice Teams of the Year
- Small Team Winner: Sun Life Malaysia Assurance – Hema Sinnakaundan of Sun Life Malaysia receives the award from Kirsty Dougan of Axiom
- Business Integration Winner: Nike Sports (China) – Danchi Wang of Jun He (right) receives the award on behalf of Nike
- Transactional Winner: Melco Resorts & Entertainment – Tim Sung of Melco Resorts & Entertainment receives the award from Kirsty Dougan of Axiom
- Change Management Asia Winner Ibiden Philippines – Racquel Ros of Ibiden (left) receives the award from Kathy Yeung of Blackberry
- Change Management Middle East Winner: Dubai Group – Bill Proudfit presents to Cherine Ghali of Dubai Group
- Innovation – Winner: Wockhardt – Debolina Partap of Wockhardt (right) receives the award from Kathy Yeung of Blackberry
- Knowledge Management Asia Winner: Daimler Greater China – Sun Ning, Matthew Kendrick and Luna Ren celebrate the award
- Knowledge Management Middle East Winner: Cisco Capital – Geordie Toh, Cisco Systems (left) receives the award from Bill Proudfit
- Corporate Social Responsibility Winner: Asian Development Bank – Kori Emzita (right) of the ADB receives the award from Sue Tommey of HandsOn Hong Kong
- Diversity Winner: Claire Chino, General Counsel of Itochu Corporation – Joanna Donne of Brunswick (right) receives the award on behalf of Claire Chino
With sincere thanks to our Sponsors
- Supporting organisation
- Official Event Charity
- Official Publication
- And it’s ‘Good night’ from him …
- … and ‘Good night’ from him!
FULL LIST OF WINNERS:
BEST PRACTICE TEAM OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Small Team – Winner: Sun Life Malaysia Assurance
Business Integration – Winner: Nike Sports (China)
Transactional – Winner: Melco Resorts & Entertainment
Change Management – Asia Winner: Ibiden Philippines
Change Management – Middle East Winner: Dubai Group
Innovation – Winner: Wockhardt
Knowledge Management – Asia Winner: Daimler Greater China
Knowledge Management – Middle East Winner: Cisco Capital
Corporate Social Responsibility: Asian Development Bank
Diversity: Claire Chino, General Counsel of Itochu Corporation
INDUSTRY TEAM OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Banking Winner : CIMB Group
Conglomerate Winner: 3M Asia Pacific
Energy & Natural Resources Winner: ABB (China)
Financial Services (ex-Banking) – Asia Winner: Aboitiz Equity Ventures
Financial Services (ex-Banking) – Middle East Winner: Cisco Capital
Insurance Team Winner: AIG Asia Pacific Insurance
Life Science & Pharma Winner: Sanofi (China) Investment
Manufacturing & Engineering Winner: Hyundai Heavy Industries
Property, Infrastructure & Logistics Winner: MTR Corporation
Retail & Healthcare Winner: Haier Group
Technology, Media & Telecom – Asia Winner: Singapore Telecommunications
Technology, Media & Telecom – Middle East Winner: Dell FZ
Travel & Leisure Winner: Melco Resorts & Entertainment
EXTERNAL COUNSEL OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Deal Firm of the Year: Clifford Chance
Most Responsive Firm of the Year: Baker McKenzie
External Counsel of the Year – South Asia: Yozua Makes of Makes & Partners
Visionary Legal Services Provider – Non-Law Firm: KorumLegal
Visionary Law Firm Asia : Yulchon
Visionary International Law Firm: Eversheds
BEST IN-HOUSE TEAMS / COUNSELS OF THE YEAR
Middle Eastern Legal Team of the Year : Dubai Group
International Legal Team of the Year – Middle East: Cisco Capital
Asian Legal Team of the Year: Sun Life Malaysia Assurance
International Legal Team of the Year – Asia: AIG Asia Pacific Insurance
In-House Counsel of the Year 2017 Award
• Karim Fawaz – Cisco Capital
In-House Community Achievement Award
• Trevor Faure