03 May 2021
Christopher & Lee Ong strengthens its White Collar Crime & Investigations Practice
Christopher & Lee Ong (“CLO”), a member firm of Rajah & Tann Asia, strengthens its White Collar Crime & Investigations Practice with the addition of new partner, Shanti Geoffrey. She brings to her new role more than 25 years of experience in the field of investigations, regulation, and enforcement of laws relating to securities.
Shanti’s admission to the partnership of CLO is timely as Malaysian regulators step up their efforts in curbing white collar crime with concomitant efforts by Malaysian corporations to ensure compliance with the regulatory framework governing their operations.
Shanti will co-head the White Collar Crime & Investigations Practice Group with John Mathew, CLO’s Head of Dispute Resolution. Her previous role as Head of Prosecutions & Civil Enforcement with the Securities Commission will enable her to play a vital role in offering clients both advice and representation before the Courts on different aspects of regulatory compliance and enforcement – this will include matters involving possible accounting and corporate fraud, criminal breach of trust, market manipulation, insider trading, and corruption.
Shanti will also be working closely with our partners in the Ethics and Integrity Practice Group as well as our Corporate Regulatory and Compliance Practice Group to achieve optimum outcomes for our clients.
Managing Partner, Yon See Ting, said, “We are elated to have Shanti join our team. Our corporate clients will greatly benefit from her in-depth knowledge of securities law and her invaluable regulatory experience in investigations and enforcement, including on high profile and complex cases, in both civil and criminal matters. Corporations will prize her knowledge and experience to help them avoid facing reputational risks and to overcome the unique commercial challenges that arise in cases in this practice area.”
Shanti comes into her new role having served with the Securities Commission in various roles where she helped formulate and lead law reforms, policy initiatives, and corporate governance reforms. She also represented the regulator on matters relating to the capital market before the Malaysian Courts, including dealing with issues relating to criminal procedure and the Federal Constitution. She was part of the core team involved in the drafting of the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007, the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, and related guidelines for capital market intermediaries.
“Shanti is a most welcome addition to our Firm – her hands-on experience in securities regulatory and enforcement matters will enable CLO to better serve its range of clients and reinforces CLO’s goal of being a full service corporate – commercial law firm”, said John Mathew.
Shanti commented on her new role, saying, “The need for compliance with the capital market laws and rules, anti-money laundering and anti-corruption laws consistently presents us with new opportunities to assist companies in dealing with the risks and challenges in this area. I am excited to join the dynamic team at CLO and am looking forward to building this practice group.”
CLO is pleased to strengthen its White Collar Crime & Investigations Practice in tandem with, and in support of, Malaysia’s move towards promoting a culture of better corporate governance.
About Rajah & Tann Asia – www.rajahtannasia.com
Rajah & Tann Asia brings together leading law firms and lawyers in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam, with each offering the highest standards of service to locally-based clients while collectively having the capability to handle the most complex regional and cross-border transactions and to provide excellent legal counsel seamlessly across the region. With over 800 fee earners, all working towards one shared goal, we are lawyers who know Asia and who give our clients home advantage.