YUET MING THAM is a partner in Hong Kong and focuses on cross-border compliance and investigations, and dispute resolution. She advises international corporations on their legal risks across Asia, such as those relating to anti-bribery laws (including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act), international trade controls, sanctions, anti-money laundering regulations, e-commerce, data security and privacy. Examples of Yuet’s significant experience include:
- Setting up a global compliance program for a European pharmaceutical company, including drafting policies for Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
- Conducting FCPA investigations in Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and China for numerous U.S. multinationals.
- Advising a global payments processing platform provider on data-privacy issues throughout Asia.
- Conducting anti-bribery due diligence involving acquisitions in China, Brunei, Thailand and Malaysia on behalf of various clients based in the U.S. and Europe, advising on SPAs and post-completion compliance programs.
Yuet is acknowledged as a leading lawyer by Chambers Asia Pacific in four categories, namely, Dispute Resolution, Anti-Corruption, Life Sciences and Contentious Financial Regulatory. In the latest edition, she is noted as being “highly regarded” and “is recognized by sources for her keen expertise in anti-bribery and FCPA matters” and is “best known for her compliance, investigations and regulatory work”. Additionally, she has been recognized in the Regulatory categories in IFLR 1000 and Asia Pacific Legal 500.
Yuet has worked on numerous investigations involving the U.S. Department of Justice and the SEC. She has also been involved in cases involving the Securities and Futures Commission in Hong Kong, the State Administration of Industry and Commerce (the SAIC) in China, the Fair Trade Commissions in Korea and Taiwan, and issues relating to the Fair Competition Code in Japan. Yuet often conducts compliance risk assessments for her clients’ business operations in Asia, and has set up numerous compliance programs for Asia, conducted FCPA due diligence of business partners, and designed training programs.
Prior to joining Sidley, Yuet was the Asia Head of the Regulatory, Compliance & Investigations Group, and also Head of the Asia Life Sciences Group at another international law firm. She has also held roles as a Deputy Public Prosecutor in Singapore and was previously the Asia-Pacific Regional Compliance Director for Pfizer. During that time, she was responsible for compliance and investigations in Japan, China, Australia, Korea, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, HK, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.
Yuet sits on the Advisory Board of Seton-Hall University’s Healthcare Compliance Program for Asia, and a member of the Editorial Board of the Life Sciences Compliance Journal. She is fluent in English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Malay.
Selected Speaking Engagements
- “The Year in Review: Recent Landmark FCPA Cases involving Asia Pacific and Lessons Learned to Update Compliance Programs and Minimize Risk”, the Asia Summit on Anti-Corruption Compliance and Risk Management, Singapore, December 2012.
- 13th Annual Pharmaceutical Regulatory and Compliance Congress and Best Practices Forum, Washington, D.C., November 2012
- “Navigating Global Privacy and Information Laws”, Sidley, Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo, November 2012
- The Second Asia-Pacific Pharmaceutical Compliance Congress, Shanghai, September 2012.
- Panel on "Asia Regulatory Trends & Developments", The Sixth International Pharmaceutical Regulatory and Compliance Congress, Budapest, Hungary, May 2012.
- A 3-hour Workshop on “Compliance for the Research & Development Operations of the Company”, The 6th National Conference on the FCPA & Anti-Corruption for the Life Sciences Industry, New York, May 2012.
- “Regulatory & Compliance Risks in Asia – an Update” – PharmaChina seminar, Princeton, New Jersey, May 2012.
- “The Revised RDPAC Code in China”, “Plenary Session on Evolving Legal/Compliance Environment in Asia Pacific Region”, and Chair of “Clinical Trials Compliance Issues Mini-Summit”, The Asia-Pacific Pharmaceutical Compliance Congress, Singapore, September 2011
- "Focus on China: Assessing Your FCPA Risk Exposure in R&D & Manufacturing Operations & Bracing for a New Era of Local Enforcement", The 5th National Conference on the FCPA & Anti-Corruption for the Life Sciences Industry, New York, May 2011
- "Asia Regulatory Trends & Developments", The Fifth International Pharmaceutical Regulatory and Compliance Congress, Istanbul, May 2011
- “Global Regulatory Trends & the UK Bribery Act”, British Chamber of Commerce, Thailand, 2 March 2011
- "FCPA Workshop", "Global Compliance Roundtable" & " Advanced Cultural Passport — Methods to Succeed Across National, Ethnic, and Corporate Borders", The International Pharmaceutical Regulatory and Compliance Congress, Berlin, May 2010
- “Accountability, Transparency and Ethics - What are the Enforcements in Place?" (Session One) & "Combating Corporate Fraud & Corruption" (Session Two), The Corporate Governance Summit 2009, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, September 2009
- "How Can Conflicting or Overlapping Elements Of Anti-Corruption Laws Around the World be Harmonized in a Unified Corporate Policy", The International Pharmaceutical Regulatory and Compliance Congress, Rome, May 2009
- "Building an Efficient Corporate Compliance Framework in Asia", The Corporate Compliance Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 2009
- "What is the FCPA and How it Affects You & Your Business", American Chamber of Commerce, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 2009
- "An Update by the OECD on its Foreign Bribery Convention & Latest Developments in Enforcement of Bribery Laws Affecting Businesses in Asia", Joint-Presentation with the OECD's Director of Legal Affairs Nicola Bonucci, Hong Kong, January 2009
- International Pharmaceutical Regulatory & Compliance Congress, Brussels, May 2007