Partner Profiles

Chai Shu Hwi

Background

Shu Hwi graduated with an LL.B (Hons) from the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, in 2012. She completed her pupillage with Lee & Tengku Azrina and was admitted as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya on 19 July 2013. She is a Partner of the firm.

She is fluent in English, Malay, and Chinese. Her proficiency in Chinese has allowed her to build extensive experience advising Chinese companies on foreign investment and business operations in Malaysia, providing clear and practical guidance across cross-border transactions.

Experience

Shu Hwi has considerable experience in corporate, banking, and land transactions, providing strategic and practical legal advice to private and public-listed companies. Her work spans a wide range of corporate and commercial matters, including corporate structuring, banking and finance documentation, and property-related transactions.

With substantial experience in high-profile corporate exercises, Shu Hwi has played an integral role in and led several Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and listing exercises in Malaysia. She has also advised on a wide range of other corporate matters, including investment arrangements, joint ventures, shareholders’ agreements, and company acquisitions.

Shu Hwi works closely with foreign multinational corporations, guiding them through Malaysian laws and regulatory frameworks governing foreign direct investment and business operations in Malaysia. Beyond corporate exercises in Malaysia, Shu Hwi also acts as foreign legal counsel to conduct legal due diligence on Malaysian subsidiaries and advise on Malaysian laws in listing exercises undertaken by foreign companies abroad.

In her banking and finance practice, Shu Hwi advises Malaysian financial institutions on diverse financing structures and transactions. Her experience includes financing for real estate acquisitions, development project bridging financing, infrastructure development, and manufacturing activities. She provides clear and commercially grounded advice on complex financing arrangements. She also regularly advises financial institutions based overseas, including in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, in respect of financing security structures involving assets and security parties in Malaysia.

Shu Hwi represents a broad spectrum of clients across various industries, including financial institutions, real estate developers, manufacturers, and multinational corporations. Her work across multiple practice areas, including corporate, commercial, banking, finance, and property, enables her to deliver comprehensive and dynamic advice that takes into account the wider commercial and regulatory landscape.

Notable Work Highlights

  • Assisted in the listing exercise of a food and beverage manufacturing group on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad ("Bursa Securities") in 2019, and the subsequent transfer of its listing to the Main Market of Bursa Securities.
  • Led the listing exercise of a property development group on the ACE Market of Bursa Securities in 2021, and the subsequent transfer of its listing to the Main Market of Bursa Securities.
  • Led the listing exercise of a group involved in the marketing and sale of surface decorative products on the ACE Market of Bursa Securities in 2023.
  • Leading the listing exercises of a group involved in the advanced materials industry and a group involved in the professional services industry, both seeking listings on the ACE Market of Bursa Securities.
  • Advised on Malaysian laws and acted as Malaysian legal counsel in respect of the legal due diligence on 16 Malaysian subsidiaries pertaining to the dual listing of a group involved in the workers' accommodation and purpose-built student accommodation industry on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in 2017.
  • Advised on Malaysian laws and acted as Malaysian legal counsel in respect of the legal due diligence on one Malaysian subsidiary pertaining to the proposed listing of a group of companies involved in the events, exhibitions, and décor services on the Catalist Board of the Singapore Stock Exchange.
  • Advising on Malaysian laws and acting as Malaysian legal counsel in respect of the legal due diligence on two Malaysian subsidiaries pertaining to the proposed listing of a group of companies involved in the semiconductors and electronics industries on the Stock Exchange in China.
  • Advising on Malaysian laws and acting as Malaysian legal counsel in respect of the legal due diligence on one Malaysian subsidiary pertaining to the proposed listing of a group of companies involved in the piping and valves industry on the Main Board of the Singapore Stock Exchange.
  • Advised offerors in respect of an unconditional voluntary take-over offer of shares in an entity listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities.
  • Acted as due diligence solicitors for several companies listed on Bursa Securities involving the issuance of warrants.
  • Acted as due diligence solicitors for several companies listed on Bursa Securities in the implementation of employee share option schemes.
  • Acted for a logistics company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities in relation to its proposed diversification of business and acquisition of shares in a target company in the business of metal machining and engineering, and conducted legal due diligence on the target company.
  • Acted for a logistics company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities in a share subscription agreement exercise.
  • Acted as due diligence solicitors for several companies listed on Bursa Securities in respect of Circulars to Shareholders for the acquisition or disposal of assets or shares in companies.
  • Advised an investment holding company on the acquisition of shares in a public-listed company via a share swap arrangement and to seek the approval of the Securities Commission Malaysia for a proposed exemption from the obligation to undertake a mandatory takeover offer.
  • Acted as due diligence solicitors in respect of the private placement exercise undertaken by a property development and construction company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities.
  • Advising a major shareholder of a public-listed company on the application to the Securities Commission Malaysia for a proposed exemption to the company and its persons acting in concert from the obligation to undertake a mandatory takeover offer.
  • Acted for the founder of a milk and dairy company (currently listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities) in respect of share subscription by investors, shareholders' agreement, and option agreement.
  • Acting for a long-standing developer in a Joint Venture Agreement to develop a large parcel of land in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, under a multi-billion ringgit gross development value arrangement.
  • Acting for a developer, being a subsidiary of a public-listed company, in a Subscription and Shareholders' Agreement in respect of a joint venture company to acquire and develop a piece of land located in the Township of Johor Bahru.
  • Acting for a dormitory operator, being a subsidiary of a public company listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange, in respect of a joint venture to develop and operate a workers' dormitory in Selangor.
  • Acted as Malaysian legal counsel for a purchaser company listed on the Catalist Board of the Singapore Exchange, in respect of the share sale agreement and legal due diligence pertaining to its acquisition of a Singapore entity, which has a Malaysian subsidiary involved in the communications industry.
  • Acted for the purchaser company in respect of the legal due diligence and share sale agreement pertaining to the acquisition of 100% equity stake in a company owning a manufacturing facility for resin, synthetic rubber, chemical, and allied products.
  • Acted as foreign legal counsel to conduct legal due diligence on a manufacturer of food products in Malaysia in respect of the acquisition of its Singapore holding company.
  • Acted for a purchaser company in respect of the legal due diligence and share sale agreement pertaining to the acquisition of 100% equity stake in a company owning a petrol station land.
  • Advised a purchaser company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities, principally involved in the manufacturing and distribution of food products, in respect of the proposed acquisition of a company in Indonesia.
  • Advised the vendor shareholders of a manufacturer and trader involved in sealant and bonding activities for the construction and automotive industries in respect of due diligence coordination, the share sale agreement, and business transfer agreement for the disposal of 100% equity stake in the company.
  • Advised the vendor shareholders of a company principally involved in the marketing and wholesale supply, trading, and distribution of medicines, pharmaceutical, healthcare, personal care, and other medical equipment products, for the sale of 51% equity stake in the company.
  • Advised the vendor shareholders of a company principally involved in the manufacturing and trading of precision engineering parts in respect of the share sale agreement and shareholders' agreement pertaining to their disposal of almost the entire equity stake.
  • Advised the vendor shareholders of operators of workers' dormitories on the disposal of 100% equity stake in three companies to a subsidiary of a public company listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.
  • Involved in the share sale exercise by the vendor shareholders of a company principally involved in manufacturing and supplying busbars and bus duct trunking systems, in respect of the proposed disposal of 51% equity stake in the company.
  • Acting for a purchaser company in respect of the legal due diligence and share sale agreement pertaining to the acquisition of 100% equity stake in a company owning an oil palm estate.
  • Acted for a vendor in the disposal of a large piece of land in Sedenak, to be used for a data centre, to a China-based company for a consideration of RM109 million.
  • Acted for a foreign investor in the acquisition of a large piece of land in an industrial park located in Senai for RM43 million.
  • Acted for a foreign investor in the acquisition of two pieces of industrial land within an industrial park in Senai for RM33 million.
  • Acting for a foreign investor in the acquisition of a large piece of land in an industrial park located in Iskandar Puteri for RM134 million.
  • Acting for a subsidiary of a company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities (principally involved in the wood-based industry) in the acquisition of industrial land and building in Muar for RM23.5 million.
  • Acting for two Johor-based food companies in respect of their acquisition of land and building in Johor Bahru worth RM20 million.
  • Acting for a vendor, being a subsidiary of a public-listed company in Singapore, in respect of its disposal of industrial land and building in Iskandar Puteri worth RM27.5 million.
  • Assisted in the listing exercise of a food and beverage manufacturing group on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad ("Bursa Securities") in 2019, and the subsequent transfer of its listing to the Main Market of Bursa Securities.
  • Led the listing exercise of a property development group on the ACE Market of Bursa Securities in 2021, and the subsequent transfer of its listing to the Main Market of Bursa Securities.
  • Led the listing exercise of a group involved in the marketing and sale of surface decorative products on the ACE Market of Bursa Securities in 2023.
  • Leading the listing exercises of a group involved in the advanced materials industry and a group involved in the professional services industry, both seeking listings on the ACE Market of Bursa Securities.
  • Advised on Malaysian laws and acted as Malaysian legal counsel in respect of the legal due diligence on 16 Malaysian subsidiaries pertaining to the dual listing of a group involved in the workers' accommodation and purpose-built student accommodation industry on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong in 2017.
  • Advised on Malaysian laws and acted as Malaysian legal counsel in respect of the legal due diligence on one Malaysian subsidiary pertaining to the proposed listing of a group of companies involved in the events, exhibitions, and décor services on the Catalist Board of the Singapore Stock Exchange.
  • Advising on Malaysian laws and acting as Malaysian legal counsel in respect of the legal due diligence on two Malaysian subsidiaries pertaining to the proposed listing of a group of companies involved in the semiconductors and electronics industries on the Stock Exchange in China.
  • Advising on Malaysian laws and acting as Malaysian legal counsel in respect of the legal due diligence on one Malaysian subsidiary pertaining to the proposed listing of a group of companies involved in the piping and valves industry on the Main Board of the Singapore Stock Exchange.
  • Advised offerors in respect of an unconditional voluntary take-over offer of shares in an entity listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities.
  • Acted as due diligence solicitors for several companies listed on Bursa Securities involving the issuance of warrants.
  • Acted as due diligence solicitors for several companies listed on Bursa Securities in the implementation of employee share option schemes.
  • Acted for a logistics company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities in relation to its proposed diversification of business and acquisition of shares in a target company in the business of metal machining and engineering, and conducted legal due diligence on the target company.
  • Acted for a logistics company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities in a share subscription agreement exercise.
  • Acted as due diligence solicitors for several companies listed on Bursa Securities in respect of Circulars to Shareholders for the acquisition or disposal of assets or shares in companies.
  • Advised an investment holding company on the acquisition of shares in a public-listed company via a share swap arrangement and to seek the approval of the Securities Commission Malaysia for a proposed exemption from the obligation to undertake a mandatory takeover offer.
  • Acted as due diligence solicitors in respect of the private placement exercise undertaken by a property development and construction company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities.
  • Advising a major shareholder of a public-listed company on the application to the Securities Commission Malaysia for a proposed exemption to the company and its persons acting in concert from the obligation to undertake a mandatory takeover offer.
  • Acted for the founder of a milk and dairy company (currently listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities) in respect of share subscription by investors, shareholders' agreement, and option agreement.
  • Acting for a long-standing developer in a Joint Venture Agreement to develop a large parcel of land in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, under a multi-billion ringgit gross development value arrangement.
  • Acting for a developer, being a subsidiary of a public-listed company, in a Subscription and Shareholders' Agreement in respect of a joint venture company to acquire and develop a piece of land located in the Township of Johor Bahru.
  • Acting for a dormitory operator, being a subsidiary of a public company listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange, in respect of a joint venture to develop and operate a workers' dormitory in Selangor.
  • Acted as Malaysian legal counsel for a purchaser company listed on the Catalist Board of the Singapore Exchange, in respect of the share sale agreement and legal due diligence pertaining to its acquisition of a Singapore entity, which has a Malaysian subsidiary involved in the communications industry.
  • Acted for the purchaser company in respect of the legal due diligence and share sale agreement pertaining to the acquisition of 100% equity stake in a company owning a manufacturing facility for resin, synthetic rubber, chemical, and allied products.
  • Acted as foreign legal counsel to conduct legal due diligence on a manufacturer of food products in Malaysia in respect of the acquisition of its Singapore holding company.
  • Acted for a purchaser company in respect of the legal due diligence and share sale agreement pertaining to the acquisition of 100% equity stake in a company owning a petrol station land.
  • Advised a purchaser company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities, principally involved in the manufacturing and distribution of food products, in respect of the proposed acquisition of a company in Indonesia.
  • Advised the vendor shareholders of a manufacturer and trader involved in sealant and bonding activities for the construction and automotive industries in respect of due diligence coordination, the share sale agreement, and business transfer agreement for the disposal of 100% equity stake in the company.
  • Advised the vendor shareholders of a company principally involved in the marketing and wholesale supply, trading, and distribution of medicines, pharmaceutical, healthcare, personal care, and other medical equipment products, for the sale of 51% equity stake in the company.
  • Advised the vendor shareholders of a company principally involved in the manufacturing and trading of precision engineering parts in respect of the share sale agreement and shareholders' agreement pertaining to their disposal of almost the entire equity stake.
  • Advised the vendor shareholders of operators of workers' dormitories on the disposal of 100% equity stake in three companies to a subsidiary of a public company listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange.
  • Involved in the share sale exercise by the vendor shareholders of a company principally involved in manufacturing and supplying busbars and bus duct trunking systems, in respect of the proposed disposal of 51% equity stake in the company.
  • Acting for a purchaser company in respect of the legal due diligence and share sale agreement pertaining to the acquisition of 100% equity stake in a company owning an oil palm estate.
  • Acted for a vendor in the disposal of a large piece of land in Sedenak, to be used for a data centre, to a China-based company for a consideration of RM109 million.
  • Acted for a foreign investor in the acquisition of a large piece of land in an industrial park located in Senai for RM43 million.
  • Acted for a foreign investor in the acquisition of two pieces of industrial land within an industrial park in Senai for RM33 million.
  • Acting for a foreign investor in the acquisition of a large piece of land in an industrial park located in Iskandar Puteri for RM134 million.
  • Acting for a subsidiary of a company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities (principally involved in the wood-based industry) in the acquisition of industrial land and building in Muar for RM23.5 million.
  • Acting for two Johor-based food companies in respect of their acquisition of land and building in Johor Bahru worth RM20 million.
  • Acting for a vendor, being a subsidiary of a public-listed company in Singapore, in respect of its disposal of industrial land and building in Iskandar Puteri worth RM27.5 million.

Admission & Education

  • Advocate & Solicitor, High Court of Malaya (2013)
  • University of Malaya (LL.B Hons)