On August 25, Joseph Tomkiewicz, partner and co-chair of Tilleke & Gibbins’ regional energy practice, joined the first day of the three-day Future Energy Asia 2021 forum to moderate a strategic session titled “Big Ideas: Clean Energy, Role of Oil & Gas, Innovations That Shape ASEAN’s Energy Transition.” Joined by leading companies in the oil and gas sector, including PTTEP, Baker Hughes, and Venture Global, Joseph led a session that handled questions about innovations such as the rapid growth of renewables amidst COVID-19 in ASEAN. During the session, he directed and fostered discussion of ASEAN’s drive toward fuel diversification, energy security, and decarbonization. Joseph and the panelists also analyzed strong demand growth for cleaner practices in the power and industrial sectors, considered how players in the energy industry are reshaping their strategies and focus, and highlighted innovations they have seen in policies, financing, technologies, and business models. The session showcased the development and innovation in today’s energy sector, and initiated discussions among high-level professionals in the industry.

On August 19, Sher Hann Chua, a consultant in Tilleke & Gibbins’ Bangkok and Yangon offices, presented a session to the Thailand chapter of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) titled “An Overview of Intellectual Property: What to Focus on in the Contract and the Field.” Moderated by Joseph Tomkiewicz, partner and co-chair of Tilleke & Gibbins’ regional energy practice, the session focused on the intellectual property (IP) rights and issues that are most relevant to the oil and gas industry. In discussing IP rights and how they function in the energy sector, Sher Hann presented an overview of trademarks, patents, industrial designs, and copyright, before emphasizing the crucial role that IP plays in major commercial transactions such as mergers and acquisitions. She also analyzed classic IP pitfalls that parties makes when working with others under a contractual arrangement, and providing practical tips on how to avoid these missteps.

Eric Meyer, a foreign consultant in Tilleke & Gibbins’ dispute resolution department, was profiled in the latest issue of Thai-American Business (T-AB), the quarterly magazine of the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (AMCHAM). As co-chair of the AMCHAM Legal Committee, Eric is extremely active in the American business community in Thailand. He applies his unique combination of legal expertise and practical awareness of business concerns in Thailand to identify topics and organize events that are interesting and relevant to a broad range of people. In the T-AB profile, Eric recounts how he came to be involved in AMCHAM after joining Tilleke & Gibbins four years ago, and notes that participation in the group has been an excellent way to stay current with the business community and build connections with professionals across various industries. In response to a question on the outlook for ease of doing business in Thailand, Eric sounded a hopeful note, explaining that the country’s strides in the areas of streamlining and digitizing various aspects of doing business should be able to continue after COVID-19, which has actually hastened digitization in several legal areas that had previously been slower to adapt to recent technological advances. Eric now looks forward to continuing to provide important leadership to the AMCHAM Legal Committee as the country and its business community seek to overcome the persistent challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and move toward a sustainable economic recovery.

On July 1, Jay Cohen, partner and director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Cambodia practice, shared insights into Cambodia’s increasingly active solar energy market in a webinar organized by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. Jay’s presentation was titled “Solar Industry in Cambodia: Overview of Key Issues” and was featured as part of this larger webinar on solar parks and energy storage in the country. The presentation covered a wide range of topics, including the role of the state in Cambodia’s energy sector, the regulatory framework for the solar industry, licensing rules and concerns, resilient business models for solar energy enterprises, and investment incentives for solar energy entrepreneurs in Cambodia. Jay also identified the key government agencies that solar energy businesses need to deal with, discussed the intricacies of electricity tariffs, explained regulations for different types of energy consumers, and offered guidance on how the solar energy industry may develop in Cambodia in the coming years.