Tilleke & Gibbins Appoints Two New Partners in Thailand and Indonesia

January 9, 2024

Tilleke & Gibbins Appoints Two New Partners in Thailand and Indonesia

Leading full-service Southeast Asian law firm Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce the promotion of two outstanding lawyers to the firm’s partnership.

Nopparat Lalitkomon leads the firm’s data privacy and cybersecurity practice in Thailand and Vietnam. His expertise in technology, media, and telecommunications has earned him recognition as a “Rising Star” by The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific and as an “Up and Coming” lawyer by Chambers Asia-Pacific. Nopparat is a trusted advisor to domestic and multinational companies alike, advising clients across industries on a wide range of tech-focused matters in Southeast Asia, including cybersecurity, data protection, e-commerce, e-payments, e-transactions, fintech, gaming, and insurtech. He also advises clients on general corporate and commercial matters, including banking, direct marketing, foreign direct investment, investment incentives, labor and employment, M&A, and joint ventures. Nopparat hold degrees from Thammasat University and the University of Glasgow, and is a member of the Thai Bar Association.

Wongrat Ratanaprayul is the director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Indonesia operations, based in Jakarta. Wongrat is recognized as a leading practitioner in Indonesia by IAM Patent 1000 and WTR 1000, and in 2023 she was named to Managing Intellectual Property’s list of the Top 250 Women in IP globally. She advises clients on all aspects of IP prosecution in Indonesia, as well as in multiple jurisdictions throughout Southeast Asia, to ensure efficient and effective IP portfolio management. Wongrat’s practice benefits from her exceptional breadth of expertise and her international reach. Wongrat is a particularly adept patent practitioner, and is much sought-after in highly technical fields including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, automotive, electronics, and computer-related technology. She is also a leader in regional pharmaceutical patent litigation. Furthermore, Wongrat oversees the firm’s regulatory affairs practice in Indonesia, serving clients in pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, and related industries with respect to product registration and compliance. Wongrat holds a law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law and Master of Biotechnology from the University of Pennsylvania, and is admitted to the bar in Connecticut and Massachusetts; she is also qualified as a Thai patent agent.

Discussing the appointments, Tilleke & Gibbins’ managing partner Tiziana Sucharitkul commented that “we are continuously evolving our offering to fulfill our mission as a full-service law firm. Nopparat and Wongrat’s leadership and commerciality in fast-changing fields exemplify our commitment to helping our clients thrive in the dynamic markets of Southeast Asia.”

Managing partner Darani Vachanavuttivong added that “both of these promotions highlight what makes our firm unique; namely the breadth and strength of our regional offering in Southeast Asia, and our global outlook on international commerce in Southeast Asia. We are excited to welcome Nopparat and Wongrat to the firm’s leadership to continue to help our clients grow.”

Tilleke & Gibbins now has 36 partners and over 200 associates in its seven offices across Southeast Asia

About Tilleke & Gibbins

Tilleke & Gibbins is the premier law firm for doing business in Southeast Asia. With over 230 lawyers and consultants practicing in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, the firm provides full-service legal solutions to the top investors and the high-growth companies that drive economic expansion in Asia in the key areas of commercial transactions and M&A, dispute resolution and litigation, and intellectual property.

Established in 1890, Tilleke & Gibbins has grown into the largest independent law firm in Thailand and a leading international firm across the Southeast Asian region based on its commercial focus, local knowledge, and extraordinary service. The firm’s clients include world leaders in the fields of pharmaceuticals and healthcare, energy, consumer goods and retailing, manufacturing, financial services, insurance, information technology, and telecommunications. Tilleke & Gibbins proudly helps global companies excel in Asia and domestic companies shine abroad.

RELATED PROFESSIONALS

Nopparat Lalitkomon

Thailand, Vietnam,

+66 2056 5646

Email

Wongrat Ratanaprayul

Partner and Director, Indonesia

Thailand, Indonesia,

+6221 2971 8099

Email

RELATED INSIGHTS

December 8, 2023

Tilleke & Gibbins Lawyers Appointed Co-chairs of IAPP KnowledgeNet Chapter in Thailand

Athistha (Nop) Chitranukroh and Nopparat Lalitkomon have been appointed as co-chairs for the International Association of Privacy Professionals’ (IAPP) KnowledgeNet Chapter in Thailand. In their roles, Athistha and Nopparat, along with two other local co-chairs, will serve as advocates for the IAPP, spearheading initiatives to organize regular educational meetings and networking events. The objective is to foster a collaborative community of privacy professionals in Thailand, contributing to the growth of knowledge and expertise in the field. The IAPP, a nonprofit and nonadvocacy membership association, has a global membership of over 50,000 data privacy professionals, making it the largest and most comprehensive information privacy community and resource worldwide. The appointment of Athistha and Nopparat as co-chairs for the Thailand chapter reflects Tilleke & Gibbins’ expertise in data privacy throughout Southeast Asia.

October 5, 2023

Asia IP: Thomas Treutler Quoted on AI’s Impact on IP Enforcement

Thomas J. Treutler, partner and managing director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Vietnam offices, was interviewed for an Asia IP article on the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the realm intellectual property enforcement. The provocatively titled “Will AI bring the death of IP enforcement work?” explores the impact of AI in the IP space, and the delicate balance between helping and replacing IP professionals. In the article, Thomas is quoted as saying that “AI-powered algorithms can be trained to detect and monitor IP infringements more rapidly than a single human can, as they are able to analyze vast amounts of data on online platforms, social media and ecommerce marketplaces. This can preliminarily help rights owners and IP agents in data scraping to identify potential targets.” However, he further explained, “taking legal action requires human actions; for example, filing a complaint with the police or handling litigation proceedings in court. Therefore, it will not replace IP professionals in enforcement actions.” The full article can be read at the Asia IP website. Asia IP is a publication of the Apex Asia Media Group, an independent publisher based in Hong Kong. The magazine aims to provide informed analysis of IP–related issues for Asian and international law firms.

August 22, 2023

Athistha (Nop) Chitranukroh Interviewed on Fintech in Southeast Asia

Athistha (Nop) Chitranukroh, partner and director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ corporate and commercial group, is quoted extensively in a recent article on fintech in Southeast Asia. The article, which was published in the August 2023 issue of Asian Legal Business, highlights the importance of achieving a balance between innovation and regulation in fostering a healthy environment for fintech operations. In the article, Nop emphasizes that innovation and regulation should not be seen as competing ideals. “When it comes to new and complex products in the fintech sector,” she says, “a clear and comprehensive regulatory framework can give businesses the confidence to make investments.” Nop also points out the role of regulations and regulators in combating cybercrime within the fintech realm, noting that regulators are a crucial ally in the fight against cyber threats. She explains that this can even be on a regional or global level. For example, the Financial Action Task Force and its recommendations create a network that has been especially effective in combating cross-border financial crimes. Asian Legal Business, owned by Thomson Reuters, is a leading source of information for businesses and professionals in the legal industry in Asia.

May 9, 2023

Financial Times Highlights Tilleke & Gibbins’ Data Privacy Services

Athistha (Nop) Chitranukroh, partner and director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ corporate and commercial group, was quoted in a recent article from the Financial Times on how law firms are helping clients tackle cybersecurity risks and navigate fast-evolving regulatory landscapes for data protection and cybersecurity in Asia. In the article, Nop commented on recent Thai legislation that requires companies monitoring the behavior of residents to have a local data privacy representative in the country. She explained that this has created a client-service opportunity for Tilleke & Gibbins, which set up a digital solutions service that allows the firm to be the representative in Thailand for existing clients, including Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook. This helps clients become compliant and avoid having to set up their own local representative in Thailand. Nop also discussed enforcement of the country’s fledgling Personal Data Protection Act and related regulations. “Last year, when the law was implemented, the regulator’s approach was more educational,” she told Financial Times. “This year, I would expect the regulator to start imposing fines. They are starting to enforce more strictly.” Tilleke & Gibbins Digital Solutions is a first-of-its-kind service in Thailand, and it demonstrates the proactive approach the firm takes in addressing cybersecurity and data privacy. The firm’s data protection team—led by counsel Nopparat Lalitkomon—remains committed to helping clients navigate the complex landscape of cybersecurity threats and compliance.

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January 9, 2024