CHOOI MUN SOU

Mun Sou was instrumental in setting up the Malaysian Housing Developers Association in 1973, and was appointed at the behest of the Malaysian Government and by the Hong Kong Government to advise and act on special assignments in the 1980s.

Amongst his special assignments include:

• Acted for the Malaysian company in taking over Dunlop plc in England (1980 – 1984). Succeeded in gaining board seat and worked in conjunction with lead banks, Barclays and Natwest, in the restructuring of Dunlop.

• Appointed at the behest of the Malaysian Government in 1984 to serve on the Committee to investigate Bumiputra Malaysia Finance Ltd. (“BMF”) in Hong Kong in relation to a RM2 billion loan scandal caused by the collapse of the Carrian group of companies headed by George Tan. Responsible for carrying out the investigation and drafting of the official report. Thereafter appointed by the Hong Kong Government to act in relation to the prosecution of the 3 directors of BMF and George Tan. All four eventually pleaded guilty and were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.

• Appointed by the Hong Kong Government in October 1986 following the collapse of the Ka Wah Bank Ltd., Hong Kong. Advised and acted in relation to both criminal and civil matters. This included the arrest of a director and other accomplices for fraud. The director pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison. Filed claims against various directors of the Bank and their accomplices for damages on the basis of conspiracy to defraud. 

• Acted for UBG, Sarawak based plc (from 2001) in the disposal of its banking subsidiary, Bank Utama, to RHB Bank (and merging both banks) with UBG becoming the largest shareholder of RHB, the ultimate holding company of RHB Bank. Continued acting for UBG in the disposal of UBG’s interests in RHB which was successfully concluded in May 2007.

In recent years, he has advised in and led numerous complex transactions including strategic investments, large-scale mergers, restructurings and public takeovers.

Mun Sou has been named as a Recommended Individual in the 2015 and 2014 editions of Asialaw Profiles and is a Recommended Lawyer in the 2013 edition. He is also listed as a Leading Individual in Malaysia in the field of Corporate law and Mergers & Acquisitions by Asia Pacific Legal 500 from 2003 to 2013 and by Asialaw Leading Lawyers in its 2014 edition. In the field of Banking & Finance, he is also identified in the category of Leading Individuals by Chambers Global in its 2006/2007 edition and by Chambers Asia in its 2007/2008 edition. Additionally, Mun Sou is identified as a Highly Recommended Individual by Which Lawyer? Yearbook in its 2008 and 2009 editions and is listed as a Key Practitioner by Worldlaw Profiles in its 2007/2008 edition.