Kia Meng Loh
⚒️ What do you do?
I am the Chief Operating Officer and a Senior Partner at Dentons Rodyk, a global law firm in Singapore. Instead of a specific role, I wear different hats by straddling different roles.
As a lawyer who focuses on private client matters, I provide counsel to HNWIs and wealthy families on matters involving trusts, family and business succession, and wealth management/preservation. I co-head the Trust, Estates, and Wealth Preservation practice and High Net Worth & Family Offices,
My other focus is on the firm's White-Collar Crime & Investigations practice, the former as defence counsel, and the latter involving assisting clients on regulatory breaches, corporate espionage and government inquiries.
As COO, I lead all business support functions of the firm, including Academy, Finance, Human Resources, Innovation, Information Technology, Marketing, and Risk & Compliance.
What is your proudest achievement?
Perhaps because of my personality and my training as a lawyer, my memorable accomplishments typically involve achieving a goal or solving a problem as part of a team. If I were to pick one achievement that I am particularly proud of, it will be my role as part of the Covid-19 Task Force that was formed to ensure business continuity for our law firm. In 2020, the global pandemic was gaining force rapidly. The task force was formed ad-hoc comprising various key business support leaders across the firm. We had to work together to create protocols, policies and processes that complied with government regulations and yet fulfil business continuity objectives.
It was intensive and a lot of hard work. We had to be flexible and be prepared to make changes since the impact of the pandemic is unpredicted. I am most proud that the task force worked very well together as a team to navigate us out of the pandemic.
If you had 25 hours in a day, what would you do with the extra hour?
I would do NOTHING during that extra hour. Literally.
Life is so fast-paced nowadays we do not spent enough time doing nothing.
I love and share the quote:
"Time doing nothing is never wasted."
James Norbury, Big Panda and Tiny Dragon
If you weren't a lawyer, what would you be?
I suppose I would be doing more of NOTHING!
Your favourite food haunt is...?
My favourite food haunt is the private kitchen at my home! There, my wife and I can whip up the dishes we like the way we like them and enjoy them in the comfort of our home.