Sarah Zilallah Ooi
Summary
- Commercially-minded and collaborative problem-solver who builds strong, trusted relationships with stakeholders based on mutual respect and understanding.
- Curious and keen life-long student with a growth mindset and a proven track record of delivering successful outcomes across a wide range of banking work, including financing, negotiating bespoke master agreements, representing organisations at industry discussions, and Singapore branch-related matters.
- Empathetic mentor who enables and cheerleads colleagues to be the best professional and personal versions of themselves.
- Strong believer in legal education, able to confidently conduct workshops and provide training to non-legally-trained audiences on a variety of topics.
- Volunteer and fund-raiser for a number of interest groups.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Legal Counsel
Crédit Industriel Et Commercial
08.2023 - 02.2024
- Deputy for the Head of Legal APAC, supporting the bank’s offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia.
- Reviewed contracts, transactions, legal disputes, and other legal activities for the bank, ensuring that they are compliant with the bank’s policies and approvals, as well as applicable laws and regulations.
- Developed and maintained the bank’s internal templates as well as policies and procedures of the legal department.
- Provided training on legal-related matters to non-legal professions in the bank.
Markets Lawyer – Documentation and Advisory
Australia And New Zealand Banking Group Limited
12.2016 - 07.2023
- Drafted, reviewed, and negotiated end-to-end Markets documentation which covered a range of agreement types (e.g.: ISDAs, GMRAs, and CDEAs) and jurisdictions (mainly India and Indonesia with occasional coverage of Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, Middle East, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore).
- Prepared, maintained, and updated precedent legal documentation and agreements to incorporate changes in applicable law and regulations.
- Consolidated and presented key terms and deviations to relevant stakeholders including senior management, for consideration, approval, and/or instructions.
- Worked collaboratively with customers and internal stakeholders to balance the bank’s legal, economic, operational, and reputational risks with its commercial interests.
- Worked with the Markets Legal team, external legal counsels, and other key stakeholders to ensure that the bank adheres to legal, regulatory, and bank-specific standards.
- Supported the bank to achieve its revenue growth and capital savings benefits.
- Worked consistently with different departments and senior stakeholders to maximise efficiencies and improve processes on relevant steering committees such as the Legal Operations Steering Committee.
- Provided comprehensive legal guidance and support to cross-functional teams.
- Provided concise and relevant communications and support to colleagues from other departments on applicable regulatory changes and the impact of such changes.
- Conducted legal and documentation training for bank staff across multiple jurisdictions on master agreements, capacity and authority issues, etc.
Corporate Lawyer – Retail and Private Banking
Australia And New Zealand Banking Group Limited
06.2015 - 12.2016
- Managed legal risks in the Retail and Private Banking segments of the bank’s Singapore branch.
- Reviewed and advised stakeholders in relation to a wide range of matters, including service agreements, merchant agreements, employment law, personal data protection, audit engagement letters, lease agreements, license agreements, facility documents, customer-facing terms and conditions, marketing and promotional material, product highlight sheets, internal work instructions, and Singapore legislative changes.
- Created internal policies and implement processes to comply with legislative changes.
- Liaised with external counsel and internal customer service teams in relation to legal proceedings and customer disputes, to mitigate legal, reputational, and economic risks to the bank.
Associate – Banking & Finance Practice Group
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP
08.2013 - 05.2015
- Acted for a Singapore bank in relation to the grant of S$84,000,000 facilities to part finance the acquisition of land and the business of owning, operating, and managing an observation wheel in Singapore.
- Acted for the borrower in relation to the grant of HK$2,400,000,000 to finance the construction of an 11-storey ramp-up modern logistics centre in Hong Kong.
- Acted for a syndicate of banks in relation to a S$180,000,000 term loan facility to finance the acquisition of several shopping malls in Indonesia.
- Acted for a Hong Kong issuer in its US$300,000,000 medium term note programme listed on the Singapore Exchange.
- Acted for a syndicate of banks in relation to S$2.1 billion syndicated facilities to Singtel Group Treasury.
- Acted as Singapore counsel in various cross-border financing transactions.
Education
Part B of The Singapore Bar Examinations - Passes in Nine Subjects
Board of Legal Education
2012
Part A of The Singapore Bar Examinations - Passes in Five Subjects; Distinction in Land Law
National University of Singapore
2011
Bachelor of Laws With Honours in Law - Second Class, Division Two
University of Nottingham
2011
GCE ‘A’ Levels - AABB in Four H2 Subjects, Pass in One H3 Subject
Catholic Junior College
2007
SATs
2007
GCE ‘O’ Levels - Four As, Three Bs, One C
Nanyang Girls’ High School
2005
Timeline
Legal Counsel
Crédit Industriel Et Commercial
08.2023 - 02.2024
Markets Lawyer – Documentation and Advisory
Australia And New Zealand Banking Group Limited
12.2016 - 07.2023
Corporate Lawyer – Retail and Private Banking
Australia And New Zealand Banking Group Limited
06.2015 - 12.2016
Associate – Banking & Finance Practice Group
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP
08.2013 - 05.2015
Part B of The Singapore Bar Examinations - Passes in Nine Subjects
Board of Legal Education
Part A of The Singapore Bar Examinations - Passes in Five Subjects; Distinction in Land Law
National University of Singapore
Bachelor of Laws With Honours in Law - Second Class, Division Two
University of Nottingham
GCE ‘A’ Levels - AABB in Four H2 Subjects, Pass in One H3 Subject
Catholic Junior College
SATs
GCE ‘O’ Levels - Four As, Three Bs, One C
Nanyang Girls’ High School
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