Yi Li T.

General Counsel & Chief of Investments | M&A · VC · Family Office | Anime & Media | SEA · Japan · China

Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

About

After 12 years in private practice advising private equity funds and venture capital on cross-border M&A across Southeast Asia and Greater China, I made a deliberate move to the other side of the table. In May 2024, I joined a Singapore headquartered anime media entertainment startup as General Counsel and Chief of Investments, building the legal and investment function from the ground up. On the investments side, I lead direct equity investments into Japanese animation studios and anime IP titles for original production, structured and set up funds and SPVs for production finance, and assisted in raising a production fund from institutional and strategic LPs. On the legal side, I am the internal counsel across all commercial, IP licensing, co-production, employment and regulatory matters spanning Singapore, US and Japan. I hold dual qualifications in Malaysia and England & Wales, and I'm an ACAMS Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist. I'm fluent in English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Malay.

Experience

  • Chief Investment Officer, General Counsel at Kasagi Labo
    Jun 2024 - Present · 2 yrs 1 mo

  • Christopher & Lee Ong (KL Sentral)
    • Partner
      Jul 2020 - Jun 2024 · 4 yrs

      I negotiate cross border M&A transaction and advise on regulatory compliance matters (finreg, ABC, AML, sanctions).

    • Senior Associate
      Jan 2018 - Jul 2020 · 2 yrs 7 mos

      I split my practice between M&A transactions, restructurings and regulatory compliance work, with a special focus on ABC and AML matters.

  • Registered Foreign Lawyer at Lee & Lee
    Jun 2014 - Jul 2015 · 1 yr 2 mos

    I handled private M&A transactions and setting up of funds for both the Singapore government and private entities.

  • Associate at Rahmat Lim & Partners
    Dec 2011 - Apr 2014 · 2 yrs 5 mos