经过近3个月的调研，2022年度的ALB China十五佳新经济法务团队榜单呈现在了读者面前。今年上榜的团队依旧来自15家在新技术、新业态、新模式方面具有代表性的市场领先新经济企业，我们与部分上榜团队聊了聊他们如何支持创新、促进合规，并且打造一支会学习、有活力的法务团队。
疫情以降，中国新经济板块发展经历“冰火两重天”。一方面，疫情之下衣食住行都要带上些“线上”色彩，加之国家利好政策支持诸多硬科技产业发展，新经济项下新赛道频出，屡屡引发资本及公众关注；另一方面，过去几年，几乎所有新经济领域都经历了调整周期，收紧的监管环境在促使行业健康发展的同时，也不免为业务增长甚至存活带来挑战。
值得欣喜的是，“冰火”之下，新经济板块依旧保持住了韧性。财新BBD中国新经济指数最新一期录得数字为29.9，即新经济投入占整个经济投入比重为29.9%，证实其在国民经济中已扮演极为重要的角色。此外，该数据也囊括劳动力、资本、科技三项指标，表明了新经济板块对于民生、创新的重要作用。
今年登上ALB China十五佳榜单的新经济法务团队来自15个细分领域。从地域上看，6家团队所属企业总部位于长三角，5家位于珠三角，4家则来自北京。在行业领域上，既有来自以互联网、云计算、生物科技、芯片、智能制造为代表的TMT企业团队，也有实现“数字化+”，在医疗、新能源、快消、餐饮、出行、物流等行业构建出新模式的企业团队。
在人员体量上，9支团队少于20人；4支团队人数在20-50之间；此外则是拥有82位成员的工业富联法务智权团队，以及拥有150余位成员的京东集团法律合规与知识产权部。
而在设立时间上，大部分团队都设立于2010年之后，其中可谓“元老” 的京东法务团队和深圳市华思旭科技有限公司法务团队分别创建于2007 、2011年，有5家团队的成立时间则不到三年。
不一样的起点
相对晚近的设立时间和所服务企业极具创新性的业务内容，使不少新经济法务团队在构成层面就给人耳目一新的感觉。
总部位于深圳的华大智造是一家生命科技领域的智能设备制造企业。华大智造知识产权与法务部告诉ALB，团队起源于华大集团的知识产权与法务部，“经过在华大集团的摸爬滚打、耳濡目染，我们部门从成立之初就对企业所处行业，以及行业的业务及商业模式有充分而全面的了解，因此一方面能迎合商业需求，另一方面也能提供高质量、有针对性的法律服务”。
京东集团法律合规与知识产权部如今规模已经从十五年前的16人壮大到150余人，“负责京东集团全业务板块的法律安全保障、法律合规支持，和知识产权保护及运营”。负责人胡焕刚告诉ALB，团队以30-40岁的青年人为主，且30岁以下年轻人的比例在持续提升，“除共同的法律学科背景外，过往行业背景具有多元性，如律所、其他公司法务、其他法律专业机构，以及公检法机关等”。
懂业务、年轻化之外，有些团队在创立之初便突破了传统模式，以便为新经济企业提供更具弹性、活力的服务，T3出行法务部就是很好的例子。T3出行法务总监朱春雨告诉ALB，团队目前既有支持战略项目、创新业务、投融资等前端业务的法务BP，也有负责公司治理、合同服务的后台法务，还横向设置法研、数据合规、诉讼、知识产权等中台团队，“各模块还可以根据不同的法律需求，柔性组建专项服务团队”。
面对不断变化的商业环境和监管法则，对于一支新经济法务团队来说，保持旺盛的学习力和充沛的活力也是关键。
京东的胡焕刚对此深有感触。“ 作为快速创新和发展的新型实体企业的法务支持团队，我们始终将学习型组织的打造、学习活动的开展和学习能力的提升作为团队建设核心。” 他说，“特别是近一两年来，国家法律法规快速更新和发展，部门通过外部专家分享、大部门‘法律大讲堂’和二级部门分享等方式，营造浓厚的分享和学习氛围，激发团队学习的动力和分享的成就感，通过团队能力提升，助力业务发展。”
在华大智造团队看来，促生学习力和活力则一方面依靠个人自驱力，另一方面依靠团队及时有效的激励。其中“责任心”是关键，“有责任心，才敢把法律事务放心交到他/她手里，也才会形成良性循环，从而使自身不断历练、成长。有责任心的人也会具备很强的自驱力，积极进取，敢于挑战” 。此外，团队也强调正向引导，“让工作态度积极、工作成果卓越的成员得到实实在在的奖金、升职加薪嘉奖及荣誉，成为团队的模范标杆”。
服务于创新
过去几年，疫情似乎使一切都慢了下来，但以信息、知识为核心生产力的新经济板块却没有停下创新脚步。对于新经济企业来说，快速、敏锐、智慧地响应现代生活中不断细分的需求是企业生存的关键，新经济法务团队因此也从不懈怠，“随时准备着”支持企业创新。
回首过去十余年发展，胡焕刚告诉ALB，京东集团已经成长为一家兼具实体企业基因和属性，以及数字技术和能力的新型实体企业，全面布局零售、科技、物流、健康、保险、产发、国际化业务等板块，新业务、新产品、新模式层出不穷，“为其提供法务支持，是部门战略和工作的重要组成部分”。
他举例道，如京东国际业务的重点创新项目“MCA项目”，在欧洲首创前店后仓模式，法律场景涉及线下的租地、建仓、配送，线上的APP推广、注册和下单，以及完整的采购、仓储和销售等。“全新的法域、全新的合规标准、全新的流程机制，法务从前期调研、模式搭建、业务上线、线下实体开业再到日常运营，提供全方位支持，高效、深入地支持了项目顺利落地。”
作为互联网出行行业的领先企业，T3出行法务部首先观察到的，是行业整体发展阶段的变化。朱春雨解释道：“近年，互联网出行行业从快速成长切换为了发展与合规并重的新模式，法务部因此帮助公司努力调整并成功适应新的法律法规与监管要求，在资质合规、数据安全、个人信息保护等方面强化了安全边际与合规治理能力，帮助公司成为合规率第一的出行企业。”
帮助企业“稳固战线”的同时，法务部也在和业务共同探索新边界，包括“提前介入自动驾驶、多样化出行服务产品等创新业务项目，协同业务制定风险清单、合同范本、操作指引等，输出合规解决方案，支持公司合规进入新业务、新项目”。在此过程中，法务要能够“解决实际问题……既要厘清法律对于创新业务的要求与监管边界，还要满足业务快速切入的急迫要求，如何平衡创新业务的快与准要求，需要法律人的巧智与韧性”，朱春雨说。
极兔速递是一家全球综合物流服务运营商，这家企业从东南亚市场起家，近年又进入中国市场。极兔速递法律合规部总法律顾问孔志强坦言，这个过程中“每天可能都有新的事情发生，对我们来讲挑战很大”。
单量的翻倍增长、并购交易的快速推动对团队的能力和自我成长提出了最直接的要求。此外，一出生就带有的“全球化”基因也给团队带来不同于同行的挑战。孔志强告诉ALB，例如过去一年，团队就帮助企业进入了南美、中东等市场，“这需要整个团队做好前期法律调研，并协同当地律师完成新市场进驻。其中不仅涉及法律问题，还包括税务、牌照、外商投资准入、资金出境等问题，都需要团队主导解决，每个市场对我们来说都是全新的挑战”。
如何面对业务“快”而“新”带来的挑战，孔志强有两点感触。其一，学习力很重要；其二，做事要积极主动。他解释道：“我们更强调一件事的必要性，而非可行性。如果公司认为进入某个市场十分必要，我们就要找到解决思路，把事做成。这也是我们一直所倡导的企业文化“做正确的事，把事情做正确。””他举了团队协助公司进入南美、沙特市场的例子，团队都派遣员工亲入当地，“穷尽一切办法” ，以最可行并快速的方式取得了准入牌照、落地起网。
谈到助力企业不断壮大的海外运营，华大智造团队也颇有感触。他们告诉ALB，一方面，团队不断在工作环境中提高和锻炼成员的英文把控能力；另一方面，伴随公司业务不断拓展，欧非、亚太、南美市场越来越重要，“ 也对我们提出了多语言工作的挑战，日语、西班牙语、意大利语、葡萄牙语等也会成为工作邮件、合同等法律文件的常见语言”，团队于是积极与当地律师达成合作，以更好地为公司海外业务保驾护航。
新经济企业合规
促进业务创新发展之外，合规也是受到颇多讨论的话题。热门合规领域中，数据、网络安全、反垄断等板块都和新经济企业息息相关，近期业界也出现新声音，认为“新经济企业的合规”，是值得特别关注的独立问题。
T3出行的朱春雨坦言，“合规是保障企业长期与可预见性发展的基石，对于新经济企业尤其如是”。以互联网出行行业为例，“已有的法律法规要求和未来的监管方向越来越清晰，法务必须要识别出企业发展的风险问题，从机制和流程角度去设置合规体系，还要不断创新探索更智能的合规工具，提高合规工作效率和准确性”。
具体到团队目前已经落实的工作，朱春雨介绍道，包括搭建了法律合规工作平台，根据业务条线量身打造不同管控等级的合规体系，同时对于资质证照、数据合规、争议解决、知识产权等专项模块建立了线上管理流程和系统，并在具体合规项目中不断迭代优化。
“我们未来的目标是将合规意识和能力嵌入业务思维和商业实践，真正实现企业发展与合规并重的发展模式。”朱春雨说，这也对法务人员提出了更高要求，“一方面要夯实理论与实践能力，特别对智慧出行、数据合规、个人信息保护等重点领域进行前瞻研究；另一方面要理解业务，懂技术会运营，才能将合规意识和具体管控落实到业务项目中”。
关于如何构建符合新经济企业需求的合规体系，华大智造团队也有着自己的思考。团队坦言：“我们的目标从来不是构建‘完整的’合规体系，而是在有限的资源上建立与当前自身业务相匹配的合规体系。合规的目的是保障企业可持续发展，合规与业务之间需要保持相对平衡，不能因为合规全盘扼杀业务机会，或者抛弃业务的灵活性与高效性。”
此外，“合规工作也是有成本的” 。尤其当企业全球化不断扩大、深化时，“我们也面临着日益增加、错综复杂的外部监管，不同的监管需要不同的组织架构、工具、流程等建立相应的合规体系，业务也在动态发展中，也就意味着需要不断进行各种投入。必须在合规与成本之间寻找到一个平衡点”。
华大智造团队进而指出，这首先要求法务人员能够识别风险，并且梳理不同的风险影响程度优先级，从而对合规风险实现分类、分级、分阶段管理。此外，与企业领导层的沟通也很重要，“合规一定是自上而下的，才可能营造合规文化、建立合规机制，减少合规流程运行中的阻力”。
京东的胡焕刚也深以为意。在他看来，只有从理念、机制、系统、文化、专业人才维度构建和完善新经济企业合规体系，才能融合规与业务发展为一体。具体来讲，以京东为例，理念维度意味着坚守“正道成功”的经营理念，这是企业合规的目标，也是基础；其次，机制层面，“坚持和不断完善相对独立的合规体系”，例如京东内设首席合规官职位，直接向集团CEO汇报。
第三，系统层面，要完善全流程的参与评估和审核机制，让合规保障有效落地；第四，文化层面，要践行客户为先、协作、担当的文化，“合规部门对业务有说NO的职权，但在说NO时要给出相应的解决方案”；最后，人才层面，要不断培养和提升合规团队的专业人才建设，与业务深度融合、打造学习型团队，并融合聚力内外部资源。
演进的方向
如同所在企业及行业，新经济法务团队演进的脚步也永不停歇。对于未来，上榜团队又有怎样的计划和期待？
华大智造团队告诉ALB，未来他们希望向主动管理、标准化的方向演进。所谓主动管理，是指“每当社会上出现新的经济动态或热点，对应业务也会接踵而至，法务则会成为新业务、新模式、新问题的第一求助对象。在这种需求之下，我们需要成为掌握行业新动态、新热点所需知识的先锋，要保持敏感性、洞察力，变被动支持为主动管理”。
标准化，则是指在个案法律事务的基础上，某种程度总结共通性，并尝试就共同点用通用式解决，就不同点则差异化对待，同时利用IT工具提高工作效率。
谈到团队的下一步发展，作为企业重要的构成部分，京东法律合规与知识产权部将继续支持集团开拓新业务、迭代原业务模式、壮大现有业务发展。“我们将围绕业务场景，继续提升业务开展过程中的竞争合规、个人信息保护、数据安全、算法合规水平。” 胡焕刚指出，“同时继续壮大和发展懂业务、专业精进、适应能力强、充满活力的团队，持续做好自身成长和业务支持中‘最难的事’和‘最苦的活’。”
极兔速递团队的思考则“更进一步”。作为新一代跨国企业，极兔速递法律合规部希望不断积累全球化团队管理的经验。“我们在每个国家的法务团队都有本地成员，这其中有时差、有文化差异……怎么去管理，我们也在探索，希望能够更好地激发大家的活力，实现对公司业务快速发展的有力支撑，”孔志强说。
2022 ALB China Top 15 New Economy In-House Teams
Following nearly three months of research, ALB is delighted to present the 2022 ranking of ALB China top 15 new economy in-house teams. This year’s list again features 15 market-leading new economy enterprises that represent new technologies, formats, and models. ALB speaks to some of the winning teams about how they support innovation, promote compliance, and build dynamic teams that never stop learning.
The pandemic has resulted in two extremes in the development of China’s new economy sector. On the one hand, every aspect of life amid the pandemic needs to go “online” to varying degrees, which, coupled withfavourablee policies in support of the development of many hard science and technology industries, means the new economy sector has been attracting the attention of investors and the public. On the other hand, in the past few years, almost all fields in the new economy have experienced regulatoryy adjustments. While promoting the healthy development of industries, the tightened regulatory environment also inevitably poses challenges to business growth and even survival.
Even under these circumstances, however, it is heartening to see the new economy sector maintaining its resilience. The Caixin BBD China New Economy index last recorded a figure of 29.9, that is, investment in new economy accounts for 29.9 percent of that in the whole economy. The figure also includes indicators of labor, capital, and technologyy, pointing to the important role of the new economy sector in people’s livelihood and innovation.
The new economy in-house teams on this year’s list come from 15 industry segments. Geographically, six of the winning teams are headquartered in the Yangtze River Delta region, five in the Pearl River Delta region and four in Beijing. In terms of industry, there are not only in-house teams for TMT enterprises such as Internet companies and those engaging in cloud computing, biotechnology, chips, and smart manufacturing, but also those for enter-prises that pursue “digital +” or build new models in healthcare, new energy, FMCG, catering, travel and logistics industries.
When it comes to staffing, nine winning teams have less than 20 members, and four have between 20 and 50 members. The Division of Legal & intellectual Property of Foxconn industrial internet employs 82 people, while the Legal Compliance & Intellectuall Property Department of JD Group boasts over 150 members.
Most of the winning teams are established after 2010. Veterans such as JD Group’s in-house team and the legal team of Shenzhen Carku Technology were set up in 2007 and 2011, respectively. Five teams were established less than three years ago.
DIFFERENT STARTING POINTS
Their relatively shorter history and the highly innovative business of the enterprises they serve distinguish many new economy in-house teams by their composition.
Shenzhen-headquartered MGi manufactures smart equipment in the field of life science and technology. Its iP & Legal Department shares with ALB that the team originated from the IP and Legal Affairs Department of MGi Group, and “through experiences gained from the Group, already has a sufficient and comprehensive understanding of the industry MGi is in, as well as the business and commercial models of the industry since establishment.”
The Legal Compliance & intellectual Property Department of JD Group has grown into more than 150 employees from 16 people in the past 15 years. According to its head Hu Huangang, the team mainly comprises of young people in their 30s, and the proportion of those under 30 is continuously increasing. “Apart from having a legal background, many members have diversified professional experience, such as from law firms, other in-house teams, other professional legal institutions, and public security, procuratorial and judicial organs,” notes Hu.
Apart from understanding the business and being younger, some teams break through traditional models since the very beginning. The Legal Department of T3 Go is one such example. Zhu Chunyu, its legal director, tells ALB that the team currently has not only legal business partners supporting strategic projects, innovative business and investment and financing, but also a back-end team responsible for corporate governance and contract services. There is also a horizontal mid-office team for legal research, data compliance, litigation and intellectual property. “Each module can also set up special service teams according to different legal needs,” says Zhu.
In the face of the constantly changing business environment and regulatory rules, it is also crucial for a new economy in-house team to keep learning and maintain boundless energy.
One example is JD, with Hu noting: “Especially in the past year or two, our laws and regulations have been rapidly updating and developing. Our team has worked to create a strong sharing and learning atmosphere through external expert sharing, and ‘legal seminars’ with key departments, so as to support business growth through the enhancement of team capabilities.”
To MGi’s in-house team, promoting learning and dynamism depends on both the self-drive of individuals and the timely and effective motivation of the team. The team attaches particular importance to positive incentives to “let members with a positive work attitude and outstanding work achievements receive real bonuses, promotion, salary increments and honors, and become role models and benchmarks for the whole team.”
ENABLING INNOVATION
The pandemic seems to have slowed everything down in the past few years, except the new economy sector where information and knowledge are core drivers of productivity. For new economy enterprises, responding quickly, sensitively and intelligently to the constantly sub-divided needs in modern life is key to their survival. Therefore, new economy in-house teams can never slacken and need to stand “ready” to support enterprise innovation.
Looking back on the development over the past decade, Hu tells ALB that JD Group now has comprehensive operations for retail, technology, logistics, healthcare, insurance, production and development, international business, etc., with new business, products and models coming onboard constantly. “Providing legal support for these developments is an important part of the strategy and work of the in-house team,” he adds.
For example, the MCA project is a key innovative project of JD’s international business. Under this project, JD Group pioneered the model of customer-facing franchise stores and back-end warehousing in Europe. The legal scenarios involved cover offline land leasing, warehouse building and distribution, online APP promotion, registration and order placing, as well as the complete process of procurement, warehousing and sales. “The legal department has provided all-round support from initial research, modelling, to online business launch and offline store opening, and to daily operations,” notes Hu.
T3 Go is a leader in the ride-hailing industry, and its legal department has observed changes in the overall development stages of the industry. According to Zhu, “in recent years, the ride-hailing industry has switched from rapid growth to a new mode of equal emphasis on development and compliance. The legal department has accordingly helped the company adjust and successfully adapt to new laws and regulations.”
In addition, the legal department is also exploring new industry boundaries with business units, including “intervening early in innovative business projects such as self-driving and diversified traveling service products.” In this process, the in-house team should be able to “solve practical problems… and should not only clarify legal requirements and regulatory boundaries for innovative business, but also meet the urgent needs for rapid business entry, which requires legal professionals to be both smart and resilient.”
Starting out in Southeast Asia, Chinese logistics service provider J&T Express has recently entered into the Chinese market and managed to achieve rapid development. Kong Zhiqiang, general counsel of its Legal & Compliance Department, shares frankly that “new things may happen every day.”
The doubling of order volume and the rapid speed of M&A transactions are the most direct tests on the ability of the in-house team. In addition, the business’ globalized nature also brings to the in-house team challenges that are different from its peers. For example, in the past year alone, the team helped the enterprise enter markets in South America and the Middle East, “involving not only legal issues, but also tax, licensing, foreign investment approval, capital outflow and other issues, all of which needs the legal team to take the lead.”
In the process, Kong has two key takeaways. First, it is crucial to learn; second, it is crucial to be proactive. He cites the example of the team assisting the company to enter the markets of South America and Saudi Arabia. The team sent employees to the frontline personally and “exhausted all means” to obtain market entry licensing in the most feasible and rapid way.
MGi’s in-house team shares similar sentiment when it comes to supporting the enterprise’s growing overseas business. As markets in Europe, Africa, the Asia Pacific and South America become increasingly important, “it challenges us to work in multiple languages. Japanese, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese also become common languages of work emails, contracts and other legal documents.” The team thus actively cooperates with local lawyers to better support the company’s overseas operations.
BOOSTING COMPLIANCE
Apart from promoting business innovation and development, compliance is another much-discussed topic. Data, cybersecurity and anti-monopoly are hot compliance areas that are closely related to new economy enterprises. Recently, new voice has emerged in the industry that “compliance of new economy enterprises” is an independent issue that deserves special attention.
According to Zhu of T3 Go, “compliance is the cornerstone for ensuring the long-term and predictable development of enterprises, especially new economy enterprises.” Taking the ride-hailing industry as an example. “Existing legal and regulatory requirements and future regulatory directions are becoming clearer. In-house counsel must identify the risks of enterprise development, set up a compliance framework by focusing on mechanisms and processes, and constantly innovate and explore smarter compliance tools.”
“Our goal in the future is to embed compliance awareness and ability into business thinking and practice, so as to truly realize equal emphasis on development and compliance.” Zhu notes that this raises higher requirements on the in-house team which “on the one hand, must have solid theoretical and practical ability, and on the other hand, must understand business, technology and operations, so as to enforce compliance awareness and specific controls into business projects.”
On how to build a compliance framework that meets the needs of new economy enterprises, MGi’s in-house team has its own take. “Our goal is never to build a ‘complete’ compliance system, but to build a compliance system that matches our current business based on our limited resources. We cannot indiscriminately kill business opportunities or abandon the flexibility and efficiency of our business because of compliance.”
In addition, “compliance has its costs, and therefore a balance must be struck between compliance and cost.” This requires in-house counsel to be able to identify risks and prioritize different risk impact levels. Communication with the leadership is also very important, since “compliance must be top-down.”
Hu of JD concurs. in his opinion, only by building and improving the compliance systems of new economy enterprises from the perspectives of concept, mechanism, system, culture and talent can compliance be integrated with business development. For example, JD Group has a Chief Compliance Officer who reports directly to the Group CEO. The company has also improved the whole process evaluation and audit mechanism to ensure effective implementation of compliance.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Like the enterprises and industries that they support, new economy in-house teams never stop marching forward. What are the future plans and aspirations of the winning teams?
MGi’s in-house team hopes to evolve in the direction of proactive management and standardization. Proactive management means that “the in-house team will become the first port of call for new business, models and problems, and will need to be the pioneer of knowledge, stay alert and provide insights.”
Standardization means drawing commonalities to some extent on the basis of individual legal matters, and trying to solve general problems by using the commonalities learnt and relying on IT tools to improve work efficiency.
Speaking of its development in the next stage, the legal team of JD will continue to support the group in developing new business, upgrading original business models and expanding existing business operations. “We will continue to grow and develop our team that understands business, is highly adaptable and full of vigor.”
J&T Express’ team wants to look “further ahead.” As a new generation of multinational enterprise, the legal team hopes to continuously accumulate experiences of managing a global in-house team. “Our in-house team in each country has local members, which entails time difference and cultural difference... We are still learning to manage those differences, and hope to better stimulate the enthusiasm of everyone,” says Kong.
THE LIST
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2022 ALB China Top 15 New Economy In-House Teams 2022 ALB China十五佳新经济法务团队 |
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ALIBABA CLOUD LEGAL AND COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT TRANSACTION AND COMPLIANCE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, BAIDU,INC. LEGAL DEPARTMENT, BEIJING OUYING TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. DIVISION OF LEGAL & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF FOXCONN INDUSTRIAL INTERNET CO., LTD HIVE BOX LEGAL DEPARTMENT LEGAL DEPARTMENT, HONG KONG WINHEALTH PHARMA GROUP J&T EXPRESS - LEGAL & COMPLIANCE DEPT. LEGAL COMPLIANCE & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPARTMENT, JD GROUP LUCKIN LEGAL DEPARTMENT MGI | IP & LEGAL DEPARTMENT LEGAL DEPARTMENT OF MINISO LEGAL DEPARTMENT, T3 GO LEGAL DEPARTMENT OF SOUL APP LEGAL TEAM OF SHENZHEN CARKU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD LEGAL DEPARTMENT OF UNISOC (SHANGHAI) TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
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