​

 

近年来，中国的新科技公司保持着高速增长势头，产生的巨大动能深刻影响着经济社会格局。公司背后优秀的法务团队不仅能够排除风险、减少损失，更以前瞻性的目光为公司的高速发展照明方向、铺平道路。

人工智能、量子计算、生物技术等前沿科技的不断创新进步，不仅对人类个体和社会生活带来变化，更深刻影响着全球的经济社会格局。中国也正在充满不确定性的环境下，积极寻求推动经济发展的新动能，科技创新成为了发展“新质生产力”的核心要素。

国家统计局8月末公布了一组与科技创新相关的数据：2023年，中国研究与试验发展（R&D）经费投入达3.3万亿元，比上年增长8.1%；累计培育专精特新“小巨人”企业达12145家；每万人口高价值发明专利拥有量达11.8件，比上年提高2.4件；技术市场成交合同额达61476亿元，增长28.6%；电动载人汽车、锂离子蓄电池和太阳能电池等“新三样”产品合计出口1.06万亿元，增长29.9%……

纵观数量庞大的高新技术经营主体，无论是初创企业，还是行业巨头，都在快速推进数字化转型，积极拥抱新技术、新商业模式，奋力开拓新市场，且取得了令人瞩目的成绩。

在每一次成功创新的背后，都有法务团队的身影：应对不断变化的法规和合规要求，处理与新科技相关的法律和伦理风险，以及在复杂的商业环境中提供战略性建议。

新科技领域变化更迭之快，对法务团队提出了更高要求。在这一背景下，ALB再次聚焦中国市场上的新科技企业，评选出十五支实力出众、效益显著的法务团队。它们来自于人工智能、生物技术、医疗设备、电动汽车、自动驾驶、新能源、互联网金融等不同领域，在各自行业中不断创新，为企业发展做出重大贡献。

 

应对挑战

过去两年，不同行业面对了不同的发展速度、机遇和压力，也给法务团队的工作带来了不同的影响。

理想汽车作为智能电动汽车行业的代表，经历了该市场从冉冉升起到充分竞争的过程。在该公司数据合规与法律研究团队负责人张建肖看来，智能电动车行业的技术融合不断加强，创新驱动明显：

“智能电动车不仅集成了汽车工程的精髓，还融入了电子信息、通信技术等前沿科技，实现了‘车辆的高度智能化’和‘与外部环境的智能互联’。产业链从上游的感知系统、控制系统、通讯系统，到中游的智能座舱、自动驾驶技术，直至下游的整车制造和后市场服务，每一个环节都在不断创新。”

“而法律具有稳定性和滞后性，技术融合与快速创新会给法律合规带来较大不确定性。对于前沿业务发展面临的立法空白等问题，法务团队需要较好地平衡创新发展与合规风险。”张建肖说。

“另外，我国高度重视智能电动车产业发展，政策法规不仅为技术创新提供了肥沃的土壤，也为产业规模化发展注入了强劲的动力。智能网联汽车的应用场景不断扩展，除了私人出行场景，也能运用到公共交通领域，例如无人出租车、自动驾驶公交车，还能应用到物流运输。”张建肖表示，新技术、新功能以及新的应用场景不断涌现，相关的法律政策不断出台和更新，这也给法务工作带来了一定挑战。

对此，理想汽车团队积极参与行业研讨、法律培训与相关学习课程，长期关注自动驾驶、人工智能、大模型等新科技领域，保持对最新法律法规与技术发展趋势的全面了解，以期支撑公司AI发展的合规实现。

中国能源建设集团广东省电力设计研究院有限公司（下称“广东院”）是具有国家工程设计、工程勘察、工程咨询高级资质的国际工程公司，曾获国家科技进步奖特等奖等殊荣。广东院法律部法律专责陈瑶表示，伴随加快推进能源绿色低碳转型成为必然，我国的新能源产业迎来了迅猛发展。

“在光伏和风能领域，技术的持续创新和迭代升级，为能源工程行业的蓬勃发展提供了强劲动力。同时，政府的扶持政策和市场机制的不断优化，也为新能源产业的成长提供了坚实的支撑。当前，中国在世界清洁能源技术的竞争中已经走在了前列。”但陈瑶坦承，行业的快速发展给能源工程企业的法务团队带来诸多挑战，需要不断适应新的法律环境和市场需求，以保障企业的稳健运营和长远发展。

“一是能源行业业务变得更多元化，比如随着海上风电行业的迅速崛起，相关的法律规定往往落后于行业发展，导致在项目承接和执行过程中遇到较为复杂的法律问题，且没有明确的法律依据。”

“二是广东院承接的工程中有很多国外大型项目，往往适用外国法，不同国家法律体系存在较大差异，短时间内难以完全掌握域外法律要点。”陈瑶分析道。

为应对这些挑战，广东院法律部一方面密切关注新能源领域的法律法规更新，提升团队解决复杂法律问题的能力，对重点国别和重点项目做好风险研究，培养熟悉英美法系的风控人才；另一方面，储备域外法律支持力量，在首次进入的国家，借助外部专业法律服务机构的力量。

金融科技公司度小满则在金融领域感受到更多挑战，首先便是数据合规领域监管日趋严格，执法力度不断加强。度小满法律合规部总经理邢璟告诉ALB，中国数据合规相关立法的缜密性处于世界领先水平。度小满所在金融领域处理的个人金融信息敏感度高，数据合规成了悬在公司头上的“达摩克利斯之剑”。

“第二是防范化解风险、保护用户权益上升为监管关注重点。互联网金融行业面临着严峻的消费者权益保护挑战，新兴技术的快速发展亦使得以电诈、洗钱等风险形态快速演变，给用户权益保护带来新的难题。”

第三重挑战则来自知识产权保护。“金科公司所掌握的大数据处理能力、智能风控能力等，让行业面临着更大的知识产权风险与挑战。在数字经济社会快速发展下，商业秘密泄露、核心技术专利保护、品牌商标维护等风险贯穿从研发到经营全生命周期。”邢璟说。

他还表示，度小满法律合规部通过组织创新的方式，下设的业务团队和职能团队互相支撑，业务团队纵向支持信贷、财富、支付、个人金科、供应链金融等业务赛道，职能团队横向管理劳动行政、投融资、消费者权益保护、印章证照、知识产权、反洗钱、数据合规和刑事案防等领域。

助力技术进步

人工智能技术的发展，特别是大模型的广泛应用，或许是过去一年最为热门的科技领域关键词。本次上榜的多个法务团队也围绕人工智能的应用，为企业发展做出重要贡献。

助力AIGC新业务的合规发展与应用，是度小满法律合规部过去一年工作的核心。据邢璟介绍，法律合规部围绕开源软件的合规性风险、数据合规与安全风险、网络信息内容合规风险等方面进行全面评估，确保AIGC新兴业务平稳开展、有序增长，实现源头合规。

人工智能科技伦理风险也是法律合规部的重点关切，该团队代表度小满申请并成功入选为中国人工智能产业发展联盟科技伦理工作组成员单位，该工作组由国家发改委、工信部、科技部、网信办指导，中国信通院会同相关人工智能企业单位共同成立。

“我们团队助力度小满与信通院及其他兄弟单位共同开展人工智能科技伦理前沿动态跟踪研究，积极参与相关政策文件与标准细则的研究制定，指导人工智能企业开展AI伦理审查，推动AI伦理原则落实实施。”邢璟说。

金融大模型“轩辕”顺利通过生成式人工智能大模型备案也离不开法律合规部的重要贡献。团队建立健全了算法安全管理制度、科技伦理审查制度、AI开发管理制度、AI安全应急处理要求、内容审核机制等，设置算法安全专职机构、安全负责人等内部管理体系，确保海量金融数据在大模型中的合法合规应用。

理想汽车的张建肖也强调了大模型对于法务团队工作的重大意义：“数据合规与法律研究团队作为理想汽车大模型法律合规的归口部门，在过去一年中拉通商标、版权、专利、隐私保护、内容安全、资质准入等相关部门，实现研发测试、上线运营等全面合规；同时，拉通产品部、研发部等，撰写评估报告、内部制度、大模型风险治理框架，保障大模型符合法规及监管要求。”目前，理想汽车“MindGPT”和“MindDiffusion图像生成模型”已顺利通过备案，成为车企业内首个通过备案并上线的大模型产品。

除了关注人工智能技术应用，合规管理、风险管理也是法务团队工作的重中之重。理想汽车数据合规与法律研究团队还联合公司产品、研发、安全等多个部门，制定数据合规制度、开展多次隐私合规培训。今年4月，中国汽车工业协会、国家计算机网络应急技术处理协调中心发布的《关于汽车数据处理4项安全要求检测情况的通报（第一批）》中，理想汽车10款车型均符合汽车数据安全合规要求。

张建肖还补充，其团队开展了ISO27001信息安全管理体系和ISO27701隐私信息管理体系国际标准双认证工作，并顺利通过认证；与安全部门协作，从 0到1 搭建了公司 PIA （个人信息保护影响评估）流程机制，实现成功上线。

广东院的陈瑶介绍道，法律部创新搭建了合规制度体系，并将合规要求内化至各业务制度与流程，避免了 “两张皮”现象，体系的运行和有效性得到了内外部的肯定。“同时，广东院法律部作为专家组成员，参加上级集团与北京大学法律人工智能实验室合作开发建设智能合规系统，贡献了企业的经验做法。”

“在风险管理中，法律部聚焦数字赋能、推动管理方式升级，上线了‘点对点信息快递’模块，各管理机构可以通过该系统及时定向发送提醒信息，实现了风控的可查询、可追溯。” 陈瑶说。

团队力量

获得成功也离不开团队的共同进步。本次上榜的新科技公司团队有一个共同点——团队成员都较为年轻。以广东院法律部为例，平均年龄35岁，正值职业发展关键期，也与新科技行业的快速迭代特点相契合，正如陈瑶所说：“队伍有活力、有冲劲、学习能力强，能够快速准确地处理各类法律问题，力求高标准完成每一次法律服务。”

“尽管广东院法律部仅有10人，但研究生学历占比达到90%，有专业律师转岗而来，也有成员具备多岗位的经验，还有曾从事工程管理的人员。可以说，我们团队知识结构合理，熟悉公司业务，专业知识扎实，不仅提出法律意见，更提供解决方案。”陈瑶补充道。

理想汽车数据合规与法律研究团队共有15位正式员工，其中博士后2人、博士5人，均毕业于国内外知名高校。对于如何管理好人才济济的团队、与成员共同成长，张建肖介绍道，团队采用扁平化管理，工作氛围直接、高效，通过直接的传帮带，更好地理解成员所面临的挑战，提供有针对性的支持。

“团队非常重视学习和成长，鼓励成员进行知识与经验分享，定期举办内部研讨会和读书会；积极为成员提供参加外部培训和会议的机会；对于新入职员工，提供专业全面的培训；重视成员的自我发现与职业发展，为优秀人才提供多样化的上升途径，致力于培养精益求精的业内法律专家及合规业务骨干。”张建肖说。

邢璟则表示，度小满法律合规部长期践行打造“学习型组织”：定期组织读书分享活动，在阅读精选书目后举行学习分享会；积极开展同业交流，向“头部大厂”学习数据合规、电子印章等管理经验，与各专业协会、仲裁机构、法院、高等院校、专业媒体建立资源网络。

学习的成效显而易见，“2023年，部门很多成员考取专业资质，包括知识产权研究中心认证、国际公认反洗钱师认证、企业合规师认证、基金/证券从业资格、档案专业技术资格、电子文件/档案管理师、数据安全师等。”邢璟介绍道。

而在“学有所成”之后，各团队注重让团队深度参与到公司的运营和决策、为公司发展做出贡献。理想汽车数据合规与法律研究团队力求“前置性”：“团队前置化地参与规则制定、开展法律研究，及时进行对新法律法规、公司合规义务的拆解，并开展培训，为业务发展争取更多空间。”张建肖说。

广东院法律部则为所有工程项目提供全过程法律支持，提供“100%经济合同审核”服务以“融入中心、服务大局”。“在‘事前防控’阶段，法律部会参与到重大项目的成本及风险分析评审会，在投标阶段即对合同条款进行深度审核，识别法律风险；在‘事中控制’阶段，法律部构建了全过程法律支持体系，解决履约过程中出现的各种法律问题。”陈瑶解释道。

未来规划

谈及下一阶段的团队工作规划，广东院法律部的陈瑶表示，将全力以赴以实现团队从法律应对到风险管理功能的转变。具体将从三个方面展开：

“第一，公司海外业务正不断扩展，法律部门将致力于提升海外项目风险防控能力，并加大力度培养能够支撑海外业务的法律人才，为公司的国际化进程提供坚实的支持与保障。

第二，广东院是国资委国有企业数字化转型的试点企业，管理信息化是未来的普遍趋势。法律部将继续通过信息化手段开展智慧风控升级，聚焦数字赋能，升级公司现有业务系统中的风险管理功能，包括风险信息互联、风险点对点预警、业务流程嵌入风险提示等功能，提升公司整体风险管理水平。

第三，法律部将继续以提升合规管理的有效性作为工作重点，全面加强三道防线履职尽责，持续压实第一道防线的主体责任。”

理想汽车的张建肖表示，人工智能及自动驾驶等技术的发展将成为未来智能汽车核心竞争力，而人工智能和自动驾驶的法律体系目前还在逐步完善的阶段，因此法务团队将在下一阶段重点关注相关法律法规的制定。

“另外，目前车载的个人信息保护与数据安全相关执法细则也在不断完善，因此智能网联汽车数据合规领域的要求也是我们关注的重点话题。”张建肖说，“同时，团队将积极参与主管部门法律法规、标准的制定与意见征集等工作，输出行业发展的痛点难点，助力行业及企业的合规高质量发展，为新质生产力发展贡献力量。”

度小满则将继续以人工智能技术的应用作为抓手。据邢璟介绍，度小满将加快技术创新，不断降低人工智能技术的应用门槛，助力金融机构进一步提高服务水平。“法律合规部将提供知识产权全生命周期法律支持，进一步助力技术部门加大对高新技术领域原创成果的保护，支持公司在科技领域保持竞争优势地位。”

---

2024 ALB China Top 15 New Technology In-House Teams

In the rapidly evolving landscape of technological innovation, China's in-house legal teams are rising to meet unprecedented challenges. As the nation seeks to bolster its economic development through cutting-edge technologies, these legal professionals play a crucial role in navigating complex regulatory environments and ethical considerations. ALB's 2024 China Top 15 New Technology In-House Teams showcases the exceptional legal departments that are driving forward China's technological ambitions whilst ensuring compliance and risk management in fields ranging from artificial intelligence to biotechnology.

 

The relentless pace of innovation and advancement in cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and biotechnology has not only transformed individual and social life but also profoundly impacted the global economic and social landscape. Amidst great uncertainty, China is actively seeking new drivers for economic development, with technological innovation becoming the core element of developing China's “new quality productive forces.”

In late August, the National Bureau of Statistics released a set of data related to technological innovation. In 2023, China invested 3.3 trillion yuan ($465 billion) in R&D, an 8.1 percent increase from the previous year. There were 12,145 specialised and innovative "little giant" enterprises, and the number of high-value invention patents per 10,000 people reached 11.8, up by 2.4 year-on-year. The contract value of technology market transactions stood at 6.15 trillion yuan, a 28.6 percent rise. The "new trio" of electric passenger vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and solar cells recorded total exports worth 1.06 trillion yuan, up by 29.9 percent.

From start-ups to industry giants, all high-tech businesses are rapidly advancing digital transformation, actively embracing new technologies, business models and markets, achieving remarkable results.

Behind each successful innovation lies an in-house team that responds to evolving regulations and compliance requirements, addresses legal and ethical risks related to new technologies, and provides strategic advice in a complex business environment.

The rapid changes in the new technology field have raised the bar for in-house teams. ALB has once again turned its attention to new technology companies in the Chinese market, listing the top 15 new technology in-house teams. Hailing from diverse fields such as AI, biotechnology, medical devices, electric vehicles, autonomous driving, new energy and Internet finance, these teams continuously innovate to make significant contributions to the development of their organisations.

TACKLING CHALLENGES

The past two years saw different industries experiencing different pace, opportunities and pressures of development, which has impacted the work of in-house teams differently.

Li Auto Inc., a key player on the smart EV industry, has witnessed the industry’s rise in the early days to intensive competition now. To Zhang Jianxiao, Head of Data Compliance and Legal Research team of Li Auto Inc., the smart EV industry is constantly strengthening technology integration and prioritizing innovation.

"Smart EVs not only embody the finest craft of automotive engineering, but also integrate cutting-edge technologies such as electronic information and communications technology, so that the vehicles are not only smart themselves but can also interact with the external environment intelligently. Innovation is constantly happening in each and every aspect of the industry chain, from the perception system, control system and communications system on the upstream, to smart cockpit and autonomous driving in the midstream, and even downstream whole vehicle manufacturing and after-market services."

"On the other hand, the law possesses stability and a degree of lag. Technology integration and rapid innovation will thus cause greater uncertainty to legal compliance. For issues such as legislative gaps that emerge during the development of cutting-edge products, the in-house team must be able to expertly balance innovative development and compliance risks," says Zhang.

"Further, China attaches great importance to the development of the smart EV industry. Policies and regulations not only provide the fertile soil for technological innovation, but also inject strong impetus into industry upscaling. The scenarios where smart connected vehicles can be used are constantly expanding: in addition to personal travel, they can also be used for public transportation such as unmanned cabs and self-driving buses, as well as for logistics transportation." According to Zhang, the constant emergence of new technologies and scenarios, and the relentless pace of introduction and updating of laws and policies, have also posed challenges to in-house teams.

In response, Li Auto Inc.’s team actively participates in industry seminars, legal training and related learning sessions, keeps close track of new technology, and maintains a comprehensive understanding of the latest laws, regulations and technology development trends, so as to support the company to develop AI in compliance with the law.

China Energy Engineering Group Guangdong Electric Power Design Institute Co., Ltd. ("GEDI") is an international engineering and project contracting firm with national comprehensive class A engineering qualifications and has won many national awards and accolades. Chen Yao, legal specialist of GEDI's Legal Department, says that with accelerating transition to green and low-carbon development, China's new energy industry has ushered in the era of rapid development.

"In the field of photovoltaics and wind power, the energy engineering industry is booming thanks to constant innovation and iteration of technology. At the same time, government policy incentives and the continuous optimization of market mechanisms have provided solid support for the growth of the new energy industry. At present, China is already leading the global competition of clean energy technology." Nevertheless, Chen admits that exponential industry growth has brought about many challenges to the in-house teams of energy engineering companies, requiring them to constantly adapt to the new legal environment and market demands.

"First, the energy industry is seeing more diversified business offerings. For example, despite the rapid rise of the offshore wind power industry, relevant laws often lag behind industry development, as a result of which we tend to encounter many complex legal issues during project acceptance and execution for which no clear legal basis is available."

"Second, many of the projects GEDI undertakes are large overseas projects which are often governed by foreign laws. The large differences among the legal systems of different countries make it challenging for the in-house team to fully grasp the key points of foreign laws within a short period of time," says Chen.

GEDI's Legal Department responds to these challenges by closely monitoring updates of the laws and regulations in the new energy field, sharpening the team's ability to resolve complex legal issues, conducting rigorous risk assessment of key countries and projects, and nurturing risk control talents familiar with the common law system. On the other hand, the Legal Department also sources for foreign legal support and engages external professional legal services providers in countries that GEDI enters for the first time.

Fintech company Du Xiaoman more directly feels challenges in the financial industry. The first is tightening regulation and intensifying enforcement in the field of data compliance. Xing Jing, General Manager of the Legal and Compliance Department of Du Xiaoman, tells ALB that the rigor of China's data compliance-related legislation is world-leading. As the personal financial information handled by Du Xiaoman is highly sensitive, data compliance has become the "sword of Damocles" hanging over the company's head.

"Second, preventing and resolving risks and protecting user rights have become the focuses of regulators. The Internet financial industry faces severe challenges in protecting consumer rights and interests. The rapid development of emerging technologies has also led to the quick evolution of risks such as fraud and money laundering, creating new difficulties to the protection of user rights."

The third challenge comes from intellectual property protection. "The big data processing and smart risk control capabilities of fintech companies have made the industry more prone to IP risks and challenges. With the digital economy and society fast developing, risks such as leakage of trade secrets, core technology patent protection, and brand and trademark protection run through the entire lifecycle from R&D to operation," says Xing.

He adds that through organizational innovation, Du Xiaoman's Legal and Compliance Department has set up business teams and functional teams to support each other. The business teams provide support across various operational domains, including credit extension, wealth management, payment services, personal financial technology, and supply chain finance. Meanwhile, the functional teams oversee a range of critical areas: labour relations and administration, investment and financing strategies, consumer protection initiatives, management of seals and licences, intellectual property safeguarding, anti-money laundering measures, data compliance protocols, and prevention of criminal activities.

ADVANCING WITH TECHNOLOGY

The development of AI, particularly the widespread application of large models, has arguably been the buzzword in technology circles over the past year. Many of this year's winners have made significant contributions to their organisations in developing AI applications.

Supporting the compliant development and application of new AIGC (AI-Generated Content) business has been central to the work of Du Xiaoman's Legal and Compliance Department. According to Xing, his team conducted a comprehensive assessment of compliance risks, data security risks, and network information content compliance risks of open-source software. This ensures that emerging AIGC business can grow in an orderly manner, with compliance achieved at the foundational level.

The ethical risks of AI are another key concern for the Legal and Compliance Department. On behalf of Du Xiaoman, the team was successfully selected as a member of the technology ethics working group of the China Artificial Intelligence Industry Development Alliance. This working group, guided by various national commissions and ministries, is jointly established by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) and relevant AI companies.

Xing explains, "Our team assists Du Xiaoman in tracking and studying developments on the frontier of AI technology ethics jointly with the CAICT and other peers. We actively participate in the research and formulation of relevant policy documents and detailed standards, guide AI companies in conducting AI ethics reviews, and promote the implementation of AI ethical principles."

The successful record-filing of the large financial model "Xuanyuan" as a generative AI model was also significantly supported by the Legal and Compliance Department. The team helped establish and improve various management systems and security protocols to ensure the lawful and compliant application of massive financial data to large models.

Zhang similarly emphasises the important role played by large models in her team's work at Li Auto Inc. "As the department in charge of legal compliance for Li Auto Inc.'s large models, the Data Compliance and Legal Research team coordinated various departments to achieve full compliance for R&D testing, market launch and operations. We also developed internal rules and a large model risk governance framework to ensure regulatory compliance." The company's "MindGPT" and "MindDiffusion Image Generation Model" have successfully passed record-filing, making them the first large model products among automobile companies to do so.

Beyond AI technology application, compliance and risk management remain top priorities for in-house teams. Li Auto Inc.'s Data Compliance and Legal Research team partnered with various departments to develop data compliance rules and conduct multiple privacy compliance training sessions. In a security test for automobile data processing by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, all ten vehicle models of Li Auto Inc. met the compliance requirements.

Zhang adds that her team also successfully obtained dual certification of ISO27001 Information Security Management System and ISO27701 Privacy Information Management System, and worked to build and launch the company's personal information protection impact assessment mechanism.

At GEDI, Chen reports that the Legal Department built an innovative compliance system and internalised compliance requirements in various business rules and processes. "As an expert group member, the Legal Department also participated in developing a smart compliance system in cooperation with the superior group and the Law and AI Lab of Peking University, sharing GEDI's experience and practices."

"For risk management, the Legal Department focuses on digital empowerment and promoting the upgrading of management approaches. It has launched a 'point-to-point information transmission' module enabling each management agency to send timely and targeted reminders, ensuring risk control work is recorded and traceable," Chen concludes.

TEAM STRENGTH

Success is invariably a product of teamwork. A common thread among all winning in-house teams is their relatively youthful composition. For instance, members of GEDI's Legal Department average 35 years of age. This demographic is at a critical stage of career progression and well-suited to the rapid iteration characteristic of the new technology industry. As Chen notes, "My team is energetic, motivated, and possesses a strong capacity for learning. Team members can swiftly and accurately handle various legal issues, striving to deliver every legal service to high standards."

Chen elaborates, "Although our team comprises only ten members, 90% hold postgraduate degrees. Some joined us after private practice, others bring a wealth of experience from multiple roles, and a few have backgrounds in engineering management. This diverse knowledge mix, coupled with familiarity with the company's business and solid professional expertise, enables our team to not only provide legal opinions but also offer practical solutions."

Li Auto Inc.'s Data Compliance and Legal Research team consists of 15 full-time employees, including two postdoctoral fellows and five PhD holders, all graduates from top universities globally. Addressing the management of such a talented team, Zhang explains that they employ a flat management structure with a direct and efficient work culture, adopting a mentoring approach to better understand and support team members' challenges.

"We place great emphasis on learning and growth, encouraging knowledge and experience sharing among members. We regularly hold internal seminars and reading sessions, and actively provide opportunities for external training and meetings. We also offer comprehensive training for new joiners, value members' self-discovery and career growth, and provide diverse promotion paths for outstanding talents. These efforts underscore our commitment to nurturing top industry legal and compliance experts."

Xing shares that Du Xiaoman's Legal and Compliance Department has long emphasised the importance of continuous learning. They organise regular book-sharing activities, engage in peer exchanges to learn from industry leaders about data compliance management and electronic seals management, and have established a resources network with various professional associations, arbitration institutions, courts, higher education institutions and professional media.

These efforts have yielded tangible results. "In 2023, many team members obtained professional qualifications, including IP research centre certification, internationally recognised anti-money laundering certification, corporate compliance officer certification, fund/securities practising qualifications, professional archives management qualification, electronic documents/archives management credentials, and data security officer certification," Xing reports.

Furthermore, each team empowers members who have attained relevant qualifications to become deeply involved in the company's operations and decision-making, contributing to its development. Li Auto Inc.'s Data Compliance and Legal Research team strives to be proactive. "We get involved in rule-making and conduct legal research at early stages, promptly dissect and analyse new laws and regulations and the company's compliance obligations, and provide training to create more space for business development," Zhang explains.

GEDI's Legal Department provides comprehensive legal support for all engineering projects and reviews all economic contracts. Chen elaborates, "We attend cost and risk analysis and review meetings for major projects at the 'ex ante prevention' stage, conduct in-depth reviews of contract terms during the bidding stage to identify legal risks, and have built a full-process legal support system for the 'interim control' stage to resolve various legal issues that arise during contract performance."

FUTURE PLANS

Regarding her team's future strategy, Chen emphasises a pivotal shift from reactive legal issue resolution to proactive risk management.

"Firstly, as GEDI expands its overseas operations, the Legal Department will focus on enhancing risk prevention and control capabilities for international projects. We'll intensify our efforts to train legal professionals capable of supporting global business ventures, thereby providing robust support for the company's international expansion.

Secondly, as a pilot enterprise for digital transformation among State-owned enterprises under the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, GEDI recognises that IT-driven management is the future. The Legal Department will continue to upgrade smart risk control through technological means, emphasising digital empowerment and enhancing risk management functions within existing business systems to elevate the company's overall risk management capabilities.

Thirdly, we will maintain our focus on improving the efficacy of compliance management, comprehensively strengthening due diligence in the performance of duties."

For Zhang at Li Auto Inc., the development of technologies such as AI and autonomous driving will become the core competitiveness of smart vehicles. However, the legal framework governing these areas is still evolving. Consequently, the in-house team will closely monitor the formulation of relevant laws and regulations in the coming phase.

"Moreover, as law enforcement details concerning vehicle-related personal information protection and data security continue to be refined, data compliance requirements for smart connected vehicles will remain a key area of focus. Our team will actively participate in the formulation and consultation of laws, regulations and standards by competent authorities. We aim to share industry challenges, help both the industry and our company achieve high-quality, law-compliant development, and contribute to the advancement of new quality productive forces."

Du Xiaoman will maintain its focus on AI application. According to Xing, the company will accelerate technological innovation, continuously lowering the threshold for AI technology application to help financial institutions further improve service levels. "The Legal and Compliance Department will provide comprehensive lifecycle IP legal support, assisting technology departments in strengthening protection of original high-tech achievements and supporting the company in maintaining its competitive edge in the technology field."