Anissa is a Partner in CLO’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications, and Data Protection Practice Group.
She started her career as a Corporate lawyer in one of Malaysia’s preeminent firms, before moving in-house for a large conglomerate for a decade. She is therefore able to seamlessly manage complex transactions by interfacing with internal counsels and management to ensure a smooth delivery of work products.
With over 10 years of experience in the TMT industry, Anissa’s forte is her ability to leverage on her deep understanding of this industry, providing sound legal advice with significant commercial and industry insights, particularly in the media and entertainment industries. Her background in corporate and commercial law also well-equips her to provide advice and drive negotiations for local and international clients, both in the public and private sectors.
She focuses on end-to-end legal advice for a wide variety of media and entertainment platforms such as broadcast television, feature films, animation, music, publications, digital media and sports on issues covering content creation, acquisition and distribution, licensing, regulatory and governmental projects, investments and financing, defamation, intellectual property protection and exploitation, commercial and business-related matters for areas such as media sales, e-commerce, talent and artist management, merchandising, advertising, marketing and sponsorship, master content provision/supply, procurement, satellite services, human resources, IT, tenancies, scholarships and corporate social responsibility.
Anissa is recognised as a Next Generation Partner for TMT by Asia Pacific Legal 500 and a Recommended Practitioner for Malaysia in Who’s Who Legal – Telecoms, Media & Entertainment 2024.
EXPERIENCE
- Engaged to provide legal advice on the advertising of consumer banking products in Malaysia on behalf of a digital advertising company that provides services that allow clients to display advertisements of their products on various digital properties (mainly Internet websites and mobile applications).
- Engaged by the content industry body designated by MCMC to advise the ongoing review of the Malaysian Content Code (“Content Code”) with the aim of re-looking and amending the language of the Content Code, bringing the Content Code up-to-date with new technologies, considering the applicability of the Content Code to non-CMA licensees and OTT-players, and addressing several topical issues faced by the various stakeholders in the Malaysia content industry.
- Advised one of the top downloaded social media and content platform applications in the world on the advertising restrictions and regulations applicable to a broad spectrum of their products and services.
- Appointed by an American multinational technology company to advise on its proposed roll out of a new TV application service in Malaysia. The TV App was previously available in selected countries for its users and intends to extend its TV App to other countries, including Malaysia, as well as to expand the types of services offered on the TV App.
- Sole legal counsel in relation to the production of a topical Malaysian subject matter documentary, which was featured on the international world premiere stages such as CAAMFest37 (the largest American showcase of Asian films) and DocEdge (the New Zealand Academy Award-qualifying festival for documentaries).
- Sole external legal advisor to a Malaysian media production house in relation to the production of an original made-for-television series that is set to broadcast on a leading American subscription VOD streaming platform.
- Advised a China-based client who is currently one of the largest online video streaming sites in the world, in relation to providing legal and regulatory advice for the client’s entry into the Malaysian market.
- Advising on legal issues in respect of the business of broadcasting and content creation for various languages, including drafting and negotiating agreements for television, OTT, animation and digital content development, production, commissioning, investments, financing/ funding, assignments, channel and programme licensing, distribution and exploitation.
- Engaged to provide legal advice on the advertising of consumer banking products in Malaysia on behalf of a digital advertising company that provides services that allow clients to display advertisements of their products on various digital properties (mainly Internet websites and mobile applications).
- Engaged by the content industry body designated by MCMC to advise the ongoing review of the Malaysian Content Code (“Content Code”) with the aim of re-looking and amending the language of the Content Code, bringing the Content Code up-to-date with new technologies, considering the applicability of the Content Code to non-CMA licensees and OTT-players, and addressing several topical issues faced by the various stakeholders in the Malaysia content industry.
- Advised one of the top downloaded social media and content platform applications in the world on the advertising restrictions and regulations applicable to a broad spectrum of their products and services.
- Appointed by an American multinational technology company to advise on its proposed roll out of a new TV application service in Malaysia. The TV App was previously available in selected countries for its users and intends to extend its TV App to other countries, including Malaysia, as well as to expand the types of services offered on the TV App.
- Sole legal counsel in relation to the production of a topical Malaysian subject matter documentary, which was featured on the international world premiere stages such as CAAMFest37 (the largest American showcase of Asian films) and DocEdge (the New Zealand Academy Award-qualifying festival for documentaries).
- Sole external legal advisor to a Malaysian media production house in relation to the production of an original made-for-television series that is set to broadcast on a leading American subscription VOD streaming platform.
- Advised a China-based client who is currently one of the largest online video streaming sites in the world, in relation to providing legal and regulatory advice for the client’s entry into the Malaysian market.
- Advising on legal issues in respect of the business of broadcasting and content creation for various languages, including drafting and negotiating agreements for television, OTT, animation and digital content development, production, commissioning, investments, financing/ funding, assignments, channel and programme licensing, distribution and exploitation.
- Advising on, drafting and negotiating agreements for the engagement, endorsement, management and commercial exploitation of on-air and off-air talents, including actors, directors, writers and production crew.
- Advising on, drafting and negotiating agreements for joint ventures with, and acquisitions and divestments of several notable broadcasting and content-focused foreign and local companies.
- Advised an international sports broadcaster on its entry into the Malaysian market.
- Advised a global cinema federation with regards to the licensing of music rights by cinemas in relation to film and other performances/the playing of music in Malaysian cinemas.
- Advising on legal issues in respect of the film business, including drafting and negotiating all related agreements and documents such as term sheets, co-development, co-investment/financing and co-production agreements, output deals, talent (on and off screen) agreements, option and rights agreements, music agreements, distribution agreements, marketing agreements, grant /funding documentation, and sponsorship agreements, as well as managing various business-related initiatives such as rights clearances, regulatory relationships, anti-piracy, script/ content submission processes and strategic brainstorming during the development and production stages.
- Advising on legal issues in respect of the business of sport including the preparation and oversight of strategic, transactional and compliance documentation for the setting up, launch and ongoing operations of sports channels and events, the negotiation and drafting of all related agreements and documents for the broadcast and license of local and international sports content including collaborations with local and international sports associations and the provision of broadcast and production services for local and international sports events such as the Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games and the SEA Games, and brand ambassador and talent engagement agreements for sports personalities and newsreaders.
- Advising various corporations and platforms on legal and regulatory issues regarding print and digital advertising in Malaysia.
- Advised one of the most successful local content production houses in Malaysia on several of its transactions including the setting up of a film fund, investment deals with other media companies and its internal restructuring.
- Advising (including providing training to) various corporations and platforms/ applications on social media issues, management, regulation, censorship and entry into the Malaysian market.
MEMBERSHIPS / DIRECTORSHIPS
- Member, Malaysian Bar
PUBLICATIONS
- Co-contributor, Bullen & Leake & Jacob’s Malaysian Precedents of Pleadings (2nd Ed) 2020, Chapter 13 on Entertainment
- Author, Processing Personal Data in the Context of COVID-19 and the Movement Control Order, 2020 (https://www.christopherleeong.com/media/3871/clo_2020-04-processing_personal_data_in_the_context_covid.pdf)
- Author, Business as Usual During COVID-19: Legal Considerations of E-signing Documents, 2020 (https://www.christopherleeong.com/media/3915/clo_business_as_usual_during_covid_esigning.pdf)
- Author, Personal Data Protection Commissioner Issues Advisory on the Collection, Processing and Storage of Personal Data During the Conditional Movement Control Order, 2020, (https://www.christopherleeong.com/media/3938/clo_2020_06_advisory_on_contact_tracing.pdf)
- Author, The Malaysiakini Decision: Liability of Online Intermediary Platforms for Third-Party Content, 2021 (https://www.christopherleeong.com/media/4331/my_2021_02_malaysiakini_decision.pdf)
- Author, The Malaysiakini Case: Liability of Online Intermediary Platforms as the Presumed Publisher for Third-Party Content – A further Analysis, 2021 (https://www.christopherleeong.com/media/4343/clo_malaysiakini_case.pdf)
- Author, Content Forum Commences Public Consultation on the Revamped Communications and Multimedia Content Code 2021, 2021 (https://www.christopherleeong.com/media/4605/2021-10_clo-revamped-content-code-v2.pdf)
- Author, New Licensing Requirements on the Provision of Cloud Services in Malaysia to Come Into Operation on 1 April 2022, 2022 (https://www.christopherleeong.com/media/4657/2022-01-licensing-requirement-cloud-services.pdf)
- Author, Proposed Amendments to the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA): Latest Updates, 2022 (https://www.christopherleeong.com/media/4724/220211_client_update_on_the_pdpa.pdf)
- Author, Latest Guidelines on Personal Data Protection Notices under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA),2022 (https://www.christopherleeong.com/media/4765/2022-03-clo_latest-guidelines-pdpa.pdf)
- Author, Determining the Extent of Inland Revenue Board’s Powers to Request for Disclosure of Personal Information: Genting Malaysia Berhad v Personal Data Protection Commissioners & Ors, 2022 (https://www.christopherleeong.com/media/4756/2022-03-genting-lhdn.pdf)
- Author, Content Code 2022 | Part 1: The Content Forum Publishes the Revamped Communications and Multimedia Content Code, 2022 (https://www.christopherleeong.com/media/4756/2022-03-genting-lhdn.pdf)
- Author, Latest Update on the Proposed Amendments on the the Personal Data Protection Act 2010, 2022 (https://www.christopherleeong.com/media/5004/2022-08_clo_pdpa-amendments-oct-2022.pdf)
- Author, The Government of Malaysia Launches Malaysia Digital Initiative, 2022 (https://www.christopherleeong.com/media/5003/malaysia-digital-initiative-client-update.pdf)
