Phye Keat is a seasoned practitioner in corporate, commercial, ICT (Information and Communications Technology) and intellectual property laws, having handled a broad spectrum of corporate and commercial transactions including those in respect of joint ventures, manufacturing, telecommunications, computer contracts, information technology, licensing, franchising, foreign investment, immigration, sale of goods, construction, privatisation and infrastructure (including the first light rail transit project in Malaysia, STAR). 

In the ICT field, Phye Keat has done considerable work, in particular pertaining to the MSC flagship applications including the Government multipurpose smart card and the smart school projects. Phye Keat also has expertise in mobile related matters, including mobile content agreements and licensing of software relating to mobile banking.

Phye Keat was one of the founding members of the Malaysian Intellectual Property Association (MIPA) and is its immediate Past President. On the international front, Phye Keat is a Past President of the ASEAN Intellectual Property Association. 

Since the Competition Act 2010 came into force in 2012, Phye Keat has focused on Competition law, advising clients on compliance with the Act and also representing them in issues before the Malaysia Competition Commission. Incidentally, Phye Keat had led the task force set up by the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce that interacted with the Malaysian Government on the drafting of the Competition Bill.

In 2010, Phye Keat was appointed by the Minister of International Trade and Industry to sit (and continues to do so) on the Malaysia-Singapore Business Council, a private sector body entrusted to facilitate trade and exchange of commerce between the two countries. 

With the amendments to the Malaysian anti-corruption legislation introducing corporate liability for companies in which “associated persons” are found to have given bribes, Phye Keat has also been active in advising companies on implementing adequate procedures to prevent corruption, which is the only defence to such an offence. 

Over the last decade or so, Phye Keat has been consistently recognized by reputable legal publications such as The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Chambers Asia Pacific and asialaw, being named as a Leading Individual, Market-leading Lawyer, Distinguished Practitioner and Elite Practitioner for his work in Competition/Antitrust, Corporate and M&A and Intellectual Property.

In the Who’s Who Legal 2023 Phye Keat has been recommended as a Global Leader for IP – Trademarks 2023 and as a National Leader for both Southeast Asia – Franchising 2023 and Southeast Asia – Trademarks 2023.

He has also been included in “The A List – Malaysia’s Top 100 Lawyers” for the last few years by Asia Business Law Journal.

TERTIARY QUALIFICATION

• Bachelor of Laws (Hons) (University of Malaya)
• Master of Laws (University of Malaya)

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION & MEMBERSHIP

• Admitted to the Malaysian Bar on 14 March 1987
• Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya
• Registered Patent Agent (Malaysia) since 1995
• Registered Trademark Agent (Malaysia) since 1997
• Registered Industrial Designs Agent (Malaysia) since 1999
• Council Member of the Asian Patent Attorneys Association
• International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Malaysia National Group –
  • Chairman of the Executive Committee
  • Chairman of the Commercial Law & Practice Sub-Committee
  • Chairman of the Competition Law Sub-Committee
• Member of the Board of Examiners of Patent Agents in the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia
• Chairman of the Intellectual Property Rights Committee of the EU-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Member of the Malaysia-Singapore Business Council-