Jeyamala Ariaratnam

Jeyamala graduated from the University of London with an Honours Degree in Law in 1992. She was called to the Malaysian Bar in 1995 and started her career in Messrs Rashid & Lee where she was later made a partner in the Projects and Infrastructure Practice Group in 2002. She continued her practice as Projects & Infrastructure Partner in Messrs Anne Hooi & Associates and then, Messrs Christopher Lee & Co. She joined Azman Davidson & Co. in October 2022.

Jeyamala is advisor to both public and private sector entities in planning, execution and delivery of major construction projects in Malaysia, with a particular focus on railway and infrastructure projects.  Amongst others, she worked on the first LRT and MRT projects in the country. She has assisted clients through complex legal, financial and commercial problems that arise in the lifecycle of a project, bringing her experience for different project implementation strategies to the table, from the conventional to more collaborative structures.  She works frequently as part of a team of specialists to develop optimal procurement and risk allocation strategies, as well as providing thought leadership in helping shape policy decisions.  Some of the Projects she has worked on include:

INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS & ENERGY

• MRT & LRT Project: Klang Valley Mass Rail Transit (MRT) Project, SBK Line, the first to be implemented on a Project Delivery Partnership (PDP) basis: Drafted the PDP Agreement & PDP provisions for the Works Contracts; LRT II (PUTRA LRT) project: Worked on the concession agreements, construction agreements and ongoing issues post construction.
• IPPs: Conversion of independent power plant (IPP) from open cycle to combined cycle – renegotiated the PPA and drafted and negotiated EPC contract and LTSA contract; Drafted EPC contracts for solar power plants by renewable energy power producer; Advised tenderer and prepared legal portion of tender for coal power plant in Sabah; Conducted the due diligence for the sale of a 1,400MW coal fired plant; Conducted the due diligence and assisted in the sale & purchase of 13 overseas and local power plants.
• Process Plants: Advised on the tender for dedicated power supply for a smelting plant; Drafted and negotiated contracts involving time sensitive interfaces in an operational petrochemical plant.
• Construction Projects: Provided advise on the Malaysian customization of a whole suit of international project documents for the Iron Ore transhipment project by a global mining company; Drafted the PPP agreement for the first dedicated busway in Malaysia, delivered on a public private partnership basis; Drafted contracts for design and construction of highways, hospitals, hotels, university campuses, telecommunication networks and
• International tenders: Reviewed and advised on tender documents and commercial arrangements between the joint venture partners in monorail project tenders in India and Brazil;

TECHNOLOGY MEDIA & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

• IT & Telco: Review of tender documents and preparation of proposals for telecommunication services to enterprise customers for a telecommunication company; Acted for a group of medium sized companies in all their commercial contracts dealing with electronic equipment, e-payments systems and IT solutions; software development and licensing agreements.
• Project Management Framework: Provision of legal services with a big four accounting firm for the development of a Project Management Framework for a Government regulatory body undertaking, inter alia, Construction, IT and Telecommunication Projects.

CORPORATE & COMMERCIAL

• Corporate & Commercial Transactions: Acted for small and medium sized companies and venture capitalists: Drafted and negotiated SPAs of Shares, Assets, Businesses, Restructuring of unlisted companies, Debt Restructuring, Shareholders Agreements, Joint Venture and Consortium Agreements, Franchise Agreements, Land Development Agreements; Supply & Distribution Agreements.