Principals on the Record
What Those We've Worked With
Have Observed
The following accounts come from principals who agreed to share their experience. None has been edited for effect.
Return to Homepage15+
Years Active
140+
Principals Advised
4.8
Average Rating
92%
Return or Refer
Client Voices
What Principals Have Said
Tan Li Ming
Managing Director, Klang Valley
"We brought Drapeon Counsel in because a governance conversation between the second-generation principals had become difficult to have internally. Rahman was thorough and patient — he spoke with each of us separately before bringing us together, which made a real difference. The family charter we produced is now a working document, not something filed away."
Suresh Bala
Founder, Johor Bahru
"I used the Counsel Letter to think through a difficult hiring decision — whether to bring my son into a senior role earlier than originally planned. The response was direct and honest, which is what I needed. It covered angles I hadn't considered, and ultimately helped me make a decision I felt confident in."
Noraini Ramli
Co-principal, Penang
"What I valued most was the pace. There was no pressure to resolve anything quickly. The succession mapping engagement unfolded over the year in a way that felt considered rather than managed. Lee Nai Woon was measured in every conversation, and the candidate profiles he delivered were grounded in real observation."
Ho Chee Kian
Third-generation director, Ipoh
"We came to Drapeon Counsel after an internal process that had stalled. Three family members, three different views on dividend policy, and no agreed framework. The family charter we produced is imperfect in places — as any document that reflects a real conversation must be — but it gives us something to refer to, and that matters."
Fatimah Mohd Noor
Managing Partner, Kuala Lumpur
"I engaged Drapeon Counsel for a Counsel Letter on a policy matter I was drafting for our company. The response was longer and more thorough than I had expected, and it raised one consideration I hadn't thought about that changed the final draft substantially. Good value for what it cost."
Kelvin Wong
Founder, Shah Alam
"What I notice in hindsight is how much the engagement respected my time and the sensitivity of what we were discussing. There were no unnecessary meetings, no padding. Each session had a purpose. The succession pathway document we produced is now being used to frame conversations with the candidate I identified."
Case Studies
Three Engagements in Detail
Family Enterprise Counsel — Klang Valley Manufacturing Group
The Situation
A manufacturing business entering its third generation, with four family shareholders holding different expectations about involvement in management and dividend distribution. No shared framework had ever been written down.
Our Engagement
We interviewed each of the four principals privately over four weeks, then facilitated a structured working group across three sessions. A draft family charter was produced, revised, and agreed upon — including clear provisions on future family employment.
What Followed
The charter was reviewed and formalised by the family's existing legal advisors. Eighteen months later, two of the four principals reported that a potential dispute over a hiring decision had been resolved by referring to the agreed document rather than escalating.
Succession Mapping — Retail Group, Penang
The Situation
A 67-year-old founder with two adult children and one long-tenured non-family senior manager — all three potential successors, and no process for thinking through the decision.
Our Engagement
Over twelve months, we prepared capability profiles for all three candidates, and outlined a preparation pathway for each. The founder used the profiles to frame private conversations with each candidate about the role and their interest in it.
What Followed
One of the adult children decided independently that they preferred an advisory role to an operational one. The non-family senior manager was selected to lead, with a structured three-year transition agreed in writing. The decision held.
Counsel Letter — Founder, Professional Services
The Situation
A founder was considering whether to formalise a profit-sharing arrangement with a long-serving employee who had become essential to the business's operations. He wanted an outside view before committing.
Our Response
We replied with a 1,400-word letter covering the commercial rationale, the structural options available, the questions to resolve before any agreement, and the risks associated with informal arrangements that are not documented.
What Followed
The founder took the letter to his solicitor, who used it as a starting point for drafting the formal arrangement. He subsequently returned for two further Counsel Letters on different matters across the following year.
Reach Us
We Are Accessible
Telephone
+60 3-7842 6195Address
Suite 18-3, Wisma Goldhill
Jalan Raja Chulan
50200 Kuala Lumpur
Office Hours
Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 5:30 pm MYT
Credentials
Malaysian Business Council
Member since 2011
PDPA Registered — Malaysia
Personal Data Protection Act 2010 compliant
Family Business Advisory Recognition
Regional recognition, 2022
The introductory call is at no charge.
Write to us briefly about what is on your mind, and we will arrange a time to speak.
Write to Us