Prof. Dr. Harald Sippel

Harald Sippel is the trusted legal partner for many companies from the DACH region entering or operating in Malaysia. With more than 15 years of international legal experience – over a decade of which was spent in East and Southeast Asia – Harald advises German-speaking companies on every stage of their business journey in Malaysia: from market entry and regulatory approvals to contract negotiations and long-term compliance. Harald understands the practical needs and expectations of Mittelstand companies. He provides clear, actionable legal advice tailored to businesses without large in-house legal teams – ensuring they stay compliant, cost-efficient, and commercially secure. With his strong grounding in both civil law and Malaysian common law, he helps translate Malaysian legal frameworks into terms familiar to clients from Austria, Germany and Switzerland. As the Malaysia Partner for ADWA (Alliance of German Business Lawyers in Asia) and CBBL (Cross-Border Business Lawyers), Harald is the local advisor of choice for DACH companies looking for trustworthy, German-speaking legal counsel in Malaysia. Clients benefit from Harald’s hands-on support in licensing, regulatory engagement, and risk prevention – particularly in ESG compliance, where he plays a leading national role. As co-founder and Executive Director of ESG in Malaysia, Harald helps companies meet rising EU sustainability standards across their supply chains, especially those active in the palm oil, electronics, and manufacturing sectors. Harald is also very active in international arbitration. He regularly serves as arbitrator and counsel in disputes between European and Asian parties, known for his cultural fluency and commercial insight, and is regularly ranked as one of the leading arbitrators based in Malaysia. He previously headed the case management team of the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC), overseeing over 2,000 cases.