From BAC Law Student to Head of Legal at Volkswagen Group Malaysia

Choosing Law and Choosing BAC

Recently appointed as Head of Legal at Volkswagen Group Malaysia and named to the LexisNexis® 40 Under 40 Southeast Asia List, Jie Jiun exemplifies what it means to build a meaningful and multidimensional legal career.

For Jie Jiun, the decision to read law was rooted in practicality. She saw law as a versatile discipline, a discipline that equips graduates with critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills that fits in every industry.

What set BAC apart, however, was not glossy brochures or sales pitches. It was substance. During a campus visit to the old Brickfields campus, she found herself in a candid, hour-long conversation with a lecturer who was also a practicing lawyer. Instead of hearing idealized promises, she was given a real picture of legal practice, its discipline, pressures, and realities.

That authenticity made the difference. BAC was not selling a dream to her; it was preparing her for one.

Lessons That Last Beyond the Classroom

Looking back, Jie Jiun gives credit to BAC for shaping not just how she thinks, but how she shows up every day as a professional and leader. BAC's lecturers taught with heart, pride, and most importantly, patience. Small moments, like lecturers staying back during their own breaks to explain concepts, left a lasting impression for her.

"During my time at BAC, I served on the International Council of Malaysian Scholars and was a Campus Leader for Teach For Malaysia. I took part in and organized various events and competitions such as the Malaysia Public Policy Competition and BAC mooting competition.

These roles pushed me far beyond my comfort zone and taught me that there is more to life than just black‑letter law. I learnt that leadership is about listening, building trust and moving people towards a shared goal. It has been a full‑circle moment for me - from organising and participating in events as a student, to now returning as a speaker and moot judge after graduating."

These are the experiences that quietly shaped her leadership philosophy. Today, she brings the same patience, dedication, and level of responsibility to leading her legal team, believing that leadership begins with consistency.

Her exposure also extended well beyond Malaysia. Through the MY ASEAN Internship Programme, she interned in Phnom Penh, gaining early cross-border experience. She later represented Malaysia at the Asian Society of International Law Youth Forum in Bangkok, presenting on women empowerment, and at the Dragon 100 Programme in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.

These opportunities became her window to the world. They shaped her leadership style that is culturally aware, service-driven, and grounded in perspective, qualities that continue to guide her today.

Leading Legal Strategy in a Changing World

Now at Volkswagen Group Malaysia, Jie Jiun operates as a strategic business partner. With increasing focus on data privacy, connectivity, and ESG, her role is cross-functional, aligning all things legal with long-term business goals and innovation.

Now she feels like it's time to pay it forward. Whether through writing, mentoring, or speaking, she sees contributing to public discourse as part of the responsibility that comes with the profession.

Her advice to students is clear: work hard, stay curious, build real relationships, and develop the human skills that technology cannot replace. For women in law especially, she encourages confidence, visibility, and the courage to claim space.

A BAC Story of Substance

From a simple candid conversation in Brickfields to leading legal strategy at a global brand, Jie Jiun’s journey exemplified the values at the heart of BAC: authenticity, opportunity, and growth through real-world exposure.

And for all you readers out there, let her story stands as a reminder that BAC graduates chart paths that are both impactful and global.