Indian-origin lawyer set to lead Singapore Academy of Law

Singapore: Indian-origin lawyer Rama Tiwari has been appointed Singapore Academy of Law’s deputy chief executive and designated to take full charge from next February. Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) is a promotion and development agency for Singapore’s legal industry.

Tiwari, 48, who was appointed on August 1, takes over as SAL’s chief executive from February 7, 2021. He will succeed Serene Wee who retires after helming and building up SAL over the last 27 years, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

Tiwari, who studied law at the Queen Mary University of London, also holds an MSc in Information Technology. He was admitted as an advocate and solicitor of Singapore’s Supreme Court in 1999, after which he joined a private practice, specialising in IT and intellectual property issues. Tiwari brings with him more than 20 years of experience in the private sector, where he held senior positions as vice-president in a bank and as a global sales lead for a US technology company.

He joined SAL in July 2019 as its Chief Digital Officer and was tasked to lead its digital transformation. He is also the Executive Director of SAL Ventures, a subsidiary responsible for the development of a legal tech ecosystem.

SAL President and Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said: “Having spent time in practice and in-house, Rama possesses an invaluable understanding of the profession. “This, coupled with his extensive regional and global experience in the technology industry, will put him in good stead to lead SAL and assist the profession at a time when the legal profession is increasingly being internationalised and impacted by technology”.

“I have a deep respect for the work of SAL, having been closely involved in the development of the Electronic Filing System and LawNet since 1999. SAL continues to play a pivotal role in lifting standards and helping members adapt to change,” Tiwari said.