Partner

Ong Johnson

Advocate and Solicitor, High Court of Malaya  

Bachelor of Laws (LLB), University of Liverpool, First Class Honours 

Phone:
+603 2710 3818

Fax:
+603 2710 3820

Email:
johnson.ong@hhq.com.my

Profile

Ong Johnson heads the Technology Group, concentrating his expertise on high-stakes and complex litigation and transactional cases spanning Technology, Media, and Telecommunications (TMT), Intellectual Property (IP), Privacy, Fintech, and Digital Transformation Infrastructure and Projects.

Ong Johnson is distinguished by an exceptional wealth of experience, adeptly navigating high-profile roles advising directors, board members, C-suite executives, and senior management within public-listed companies and conglomerates. His extensive professional repertoire extends beyond corporate spheres, involving regular interactions with government representatives, investors, and high-ranking government officers. This broad exposure equips him with a profound understanding of business imperatives, allowing him to deliver highly pragmatic legal solutions aligned with clients’ broader objectives, ensuring a nuanced and comprehensive approach to addressing a spectrum of complex needs.

Ong Johnson has extensive experience conducting trials and hearings at all levels of court in Malaysia, positioning him as a dispute resolution strategist and a highly sought-after litigator within the industry, given his innovative thinking and meticulous approach to developing strategies that transcend conventional boundaries. His reputation as a thought leader in the legal realm is also underscored by his frequent invitations as a panel speaker to various forums and roundtable discussions. His expertise is not only recognized within legal circles but extends to broader industry discussions, solidifying his status as a prominent figure in the field of dispute resolution and strategic legal thinking.

In addition to his core areas of expertise, Ong Johnson boasts industrial proficiency in property development, real estate, and property investment. His insight spans hotels and data centers, smart cities, ESG, renewable energy, software development, data privacy, telecommunications and digital infrastructure, blockchain and digital assets, fintech, competition law, software commercialization and acquisition, digital media, licensing, e-money, payment systems, and regulatory and compliance. His diverse knowledge base further establishes him as a comprehensive authority in navigating the complex landscape of modern business and technology.

His dedication to the legal profession has garnered significant recognition, exemplified by several prestigious awards and accolades. These include being featured in the GC Powerlist Malaysia 2023 and GC Powerlist Southeast Asia 2022. Noteworthy nominations as a finalist were achieved at the ALB Malaysia Law Awards 2019, ALB Malaysia Law Awards 2020, ALB South East Asia Law Awards 2020, ALB Malaysia Law Awards 2023, and ALB South East Asia Law Awards 2023, and Ong Johnson is one of the youngest lawyers in history to be awarded as the winner of the ALB Malaysia Law Awards 2021.

Ong Johnson, in addition to his extensive legal expertise, is also a distinguished scholar. He graduated from the University of Liverpool with First Class honors, showcasing his commitment to academic excellence. His academic achievements have been further recognized through multiple scholarships and accolades, and he is a recipient of the University of Liverpool Scholarship, Liverpool Direct Entry Award, BAC Scholarship Award, Dean List Award, and Merit Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement.

EXPERIENCE:

  • Spearheaded the successful launch of prominent luxury developments, including DoubleTree by Hilton i-City, Mercu Maybank, and Wyndham Suites Kuala Lumpur City Center. Oversaw all strategic transactions, negotiations, and agreements, showcasing adept leadership in high-profile projects.
  • Represented and secured victory in complex arbitration case, enforcing substantial award against a real estate developer in Malaysia. Demonstrated prowess in navigating intricate legal landscapes and securing favorable outcomes for clients in high-stakes disputes.
  • Advised and represented clients in negotiating pivotal transactional agreements, encompassing NDAs, terms sheets, service provider agreements, management agreements, sale and purchase agreements, tenancy agreements, agency agreements, franchise agreements, and other ancillary contracts. Proven versatility in facilitating diverse business dealings.
  • Advised and represented clients in all levels of Malaysian courts, strategically representing clients in complex and high-value dispute resolution matters. Successfully advised and handled agency disputes, CIPAA cases, construction extensions, shareholder disputes, winding-up proceedings, commercial disputes, breach of confidential information, enforcement of arbitration awards, debt recovery, and injunctions.
  • Provided expert counsel on corporate and commercial matters, showcasing proficiency in drafting, negotiating, and reviewing transaction documents. Specialized in providing advice and insights relating to data centers, smart cities, ESG, renewable energy, software development, data privacy, telecommunications and digital infrastructure, blockchain and digital assets, fintech, competition law, software commercialization and acquisition, digital media, licensing, e-money, payment systems, and regulatory and compliance

ACCOLADES:

  • Legal 500 | 2023
    Inclusion in GC Powerlist Malaysia 2023
  • ALB South East Asia Law Awards | 2023
    Finalist for In-House Lawyer of the Year
  • ALB Malaysia Law Awards | 2023
    Finalist for In-House Lawyer of the Year
  • Legal 500 | 2022
    Inclusion in GC Powerlist Southeast Asia 2022
  • ALB Malaysia Law Awards | 2021
    Winner of Young Lawyer of the Year (In-House)
  • ALB South East Asia Law Awards | 2020
    Finalist for the Young Lawyer of the Year
  • ALB Malaysia Law Awards | 2020
    Finalist for the Young Lawyer of the Year
  • ALB Malaysia Law Awards | 2019
    Finalists for the Young Lawyer Of The Year

LANGUAGES:

  •  English
  •  Malay
  •  Chinese

Area of Practice

Transactions and Dispute Resolution

Technology, Media & Telecommunications

Intellectual Property

Fintech

Privacy and Cybersecurity

Partner

Ong Johnson

  • Advocate and Solicitor, High Court of Malaya
  • Bachelor of Laws (LLB), University of Liverpool, First Class Honours 

Phone:
+603 2710 3818

Fax:
+603 2710 3820

Email:
johnson.ong@hhq.com.my

Area of Practice

  • Fintech
  • Personal Data Protection
  • Technology, Media and Telecommunications (“TMT”)
  • Intellectual Property
  • Competition Law

Profile

Ong Johnson is the Head of the Technology Practice Group, focusing on TMT (Technology, Media, and Telecommunications) law, with a strong specialization in FinTech and Personal Data Protection. His practice is dedicated to helping boards, founders, and executive teams navigate the complex convergence of finance, personal data, and technology, providing clients with the confidence to innovate while remaining aligned with regulatory expectations.

In FinTech, Ong Johnson is regarded as one of the market’s leading practitioners, particularly in the field of digital assets and tokenisation. He has advised and assisted clients in engagements with regulators such as Bank Negara Malaysia, the Securities Commission Malaysia, and the Labuan Financial Services Authority, drawing on his extensive understanding of licensing and regulatory frameworks. His work has included advising on initiatives relating to Malaysia’s first stablecoin, supporting clients in applying for both SC and BNM Regulatory Sandboxes, engaging with BNM’s Digital Asset Innovation Hub, and advising on matters involving digital asset custodianship and SC-recognised market operators. He has also been involved in mandates concerning blockchain-based smart applications, DeFi platforms, P2P, Labuan money broking and managed trust licences, and consumer credit fintech models such as buy-now-pay-later and invoice factoring businesses. His experience further extends to advising on e-money, payment systems, and remittance licensing, as well as crypto tracing, recovery strategies, tokenisation of deposit funds, digital trust, and the first global real-world asset tokenisation of electric vehicle loyalty points in Malaysia. Collectively, these mandates highlight his ability to bridge financial regulation, technology infrastructure, and emerging payment mechanisms, positioning him as a trusted advisor in the rapidly evolving fintech space.

For personal data protection, Ong Johnson is widely regarded as one of Malaysia’s leading practitioners in this field. His practice reflects both depth and breadth, having advised and even served as Data Protection Officer for multinational corporations across a wide spectrum of industries, including banking, healthcare, e-commerce, hospitality, F&B, telecommunications, education, direct selling, and real estate. He is regularly engaged to conduct compliance training and personal data breach simulations for corporations, and is frequently called upon to advise and assist companies in the management of data breach notifications and responses. Ong Johnson’s standing in this field is further underscored by his direct involvement with the Personal Data Protection Commissioner, where he has been appointed to serve on drafting committees responsible for key national policy instruments. His contributions include the drafting of the Data Protection Officer Competency Guideline, the Management of Data Protection Officer Training Service Providers Guideline, and the Data Protection Officer Professional Development Pathway & Training Roadmap. He has also been appointed and consulted on the review, refinement, and development of the proposed forthcoming AI Guideline on Personal Data Protection as well as the establishment of the Data Commission. In recognition of these contributions, he was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the Commissioner for his role in laying the foundation of Malaysia’s DPO ecosystem and advancing the national data protection landscape.

Ong Johnson is also an experienced litigator, with extensive experience conducting trials and hearings at all levels of the Malaysian judiciary. Given his deep understanding and familiarity with technology law, coupled with his strength in commercial and strategic thinking, he is frequently sought after as a litigator within the technology industry to advise on disputes involving intellectual property, technology, TMT, and fintech matters. What distinguishes his litigation practice is not only his understanding of the law, but also his ability to grasp the underlying technology and the commercial realities driving the dispute, which enables him to craft litigation strategies that are both legally sound and commercially pragmatic.

His dedication to the legal profession has also garnered significant recognition, both within Malaysia and across the wider region. He is frequently invited to share his insights as a speaker at major legal conferences, industry roundtables, and professional forums, and has contributed to the development of thought leadership through radio interviews and authorship of legal writings.

His work and leadership are exemplified by a number of prestigious accolades. He has been featured in the GC Powerlist Malaysia and the GC Powerlist Southeast Asia, and his practice has received consistent industry recognition, including Fintech Law Firm of the Year at the ALB Malaysia Law Awards 2024 and 2025, TMT Law Firm of the Year 2025 by IHC, and Fintech Law Firm of the Year 2025 by ABLJ Malaysia Law Awards. His practice is also ranked Band 2 in Fintech by Chambers and Partners, and Tier 3 in Fintech by Legal 500, further cementing his reputation as a leading practitioner at the forefront of the fintech, personal data protection and technology legal landscape.

Language

  •  English
  •  Malay
  •  Chinese

 

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