Partner

Philipp Senff

Representative | Head of Compliance, CMS Hasche Sigle Shanghai Representative Office (Germany)

Languages

German
English
Chinese

Philipp Senff is recognised as a leading corporate, compliance and risk management expert with over 20 years’ of China-related work and business experience. He has extensive experience in advising multinational companies, international banks and entrepreneurs on corporate law, joint ventures and the restructuring of business operations. Philipp has established a reputable German-Chinese practice that focuses specifically on compliance and risk management in China, which includes compliance audits, risk assessments, internal investigations, whistle-blower management, corporate governance, strategies for robust supply and sales chains and the implementation of compliance management systems for the protection of the company and its management in China and abroad.

Philipp represents clients in a wide variety of industries, including automotive, manufacturing, chemicals, pharmaceutical, medical devices, real estate, transportation, F&B and retail.

Before joining the firm, Philipp worked for other international law firms in Shanghai and Frankfurt. Philipp was for several years the Head of the Shanghai office of a silver circle UK law firm.

Relevant experience

Advising on 100+ internal audits, internal investigations, whistleblower allegations, background checks and compliance risk assessments for foreign companies in China with an emphasis on corruption, fraud and money laundering
Advising foreign companies in China on the recovery of their financial damages due to payment frauds in conjunction with cyber attacks
Advising foreign companies in China on the legal risk management implications of geopolitical challenges with an emphasis on sanctions
Conducting compliance risk assessments for foreign companies in China with an emphasis on PRC export control requirements
Advising foreign companies on the prevention and mitigation of compliance risks in conjunction with corruption, fraud, conflict of interests and breach of trust situations in their subsidiaries in China, often in connection with purchasing and sales
Advising foreign companies on the establishment and strengthening of their compliance management systems in China with an emphasis on production, purchasing, sales, marketing and services in China (corporate governance, company policies, contracts, compliance trainings, whistleblower lines, ombudsman, etc)
Advising foreign companies on the controlling of their risks in conjunction with the establishment of joint venture companies, M&A transactions and the restructuring of their operations in China
Conducting internal investigations for foreign companies in China with an emphasis on product compliance and the mitigation of product liability risks
Advising German companies on the impact of China’s Corporate Social Credit System on their business in China
Advising foreign companies in China on the establishment of robust risk management structures for the protection of their know-how and business secrets
Advising CEOs, CFOs and C-suite management on the prevention and mitigation of their personal liability risks in conjunction with doing business in China

Publications

"Welche zehn Punkte Expats als Unternehmenslenker in China beachten sollten", WirtschaftsWoche, 3 October 2024
“Sozialkreditsystem in China”, Table Briefing China, 27 December 2021
“Virus Threatens to Unleash Lawsuits Against Global Business”, Bloomberg, 4 March 2020
"Corona bringt deutsche Lieferketten in Gefahr“, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 4 February 2020
"Coronavirus wird zum Katalysator für bestehende Probleme“, WirtschaftsWoche, 27 February 2020
"Wo die Korruption bis heute lauert“, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 16 October 2019
Book "Governance, Risk and Compliance Management in China - Practical Guidance for Executives", published at Haufe Verlag, January 2018, 520 pages, Senff/Zhang (editors.)
"Buchauszug: Manager in der Zentrale in Europa haften für Compliance Verstöße in China", WirtschaftsWoche, 8 January 2016
Book "Compliance Management in China - Praxishandbuch für Manager", published at Haufe Verlag, June 2015, 304 pages, Stucken/Senff (editors)
Publications and interviews in relation to management and legal matters (Bloomberg, Börsenzeitung, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, German Chamber of Commerce in China, WirtschaftsWoche, etc)

Memberships & Roles

German-Chinese Lawyer’s Association
German Corporate Law Association
German Institute of Compliance

Education

Rechtsanwalt (Qualified German lawyer)
First and second state examination in law
Legal Training (Rechtsreferendariat) in Frankfurt and Shanghai

Practice Areas

Compliance & Forensic Services Mergers & Acquisitions Commercial Purchasing and Procurement Distribution and Franchising Production and Product Liability

Select your region

Philipp Senff

Representative | Head of Compliance, CMS Hasche Sigle Shanghai Representative Office (Germany)

Languages

Relevant experience

Publications

Memberships & Roles

Education

Practice Areas

Further reading

Expert Guide to Mandatory Reporting of Criminal Offences

Insights by Philipp

China Cross Border Data Transfer

CMS, China welcomes new partner Philipp Senff