A Chat with Looi Teck Kheong: Globally recognized legal and policy expert; Global AI Ambassador and President of the Singapore Chapter of the Global Council for Responsible AI

This week, Stephen Ibaraki has an exclusive interview with Looi Teck Kheong.

Looi Teck Kheong is a globally recognized legal and policy expert, currently serving as a Global AI Ambassador and President of the Singapore Chapter of the Global Council for Responsible AI. His professional portfolio also includes strategic roles as a Senior ASEAN Lead Consultant at Public Policy Asia Advisors and General Counsel for the China ASEAN Business Association, positioning him at the forefront of digital governance and international relations. His email address is tklooi@yahoo.com.

Mr. Looi's core expertise centers on AI Governance, Ethics, and Regulation, aligning directly with the objectives of the AI for Good movement. As a Global AI Ambassador, he leads initiatives focused on promoting responsible AI practices, ethical standards, and global cooperation, with particular attention to assessing algorithmic bias and implementing data privacy frameworks. His thought leadership extends to strategic analysis of major regulatory developments, such as the implications of the EU AI Act, and contributing as an author to works on the Impact of AI on Defence Technology (for an Anthology commissioned by the Ministry of Defence Austria, 2025/6). His work also includes co-authoring an analysis on the EU AI Act on Fundamental Rights Impact Assessment (FRIA) (Oct 2025), and examining the future role of AI in areas like dispute resolution.

His extensive background in Global Policy, Trade, and Cross-Border Governance is anchored by his tenure as the Assistant Director / Head of Competition (Anti-Trust), Consumer Protection, and IPR at the ASEAN Secretariat from 2019 to 2022. In this critical role, he was instrumental in shaping the ASEAN Economic Community's digital economy policies, notably developing the ASEAN Framework Agreement for Competition (AFAC) and the Enhanced ASEAN Framework Agreement for IP Cooperation (AFAIPC). He has conducted anti-trust and neutrality assessments of over 500 digital regulations, demonstrating deep acumen in multi-jurisdictional matters across ASEAN, China, US, EU, and Australia (1989-2025).

A recognized authority in Tech Law, Cybersecurity, and Data Protection, Mr. Looi advises global technology firms, gaming companies, fintech startups, and government bodies on cross-border commercial transactions and regulatory compliance. His comprehensive expertise covers international data protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, Singapore's PDPA, China's PIPL, and Japan's APPI. He is the sole author of the book," Cybersecurity - Guardians of the Digital Frontier: Singapore 2018 Cybersecurity Act " (Incorporating the 2024 Amendments), published in September 2024. He reinforces this practical knowledge as an Ad Hoc Trainer at the Cyber Defence Academy and through past legal experience, including as Regional Legal Counsel at Deutsche Bank.

Academically, Mr. Looi holds Master's degrees in Public Policy, (jointly developed with the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University), Laws (LLM), and Social Sciences (Applied Economics) from the National University of Singapore (NUS). He is committed to professional mentorship for young lawyers, served as counsel for underprivileged clients through the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS), and has contributed to the Law-Net Management Committee of the Singapore Academy of Law.