BLAXLAND CONSULTING LIMITED

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗰𝗼𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗖𝗣 – 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝗱-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 

Diane is a senior adviser to private equity portfolio companies.  She helps investors and portcos to deliver robust growth against value creation plans - including via post-merger integration.  She has a sweet spot in Tech-enabled B2B Services including Professional Services in the UK and EMEA.

Her experience includes:

- pre-deal MDD and post-deal operating reviews of portcos - eg for Blackstone, Mercia, Silverfleet, LDC, Rockpool, Foresight
- rapid recovery of post-merger integration and transformation, ahead of an IPO (backed by TPG)
- commercial risk analysis for a PE portco, triggering an exit via secondary buyout (backed by ICG)
- recovery of an off-shore proposition, re-positioning for growth ahead of a merger
- design and global rollout of a post-merger data integration model.

Her skills include P&L management, business strategy, sales, operations, business transformation, and change management – drawing on her experience in startups, scaleups and global business.

Founder

Career Coaching by Diane Blaxland

🚩 How will you know if my Career Coaching is right for you? Five quick signs: 

•	there is a gap emerging between your career and your satisfaction level 
•	addressing the gap is increasingly important to you 
•	there are risks if you do something, and risks if you do nothing 
•	you have some advice, but you want to take a wider, longer term view 
•	talking it through with an experienced executive feels like a good place to start 

#ExpertLeaders #Careers #PersonalDevelopment

Catalysis Advisory Ltd

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗘 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗰𝗼 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀:
🔺 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 - 𝗕𝟮𝗕𝟮𝗖 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 (𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲)
🔺 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗶𝗱-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 - 𝗕𝟮𝗕 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀
🔺 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝟮𝗕 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵, 𝗕𝟮𝗚𝟮𝗖 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵, 𝗕𝟮𝗕𝟮𝗖 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵, 𝗕𝟮𝗕𝟮𝗖 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗕𝟮𝗚 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵

Business Advisor

Johnson Controls Inc

$5b EMEA region of $20b Business Services division of $40b Fortune100 listed company

Director Change Management, EMEA

Blaxland Consulting

Advising clients on operational and commercial change.

CPA Global

£100m global Business Services company, backed by Private Equity

Director Strategy

Williams Lea

£20m Division of this £1b global Business Services company, part of DAX30 company DeutschePost

Managing Director 

Clifford Chance LLP

£100m+ M&A practice of this £1bn global Professional Services firm

Head Business Development Operations

Blake Dawson Waldron

A$350m international Professional Services firm (now part of £1b Ashurst LLP)

Business Development, Sales & Marketing management

CEO & Founder Expert Leaders™ | Career Direction & CV Coaching | £1B PSF | $40B Fortune100 | PE scaleups | London Business School

I help professionals step into clarity, confidence, and growth - especially when navigating complex career transitions in challenging or unfamiliar markets.

My clients are technically brilliant, ambitious … and many are internationally experienced. They’re often MBAs, engineers, M&A/finance experts, consultants, lawyers, or technology & data/AI specialists. 

They're ready to step into senior leadership, but something isn’t landing. Their pitch isn’t quite resonating. The growth opportunities they seek feel just out of reach.

That’s where I come in.

With more than 10 years in senior leadership - including as Managing Director responsible for 550 people - I’ve led growth, transformation, and turnaround across organisations from under £10m to over $5Bn. 

I’ve advised private equity investors and portfolio companies on operations, building robust solutions to complex problems. 

And I bring that same level of focus, clarity, and strategic thinking into my coaching practice.

My sweet spot lies in tech-enabled B2B services - including engineering, data/AI, finance, legal, and consulting. 

Highlights of my work include: 

▪️Steering post-merger integration for a $6Bn PE-backed global professional services firm, resolving operational failures, client complaints, and transformation across 15 countries.
▪️Leading the recovery of a £1bn NHS Trust’s lab project post-dispute, bringing together investors, clinicians, scientists, suppliers, and engineers to co-create a viable solution.
▪️Delivering commercial risk analysis that identified a -70% risk to a target exit valuation for a PE-backed £100m B2B services firm, unlocking a £1Bn exit in under three months.
▪️Repositioning a struggling new BPO offshore (India) proposition for profitable growth, delivering 50% savings to the client in a new £3m contract while also tripling profit margins.
▪️Rolling out a post-merger Sales/Marketing/Finance integration model for a £1Bn global professional services firm across 30 offices in 20 countries, deployed to 4,000+ staff.

All of that senior experience now feeds directly into my career coaching.

Many of my clients are mid-career or post-MBA, and sense a need to reframe their narrative, sharpen their presence, and navigate a system that may not easily understand their value. 

We don’t just talk. We rehearse. We edit. We test. We build influence from the inside out.

Whether you're preparing for interview, pitching for promotion, or making a full pivot, I’ll help you to tailor your story, build trust, and move forward with strategic clarity.

🎯 Diane Blaxland

As an entrepreneur myself running my own legal practice and other ventures, and also wife of an entrepreneur, that’s how my team and I work with our clients:- 

- We understand and consider business when advising.
- We take care of human elements in our advice.  Relationship matters.
- We discuss with you how your team can also prevent problems on operational level.
- We avoid incurring unnecessary hours and guide with you on things that you can do so to save our hours
- We ask about your budget and provide fee estimate 
- We share our connections with you
- We work in plain language

What can I do for you?

- any agreement drafting and reviewing
- fund raising 
- ESOP and employee motivation plan 
- handling dispute 
- advising on how to deal with negotiations 
- overseas expansion 

Who are my clients?

- Startup / emerging companies looking for scaling up their business and fund raising
- Corporate / individual investors who are new to start up / early stage investment
- Fast growing companies which are yet to afford a full time experienced legal counsel
- Corporates which are keen about corporate innovation but not sure how
- Overseas companies which plans to tap into the Hong Kong and PRC markets
- Overseas law firms who look for reliable Hong Kong legal support
- Individuals who look for more thoughtful and humane legal advice in family / trust / probate matters (which I will work closely with my team)

Industry: E-Commerce, SI, SaaS, Cloud, Food Tech, Prop Tech, Digital Assets, F&B, Retail, Entertainment, Real Estate, Logistics, Franchised Business, Trading, IoT etc.

By having a general retainer (I call it Legal First Aid Kit) with us, you can focus on growing your business.

DM or email me to check out how our Legal First Aid Kit works, or how I may be able to help you - cermain.cheung@oln-law.com

***
Other than work, I am also a (mostly) stay at home working mommy of three adorable kids and a handsome kitten.

Cermain Cheung

🌟 Sharing Knowledge is My Passion! 🌟

What a thrilling week kicking off with an incredible session this Monday! I had the absolute honor of teaming up with the brilliant Teddy Liu and Jason Ka Meng Lee  to dive into practical tips on Hong Kong’s newly effective Protection of Critical Infrastructures (Computer Systems) Ordinance (Cap 653).

Key Takeaways That’ll Surprise You: 

- This isn’t just for massive corporations designated as CI Operators or those “distant” IT teams—it’s a game-changer for EVERYONE in your organization and the entire ecosystem! Are you an IT service provider to a CI Operator? 

Your contracts could be the key to compliance—let’s make sure you’re covered!

Kudos to Mohan Datwani and Desmond LAU Tat Man of The Hong Kong Chartered Governance Institute for organising! 

***

Then, fast-forward to Wednesday: Pure joy sharing my “magic potions” for unraveling company law mysteries with over 50 amazing company secretarial pros! 

We tackled real-world puzzles like:
	•	What do you do when a director or shareholder goes missing? 😲
	•	Can shares of the same class have different rights? (Spoiler: Yes, but with caveats!)
	•	Hidden traps in model articles that could trip you up…

The energy was electric—non-stop questions turned 3 hours into what felt like 30 minutes! Who knew law could be this fun?

Remember, law isn’t just for lawyers—it’s your secret weapon for smoother workflows, everyday decisions, and skyrocketing your business success. 

Got a burning topic you’d love me to unpack? 

Drop it in the comments—I’m all ears and ready to dive in! What’s on your mind? 👇

***

I'm Cermain, an experienced corporate lawyer, a newbie entrepreneur, a mommy of 3 and a work-life integrator. I occasionally post insights on business, law, parenting and life. Stay updated, click the bell icon on my profile. DMs are welcome.

Cermain  Cheung

Human-centric legal solutions for everyone | 1/2 entrepreneur (森流GreenFlow & YeeGoo 易雇) | Wife of entrepreneur & mommy of 3 | Work-life integrator

No alternative text description for this image

The AI Legal Myth （1） – A Client Story on Fee Fears and Flawed Docs

A lead sent 9 documents. Agreements. Resolutions. The full package. 

They wanted a review quote. Hoped to keep fees low. But I felt uneasy.

The AI influence was clear. 

Structuring issues jumped out. Especially on share surrender. That’s share buyback in Hong Kong.

Key problem: Out-of-capital buybacks need published notices. Hong Kong law requires it. But it was absent. The setup could be simpler. 

AI missed that. It added needless complexity. Thought volume equals strength?

This exposes the myth. AI excels at words. So it should master law? 

Not quite. Stereotyoe impression: Lawyers = expensive.

Clients seek fast, cheap options and AI seems working well! But get flashy docs without real bite. This heightens fears. 

Like picking the wrong lawyer. One who overrides your ideas.  Demands full rewrites. Fees don’t drop. We still fix the mess.

Next post for this AI meets Law series: Human slip-ups with AI. And why experience matters.

Do you use AI to generate legal docs and do you trust those? Comment!

If you’re wary of lawyers overriding your business needs, our team Phyllis Wong Yammie Lee at Oldham, Li & Nie  embraces AI for efficient starts while centering your emotions and goals. Let’s chat about aligning expectations for your next deal—reach out today to make law less intimidating.

***

This is a co-created piece of AI and human.

I'm Cermain, an experienced corporate lawyer, a newbie entrepreneur, a mommy of 3 and a work-life integrator. I occasionally post insights on business, law, parenting and life. Stay updated, click the bell icon on my profile. DMs are welcome.  

Disclaimer - This post doesn't provide legal advice. Seek independent legal advice when necessary.

From a humble team of just 4 three years ago, to now rallying over 30 colleagues and their families for an epic team-building retreat in Nha Trang, Vietnam—it’s a milestone that’s equal parts emotional and inspiring! 🌟

As an entrepreneurial lawyer doubling as a core startup team member, this journey has been priceless. I don’t just advise—I dive in and build alongside! 💼🚀

Navigating the tough landscape of the past two years? Surviving and turning profitable was no small win. 

But the real magic? Our four partners fostering mutual growth, power struggles handled with grace, and extending that bond to our kids’ generation. That’s the essence of true entrepreneurship! 🤝

Excited to keep pushing forward: Empowering more mainland Chinese firms to expand globally with seamless HR compliance and scalable foundations. Plus, bridging top talents and enterprises from around the world back to China!

Proud to lead YeeGoo Technology Limited  (易雇科技)—your cross-border HR SaaS powerhouse. One-stop solutions from manpower planning to compliant hiring, employee management, recruitment, payroll, and beyond.

Discover more: www.yeegoo.tech

Created to evolve: 因創而新 向新而進

Intrigued? Let’s connect—DM me anytime! 
#StartupJourney #HRTech #GlobalExpansion #TeamBuilding #Entrepreneurship

Whether your organisation is designated as a critical infrastructure operator or not, this short piece can be meaningful to you - learning about the basics when signing a IT service agreement.  Don’t miss out!

🛡️ New Insight: Issues to Consider Before Signing a Service Agreement with a Critical Infrastructure Operator (CIO) in Hong Kong.
 
Under Hong Kong’s Protection of Critical Infrastructures (Computer Systems) Ordinance (Cap. 653), service providers working with designated CIOs may face significant flow-down compliance obligations - often hidden in service agreements.
 
In her newly published article, our Consultant Cermain  Cheung breaks down 8 key contractual issues suppliers should address now, including:

✅  Scope and definitions
✅  Incident reporting obligations
✅  Limitation of liability
✅  Indemnity
✅  Data access and processing
✅  Confidentiality
✅  Termination rights
✅  Audits and inspections
 
With no CIO designations announced yet, suppliers still have a narrow window to negotiate balanced, protective terms before obligations crystallise.

🔍 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/e2DZsiVi

#CIO #CyberSecurityLaw #HongKongLaw #TechnologyLaw #RiskManagement
#CriticalInfrastructureOperator

Unpacking AI’s Gaps in law – common misconceptions of human being when using AI

Myth 1: Users Assume AI Knows Everything. 

Yes and no. AI grabs public data. Vast. But lacks real insights. Experience from practice? Missing. Lawyers rarely share. I seldom write on deal structuring. Or helping cofounders exit gracefully. Why? Confidentiality. Limits what we say online. Public space stays shallow yet users can’t verify gaps.

Myth 2: I Can Prompt. 

Prompts often fail. Wrong objectives. Lack of background understanding.  Missed purpose. Vague descriptions. Key data absent. Input flaws mean output trash. Whole structure wrong. No fix without pro eyes.

Consequence? Garbage in Garbage out!

Myth 3: Law Is Just Words. 

Not true. Words reflect ties beneath. Human relationships. Trust. Conflicts. Power dynamics. Emotions in deals. AI sees surface. Misses depth. Say AI won’t know a key employee of yours intends to relocate. The ESOP plan it drafts may miss solutions to cater this. Like tax tweaks or vesting adjustments for new locations. 

Solution - Blend AI with human touch.

Tired of fearing mismatched lawyers who rewrite everything? We’re a human-centric team using tech to enhance, not replace, your input. Contact us to revisit expectations and craft docs that truly meet your business vision.

***

This piece is co-created by AI and human. 

I'm Cermain, an experienced corporate lawyer, a newbie entrepreneur, a mommy of 3 and a work-life integrator. I occasionally post insights on business, law, parenting and life. Stay updated, click the bell icon on my profile. DMs are welcome.

taplio

The Battle

🎯 Diane Blaxland

Cermain Cheung

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreCermain Cheung's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

🎯 Diane Blaxland

Cermain Cheung

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Cermain Cheung's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreCermain Cheung's LinkedIn Performance