Gossip, Harassment & Termination: Donovan & Ho Breaks It Down at "Leaders with Ambition"

​On a Thursday evening in August, Botanica+Co in Bangsar South swapped its usual dinner crowd for a room full of HR and business leaders. As part of our Leaders with Ambition series, we hosted a fireside chat in collaboration with Donovan & Ho, a boutique law practice consistently recognised as one of Malaysia’s leading names in employment law, corporate and commercial advisory, and dispute resolution; moderated by my colleague Kim-Yie Lee (Associate Director, Banking & Financial Services).

I had the privilege of sharing the stage with Donovan Cheah (Co-founding Partner and Head of Employment Law & Disputes) and Lim Zi-Han (Employment & Dispute Resolution Partner), who didn’t just share technical know-how, they brought real Malaysian cases to life, complete with lessons you’d rather learn in a room like this than in a courtroom.

​The evening opened with a warm welcome from Kim-Yie, setting the tone for an interactive discussion. Then, we kicked things off by sharing why understanding the “grey areas” of employment law is no longer a nice-to-have for leaders. Whether it’s managing performance issues, protecting employee wellbeing, or handling misconduct, these decisions don’t stay confined to HR, they land squarely on leadership desks.

The discussion flowed easily – no slide decks, no lectures, just a candid walk-through of some of the toughest issues we face in Malaysian workplaces:

• Employee terminations — how to handle them fairly and stay legally defensible

• Sexual harassment & mental health — why they’re now legal duties, not just HR topics

• Workplace gossip & misconduct — where casual chatter turns into real liability

• Real-life horror stories — cases that made it to court (and what went wrong)

Rather than legal jargon, Donovan and Zi-Han shared stories in layman terms, explained the principles behind them, and gave practical guidance leaders could use the very next day. They didn’t just share anecdotes, they backed them up with court statistics showing how frequently these disputes end up in litigation, a sobering reminder that employment issues are far from theoretical.

It was clear the topics struck a chord as questions poured in throughout the session, turning what could have been a passive panel into a lively exchange.

One point Donovan put perfectly and later shared on his LinkedIn recap, really stayed with me:

“If I had to convince my CEO or board, what would I need to show to get approval? You wouldn’t rely on word of mouth or gut feelings, but present documents, information, and a proper business case. The Industrial Court works the same way — it decides on evidence, not vibes.”

Another moment worth highlighting was around Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs). Donovan reminded us that a PIP should never be treated as a disguised “exit plan”, but as a genuine opportunity to help employees succeed. When done properly, it’s not a legal box-ticking exercise but a framework for clarity, coaching, and documented fairness if performance issues persist.

While the “official” session wrapped up on time, the conversations carried on well into the evening. Over food and drinks, people compared notes, swapped stories of challenges they’ve faced, and asked the questions you can only really ask off-stage. For me, that’s when the best insights emerge, when the formalities drop and people speak frankly. We’re already looking forward to hosting more of these Leaders with Ambition sessions to keep these conversations going.

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Employment law can feel like a maze. But evenings like this prove that when you combine legal expertise with open dialogue, it becomes much less intimidating. Leaders walk away not just knowing “what the law says,” but understanding how it actually plays out when decisions are challenged, and how to handle them with both confidence and humanity.

This is what Leaders with Ambition is all about: creating spaces where we learn from experts, share practical experiences, and sharpen the judgment every leader needs when the stakes involve people, culture, and integrity.

Want to join our next Leaders with Ambition session? Follow us on LinkedIn for updates.

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Author Matthew Cooper is Managing Director of Ambition Malaysia, leading recruitment across Commerce & Industry, Global Business Services, and Banking & Financial Services. With over two decades in the industry, he’s passionate about building teams, strengthening client partnerships, and helping businesses navigate complex talent challenges.

Edited by Kimberly Lam, Senior Marketing Executive, Asia, Ambition.