$61 billion Johnson & Johnson, a maker of healthcare products, has appointed Douglas Chia as assistant general counsel and corporate secretary, effective as of June 15. His responsibilities include providing legal counsel to the corporation on matters of corporate governance, securities regulation, public company disclosure, and Sarbanes-Oxley Act compliance.

Chia, who has been with Johnson & Johnson for five years, previously served as assistant secretary.

Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, Chia was assistant general counsel at Tyco International. In private practice, Chia was an associate at the law firms of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Clifford Chance, practicing in the New York and Hong Kong offices of each firm. While in private practice, Chia provided legal counsel to issuers and underwriters on securities offerings and cross-border transactions.

Chia is a member of the board of directors, corporate practices committee, and policy advisory committee of the Society of Corporate Secretaries & Governance Professionals and is chairman of the Society’s Membership Committee. Chia is also a member of the corporate and securities law committee of the Association of Corporate Counsel, as well as a member of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.