Head of Legal and Compliance

About the Opportunity

We are partnering with a leading and well-established financial services organisation to appoint a Head of Legal & Compliance. This is a senior leadership position offering broad exposure across legal, regulatory, governance, commercial and strategic business matters.

Reporting to senior management, you will serve as a trusted advisor to key stakeholders and play a critical role in supporting business growth, managing legal and regulatory risks, and strengthening the organisation's governance and compliance framework.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead and oversee all legal, regulatory and compliance matters across the organisation.

2. Provide strategic and commercially focused legal advice to senior management on business initiatives, partnerships, new products and corporate projects.

3. Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of legal documentation, including commercial agreements, strategic partnerships, financing arrangements and vendor contracts.

4. Advise on corporate governance, board matters, regulatory developments and legal risk management.

5. Manage interactions with regulators and oversee regulatory enquiries, inspections and reporting obligations.

6. Develop, implement and enhance legal and compliance policies, procedures and internal control frameworks.

7. Partner closely with business units to identify, assess and mitigate legal, regulatory and reputational risks.

8. Oversee external counsel and manage litigation, disputes and other contentious matters when required.

Requirements

1. Qualified lawyer in Hong Kong, England & Wales, Australia, the United States or another recognised common law jurisdiction.

2. 8+ years of post-qualification experience gained within reputable law firms and/or regulated financial services institutions.

3. Strong experience in banking, securities, wealth management, asset management, insurance, fintech or other regulated financial services environments.

4. Proven ability to advise senior management on complex legal, regulatory and commercial matters.

5. Solid understanding of corporate governance, regulatory frameworks and compliance requirements.

6. Strong stakeholder management, negotiation and influencing skills.

7. Commercially minded with the ability to balance legal risk and business objectives.

8. Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Chinese language skills would be an advantage.