Group General Counsel

Role Overview

A prominent diversified group headquartered in Abu Dhabi is in search of an experienced legal and governance leader to direct its Legal, Governance, Risk Management, Compliance, and HSSE departments. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role entails developing and managing comprehensive governance frameworks, legal strategies, risk management policies, regulatory adherence, and maintaining organizational integrity across various subsidiaries.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the legal function for multiple business units within the group.
• Deliver strategic legal guidance to senior management and executive stakeholders.
• Handle complex commercial agreements, corporate deals, disputes, and legal proceedings.
• Manage relationships and coordinate activities with external legal advisers.
• Create legal policies and keep track of regulatory changes affecting the business.
• Build and reinforce corporate governance structures and protocols.
• Lead comprehensive compliance programs, including regulation tracking and policy administration.
• Support governance responsibilities for the Board and Executive Committees.
• Manage ethics, whistleblowing, conflict of interest, and compliance reporting systems.
• Maintain strong connections with regulatory bodies and government agencies.
• Design and refine enterprise risk management systems.
• Set risk tolerance levels, evaluation techniques, and communication methods.
• Lead risk assessments and scenario planning efforts at an organizational level.
• Monitor strategic, operational, financial, and reputational risks within the enterprise.
• Foster a culture that prioritizes risk awareness throughout the organization.
• Supervise HSSE policies and frameworks to ensure health, safety, security, and environmental compliance.
• Oversee HSSE audits, incident investigations, corrective measures, and compliance programs.
• Encourage a culture of safety and environmental accountability among employees.
• Act as a key advisor to the CEO and the executive leadership team.
• Develop and execute functional strategies, budgets, policies, and operation plans.
• Lead and nurture multidisciplinary teams across Legal, Risk, Compliance, Governance, and HSSE functions.
• Promote continuous improvement, organizational transformation, and operational efficiency initiatives.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Law degree (LLB or equivalent); master's degree in Law, Governance, Risk Management, or an MBA preferred.
• At least 15 years of progressive experience in Legal, Compliance, Governance, or Enterprise Risk Management roles, including a minimum of 5 years in leadership capacity.
• Proven leadership experience managing legal and governance, risk, and compliance functions in large organizations or group environments.
• Track record in establishing governance, compliance, and enterprise risk management frameworks.
• Extensive knowledge of corporate law, contract law, dispute resolution, and regulatory compliance within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.