About the Role
The Head of Legal will be the group's most senior lawyer, reporting directly to the CEO and working closely with the Board. This is a hands-on role that encompasses the entire legal process from structuring through to completion. The postholder will also set up the group's legal, risk, and compliance function, playing a pivotal role at a formative stage and having direct access to senior management.
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Responsibilities
Transactions and Structuring
- Lead acquisitions, disposals, mergers, joint ventures, and restructurings across the group's UK, UAE, and international holdings, covering structuring, due diligence, negotiation, documentation, and post-completion matters.
- Advise on the right legal and ownership structure for new investments and reorganisations.
- Draft, review, and negotiate shareholder agreements, financing documents, transaction agreements, and the group's key commercial contracts.
Risk, Compliance, and Governance
- Act as adviser on corporate, commercial, and regulatory matters.
- Build a group compliance framework covering UAE mainland and free zone entities (including DIFC and ADGM where relevant), UK company law obligations, and any sector regulation that applies to the businesses.
- Identify and manage legal and regulatory risk across the group and its different jurisdictions as needed.
External Counsel and Disputes
- Select, instruct, and manage law firms in each jurisdiction to ensure consistent quality of advice while controlling legal spend.
- Set strategy on disputes and litigation, working with local counsel and seeing matters through to resolution.
Building the Function
- Introduce the templates, approval processes, and standards needed, and recruit and develop the legal team as the portfolio grows.
Essential Requirements
- Qualified as a solicitor or barrister in England & Wales, or in another common law jurisdiction.
- At least 15 years' PQE in corporate and commercial law, with substantial M&A and cross-border investment experience.
- A track record of leading transactions from start to finish, not just supporting them.
- Working knowledge of UK and UAE law as it applies to M&A, corporate structuring, and holding company governance, including the UAE mainland, free zone (DIFC, ADGM), and offshore regimes.
- Experience instructing law firms across several jurisdictions and managing a legal budget.
- Strong drafting and negotiation skills and fluent in English.
- Sound judgement and discretion.
Desirable Qualifications
- Previous role as General Counsel or Head of Legal in a holding company, family office, private equity platform, or the investment arm of a bank.
- Experience working in an owner-managed or majority-shareholder business.
- Post-acquisition integration experience.
Benefits and Other Details
- Competitive remuneration package commensurate with seniority and experience, to be discussed with shortlisted candidates.
- Based in Dubai, with regular travel to the UK and other countries where the group operates.
- A broad mandate covering M&A, JVs, governance, compliance, and commercial work across several sectors and jurisdictions.
- The chance to build the group's legal function largely from scratch.
