Senior Legal Counsel, Financial Institution

A prestigious international organisation is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel to join their regional legal team in Hong Kong. This is an exceptional opportunity for you to make a significant impact across Asia, supporting both the regional office and group head office on a wide range of strategic legal matters. You will be at the forefront of complex transactions, regulatory affairs, and operational improvements, while also nurturing local legal teams through coaching and development.

What you'll do:

As Senior Legal Counsel based in Hong Kong, you will play an integral part in shaping the organisation’s approach to legal risk management across Asia. Your day-to-day work will involve collaborating closely with both regional and group offices on high-impact projects ranging from mergers and acquisitions to regulatory compliance. You will be instrumental in negotiating contracts, refining operational processes through innovative technology adoption, and guiding local teams towards excellence via coaching and mentoring. By providing insightful advice on insurance law as well as broader business concerns, you will help drive sound decision-making at every level. Your ability to coordinate with internal stakeholders and external counsel will be essential for managing complex litigation cases while maintaining robust compliance standards. This role offers you the chance to build lasting relationships within a knowledgeable network where your contributions directly influence organisational success.

• Provide expert support to the Asia Regional Office and Group head office on all legal matters, ensuring alignment with General Counsel Guidelines.
• Advise on strategic legal affairs such as mergers and acquisitions, complex distribution transactions, restructuring activities, financing arrangements, and regulatory issues affecting operations in Asia.
• Lead contract negotiations by drafting and reviewing agreements, focusing on implementing standard forms, checklists, and control tools that efficiently manage legal risks for the regional office.
• Champion the adoption of IT/AI solutions within the legal function to improve efficiency and risk management processes across the region.
• Offer operational expertise to local legal teams by building best practice frameworks, developing legal skills through coaching and mentoring, and supporting their use of relevant technology tools.
• Deliver comprehensive legal advice on insurance law, general business law, corporate law, intellectual property law, and other relevant areas at all levels of the organisation.
• Support regional and group-wide projects by providing timely legal input that ensures compliance and commercial viability.
• Coordinate with head office colleagues and external counsel as required to address complex legal issues or project needs.
• Manage major litigation cases in the region while overseeing ongoing litigation matters to safeguard organisational interests.
• Conduct regular legal monitoring activities related to all key responsibilities to ensure up-to-date compliance with evolving regulations.

What you bring:

• Master's Degree in Law with honours from a top-tier university.
• 8-10 years post-qualification experience gained within an international company’s legal department; previous private practice experience at a leading international law firm is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated expertise in insurance law alongside general business law, corporate law, intellectual property law, and regulatory matters relevant to multinational operations.
• Proven track record of implementing effective management solutions within legal departments using IT/AI tools for improved efficiency.
• Exceptional attention to detail combined with accuracy in handling complex documentation and agreements.
• Outstanding relationship-building abilities supported by excellent communication skills for negotiation and convincing stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong analytical thinking paired with problem-solving capabilities that enable sound commercial judgement under pressure or tight deadlines.
• Experience working collaboratively within cross-functional teams; ability to lead such teams when required while fostering an inclusive environment.
• Well-organised approach complemented by self-motivation; able to take initiative independently yet remain dependable within a team setting.
• Fluency in written and spoken Mandarin is considered an advantage for this position.