Head of Legal

Head of Legal - HKD 150K/month + Bonus

- Excellent spoken Mandarin

- Traditional Banking / Digital Banking Experience is preferred

- 10+ years of PQE

Position Overview

The Head of Legal will serve as the lead legal counsel and strategic advisor to the Board, CEO, and executive leadership. This role owns enterprise legal strategy, governance, and transactional execution across a multi-pillar ecosystem spanning Digital Banking/Fintech, Insurtech, Wealthtech, Digital Insurance Brokerage, Integrated Finance, and Strategic M&A/JVs.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Business Advisory & Corporate Transactions

• Act as primary legal partner on strategic growth, advising on M&A, strategic investments, joint ventures, and ecosystem partnerships.
• Structure and support multi-product business models, including digital banking, insurtech, wealthtech/investech, and digital insurance brokerage solutions.
• Oversee integrated finance frameworks, ensuring regulatory alignment across cross-segment product lines.

2. Regulatory Governance & Digital Innovation

• Drive legal risk assessments for digital banking innovations, including AI-driven services, Open Banking, and virtual assets.
• Monitor HKMA, IA, and SFC regulatory developments, translating policy shifts into actionable business strategies.
• Lead regulatory interactions and handle Board/committee governance in compliance with the Companies Ordinance and HKMA standards.

3. Commercial Contracts, Disputes & Team Leadership

• Direct the drafting and negotiation of complex commercial agreements, technology licensing, vendor contracts, and customer terms.
• Manage litigation, disputes, and regulatory inquiries alongside external counsel.
• Build, mentor, and direct a high-performing legal team, collaborating with Risk, Compliance, and Product to embed legal awareness across the organization.

Requirements

• Qualifications: Qualified solicitor or barrister in Hong Kong (or a recognized common law jurisdiction) with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or equivalent.
• Experience: 10–15+ years of PQE, with 5+ years in a senior legal leadership role within a licensed bank, virtual bank, or major fintech/financial institution.
• Domain Expertise: Demonstrated coverage across digital banking, insurtech, wealthtech, digital brokerage, or strategic M&A/JVs.
• Regulatory Knowledge: In-depth knowledge of HKMA regulations, the Banking Ordinance, virtual banking frameworks, and data privacy (IA or SFC familiarity is a strong plus).
• Languages: Business fluency in English and Cantonese required; Mandarin is highly preferred.