Deputy Head of Corporate & Regulatory Legal

We are looking for a seasoned, bilingual legal professional to join KPMG Middle East as Deputy Head of Corporate & Regulatory Legal . This role supports strategic legal matters across corporate structuring, compliance, licensing, contracts, and governance across multiple jurisdictions. The candidate should have strong regulatory knowledge, experience engaging with authorities across the region, and the ability to manage risk and advise senior leadership.

Key Responsibilities:

Corporate Legal:

• Oversee legal matters for multiple entities; ensure compliance with local laws and KPMG global governance.
• Advise on entity formation, restructuring, and inter-firm agreements.
• Support leadership and board-level legal needs.

Regulatory Compliance:

• Liaise with regulators and manage licensing, registration, and renewals.
• Interpret and advise on new regulations (AML, audit laws, data privacy).
• Support regulatory inspections and ensure readiness.

Dispute & Litigation:

• Lead legal dispute resolution, investigations, and regulatory enforcement matters.
• Manage external counsel on key cases.

Employment Legal:

• Advise on employment issues: contracts, disciplinary actions, investigations, and terminations.
• Ensure labor law compliance across jurisdictions.

Commercial Contracts:

• Support drafting/review of contracts and large-scale client engagements.
• Collaborate with business development and implement standard templates.

Strategic Leadership:

• Advise the General Counsel on legal risk and strategic matters.
• Represent Legal on cross-functional committees.
• Mentor legal staff and drive efficiency and digital transformation.

Requirements:

Education:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Law from a recognized university.
• Qualified in at least one jurisdiction with active bar membership.

Experience:

• 15+ years post-qualification, with international law firm and in-house experience in regulated sectors (ideally professional or financial services).
• Fluent in Arabic and English, with strong legal drafting skills in both languages.

Skills & Attributes:

• Collaborative, proactive, and adaptable with strong leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Experienced in building and managing legal teams.
• Tech-savvy and open to legal innovation (AI tools, e-signature systems, etc.).
• Familiar with international legal standards (e.g., IESBA, ISQM).