Senior Corporate Counsel - Middle East

The Senior Corporate Counsel will play a key role in Salesforce's Legal team working with cross functional groups across the company and externally on regulatory and compliance related issues in the Middle East. The position reports to Salesforce's London based head of Privacy, EMEA and is based in Salesforce's offices in Dubai. The role liaises closely with Employment Legal, Global Ethics & Integrity, Cybersecurity Legal teams, and partners with various departments including Security, Technology & Product, Government Affairs, Compliance, Communications, Marketing and Employee Success. The individual will be high performing, results driven, collaborative, strategic, and critical thinking, delivering under tight deadlines in a fast paced, high growth environment. Kindness and a good sense of humor are keys to excelling as a member of the team.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Regional Privacy, Cybersecurity, Data & AI Regulatory Expertise: Serve as subject matter expert on Middle Eastern privacy, cybersecurity, and related data laws, including emerging AI regulations and frameworks, and work across the Legal team and with Government Affairs to shape regional legislation and build relationships with regulators. Proactively monitor the evolving regulatory landscape and advise on its implications for Salesforce's products and customers in the region.
• Commercial & Customer Support: Partner with Commercial Legal and Cybersecurity Legal on negotiations, draft and negotiate privacy, security and AI related agreements, and respond to customer, prospect, and partner privacy, security and AI governance queries. Build trust by articulating Salesforce's responsible data and AI principles and helping customers understand how to deploy our services compliantly and ethically.
• Enhance Ethical Culture & Business Practices in Region: Assist management in identifying and mitigating compliance risks, enhancing and implementing compliance monitoring efforts and fostering a compliance culture. Prepare and lead enablement sessions on policies and topics owned by Ethics & Integrity. Perform policy and programmatic gap analyses in the region and prepare and manage action plans and updates as needed. Support anti bribery, anti corruption, anti fraud, global trade, public sector ethics, and political law programs in the region. Review and advise on gift and entertainment submissions for compliance with internal policy and applicable law.
• Employment Legal Compliance: Partner with various internal stakeholders to determine strategy and approach on employment related policies, guidelines, processes and training materials with an approach that balances pragmatism, risk, and compliance. Develop, update and maintain employment documentation including contracts of employment, confidentiality agreements and sales compensation documentation. Ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies.
• Cross Functional Partnership: Collaborate with teams across the company including Sales, Security, Technology, Employee Success, AI/Product teams, and Government Affairs to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, contracts, and certifications. Act as a bridge between legal, technical, and business teams translating complex regulatory requirements into practical guidance.
• Process Efficiency, Innovation & Enablement: Identify and implement legal process improvements to drive efficiency and support the business. Actively explore and champion the use of AI tools to improve legal workflows, increase productivity, and identify novel applications of AI within the legal function. Assist in developing internal and customer facing enablement materials, and provide training to internal teams on relevant legal topics and best practices.
• Lead & Deliver at Speed: Provide rapid, business savvy legal advice while effectively managing legal risk and ensuring compliance. Stay ahead of the curve on regulatory developments, bringing informed, forward thinking perspectives to fast moving legal questions.
• Dispute Resolution & Risk Mitigation: Advise on contract disputes, bid challenges, and regulatory inquiries, minimizing legal and operational risks.
• Have Fun While Doing It: Work hard, move fast, and bring a positive, solutions driven approach to challenging situations. Look after yourself, your colleagues, and the company's interests. Act with kindness and good humor.

Qualifications, Experience, And Skills

• LL.B. or J.D. from University; licensed to practise law in the UAE, another GCC jurisdiction, or EU/UK.
• Minimum 10 years of legal experience, with a proven ability to work under tight deadlines in a fast paced, rapidly evolving, and demanding industry.
• Excellent written and spoken English and Arabic required.
• Experience working with highly regulated sectors, including financial services, healthcare and public sector is preferred.
• Familiarity with global and regional data, cybersecurity and AI regulatory frameworks and other emerging regimes.
• Knowledge and familiarity with the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, UK Bribery Act, and anti corruption laws and regulations in the region.
• Experience advising on AI related legal issues, including automated decision making, algorithmic transparency, data bias, and AI ethics, is a plus.
• Exceptional negotiation and drafting skills, rigor/attention to detail, and strong legal reasoning, particularly in high pressure environments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated comfort using AI tools in day to day work, with a proactive mindset toward using AI to improve legal processes and service delivery.
• Ability to communicate complex regulatory concepts clearly to non legal and non technical audiences.
• Strong understanding of and genuine curiosity about technical concepts - including cloud computing, digital transformation, and AI.
• A can do attitude and team first mindset-proactive, collaborative, resilient, highly adaptable, and eager to continually learn and develop professionally.

Posting Statement

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