Senior Legal Counsel - Investments & Corporate Affairs

IMI is a privately-owned, global media group headquartered in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with operations across 19 countries. Our portfolio includes renowned media brands such as Sky News Arabia as part of a joint venture with Sky UK, The National, Al-Ain News, CNN Business Arabic, and a minority stake in Euronews.

Additionally, through Redbird IMI, our joint venture with Redbird Capital Partners, we invest in leading media, sports, and entertainment brands worldwide. We bring the world closer by sharing stories that open minds, connect people, and enrich lives, empowering audiences with news, knowledge, and factual entertainment.

Role Summary

The Senior Legal Counsel - Investments & Corporate Affairs at IMI Group provides comprehensive legal support across the Group's investment activities and broader corporate, commercial, and media operations. The role spans the full investment lifecycle from deal structuring and legal due diligence through transaction execution and ongoing portfolio management, while also advising on day to day legal matters across IMI's broadcasting, digital media, technology, sports, and live events businesses.

The role requires a senior, commercially minded lawyer with strong expertise in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity-style investments, combined with a broad understanding of media, digital distribution, publishing, and broadcasting. The successful candidate will work closely with senior leadership, investment professionals, and cross functional teams, and will manage external counsel to ensure that IMI's activities are legally sound, commercially effective, and aligned with internal governance, ethics, and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities Investments & M&A

• Lead or support the legal workstream on investment transactions, including drafting and negotiating NDAs, term sheets, investment agreements, shareholder agreements, joint venture agreements, and exit documentation.
• Coordinate and oversee legal due diligence processes, working closely with internal investment teams and external counsel.
• Advise on optimal legal and governance structures for investments, ensuring alignment with risk, tax, compliance, and internal approval frameworks.
• Provide legal support for the management of existing investments, including follow on investments, restructurings, consents, disputes, and exits.
• Support high profile investments, assets, and joint ventures, including strategic partnerships such as RedBird IMI.
• Monitor and advise on relevant legal and regulatory developments impacting investments, including foreign ownership, competition law, sanctions, anti bribery and corruption, ESG, data protection, and cross border regulatory issues.
• Provide legal advice across IMI on commercial contracts, regulatory matters, employment issues, disputes, policies, and corporate governance.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial and corporate agreements across the Group.
• Oversee the provision of legal services supporting IMI's broadcasting, publishing, digital media, and technology operations.
• Advise on intellectual property, copyright, data protection, defamation, privacy, AML, competition, and compliance matters relevant to the media and digital sectors.
• Support head office and bureau teams by reviewing documentation and advising on existing and new contractual arrangements.
• Provide practical, risk focused legal advice to minimize legal exposure across IMI's operations.
• Represent IMI in negotiations and support the efficient handling and resolution of disputes.

Governance, Compliance & Legal Operations

• Oversee the implementation of legal guidelines and ensure compliance with IMI's ethics, governance, and internal policies.
• Provide guidance on drafting, reviewing, and implementing internal policies and procedures across departments.
• Support board and committee secretarial matters where required, including preparation of agendas, drafting minutes and resolutions, and ensuring compliance with applicable laws and articles of association.
• Develop, maintain, and update legal templates, precedents, and internal guidance notes.
• Coordinate with external counsel, monitor legal spend, and ensure high quality and cost effective legal services delivery.
• Support the professional development and mentoring of legal team members as required.

Role Requirements

• Strong experience in cross border M&A, corporate law, investments, joint ventures, and complex commercial transactions.
• Solid understanding of the media industry, with experience in broadcasting, digital media, technology, sports, or live events.
• Strong knowledge of the UAE legal and regulatory framework and familiarity with regional and international regulations.
• Proven experience in commercial contract drafting and negotiation.
• Good understanding of intellectual property, copyright, and digital rights.
• Knowledge of technology platforms, digital distribution, and data privacy.
• Demonstrated interest in and ability to work with AI, legal technology tools, and legal databases.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.