Position Overview
The Legal Director will serve as the chief in-house legal authority to the company, responsible for shaping and leading the group's legal and compliance strategy across all markets, including Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, the United States. This role is a key strategic partner to the Senior Leadership Team of the group, providing leadership on cross-border commercial matters, joint venture and strategic partnership governance, regulatory compliance, enterprise risk and corporate governance. This role oversees all legal matters related to global operations, contracts, intellectual property, and regulatory affairs and will direct a growing legal and compliance function, oversees external counsel and ensure Cosmo's operations, supply chain and strategic initiatives are legally sound and aligned with industry practices. This role requires a strategic thinker with deep expertise in corporate law, and manufacturing, as well as the ability to balance risk management with business growth in a fast-paced environment.
Reporting
This role reports to the CFO who is also responsible for Finance and Technology in Cosmo.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Legal Leadership
- Serve as the principal legal advisor to the Senior Leadership Team supporting M&A, joint ventures and expansion.
- Translate complex legal and regulatory requirements into clear, commercially practical recommendations for business leaders.
- Develop and execute Cosmo's legal and compliance strategy, frameworks and policies. - Governance of Joint Ventures & Cross-Border Structures
- Lead all as aspects of joint ventures, strategic partnerships and new entity setups.
- Establish and maintain governance frameworks, shareholder agreements, compliance protocols and reporting structures for JVs.
- Conduct and oversee legal due diligence, regulatory filings, risk assessments and government interface - Commercial Contracts & Global Business Operations
- Oversees the drafting, review negotiation and approval of all commercial agreements, including supply chain and manufacturing contracts, global brands compliance documents, customer contracts and licensing/IP usage.
- Ensure robustness of contract frameworks across jurisdictions and mitigate legal exposure in commercial activities - Intellectual Property
-Protect and manage trademarks, patents, and design rights for all products.
- Lead enforcement actions against counterfeit goods and IP infringements. - Enterprise Compliance & Regulatory Risk Management
-Lead the global compliance programme covering:
- Data privacy (PDPA, GDPR, China PIPL and so on)
- Anti-bribery / anti-corruption
- ESG-related regulatory requirements
- Trade compliance and Customs
- Identify potential legal risks in new markets, product launches, and strategic initiatives.
- Develop policies to mitigate litigation and regulatory exposure. - Corporate Secretariat Support
- Oversee corporate secretarial matters, statutory filings and governance processes.
- Ensure senior executives compliance with company laws - Litigation & Dispute Resolution and External Counsel Management
- Manage external counsel and oversee litigation strategy, litigation management and early-stage risk mitigation.
- Resolve disputes with suppliers, distributors, and other stakeholders.
- Manage budgets, performance and engagement protocols for external counsel - Legal Operations & Technology
- Direct legal operations including:
- Contract lifecycle management systems
- Document retention protocols
- Virtual data rooms for corporate deals
- Digital workflows and automation
- Recommend and deploy legal technology solutions to improve efficiency and transparency. - Leadership & People Development
- Build and mentor legal and compliance team aligned with Cosmo's growth trajectory.
- Establish training programmes on legal, compliance and risk topics for internal stakeholders
Qualifications
- Juris Doctor (JD), Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or equivalent law degree admission to practice in Singapore or other relevant jurisdiction(s) preferred.
- 10+ years of PQE, with significant experience in cross-border commercial work, manufacturing/supply chain and at least 3 years in a leadership role.
- Strong background and deep expertise in corporate/commercial law, joint ventures, cross-border contracting, corporate governance, intellectual property, data protection, anti-bribery/anti-corruption, enterprise compliance and regulatory frameworks in Asia.
- Proven track record advising Senior Leadership on complex legal issues and strategic transactions.
- Strong command of English and Chinese (written and spoken) to support operations, joint ventures, strategic partnerships and document review across jurisdictions.
- Experience in manufacturing industries preferred.
- Excellent negotiation, communication, and leadership skills.
- Highly commercial, solutions-driven and able to balance legal risk with business pragmatism and the ability to work cross-functionally
- Strong leadership capabilities and experience developing team and manage external counsel.
Personal Attributes
- Strategic thinker with commercial acumen.
- Strong ethical compass and commitment to compliance.
- Collaborative leader who can influence at all levels.
- Ability to thrive in adynamic, global business environment.
