Cana Consulting is partnering exclusively with a leading regional fintech and digital financial services platform seeking a seasoned Senior Counsel to lead its legal function across Asia Pacific.
This is a strategic leadership position for a commercially minded lawyer with strong financial regulatory expertise and experience navigating complex, high-growth, regulated environments. The successful candidate will work closely with senior management on regional expansion, regulatory engagement, product development, governance, and strategic initiatives.
Key Responsibilities
- Act as the principal legal advisor to senior management and leadership teams across the region.
- Lead and manage the legal function across multiple jurisdictions within Asia Pacific.
- Provide commercially pragmatic legal advice to support business growth, strategic partnerships, and expansion initiatives.
- Drive legal strategy and risk management frameworks aligned with the organization's long-term objectives.
- Manage and coordinate external counsels across jurisdictions.
- Provide strategic legal and regulatory advice relating to payments, consumer finance, digital banking, lending, fintech, and financial services regulations.
- Advise on licensing, regulatory approvals, governance frameworks, and ongoing compliance obligations across regional markets.
- Partner closely with compliance and risk teams on regulatory matters, audits, investigations, and regulator engagements.
- Monitor and assess legal and regulatory developments impacting the business across Asia Pacific.
- Support the implementation of internal policies, controls, and governance standards in line with evolving regulatory requirements.
- Lead negotiations and reviews of complex commercial agreements, strategic partnerships, technology agreements, financing arrangements, and customer-facing documentation.
- Advise business and product teams on legal risks relating to new products, digital platforms, data privacy, and technology initiatives.
- Develop scalable legal processes, templates, and contracting frameworks to support regional operations and growth.
- Support corporate structuring, fundraising activities, strategic investments, and expansion into new markets.
- Advise on corporate governance, shareholder matters, and board-related legal issues.
- Oversee legal aspects of strategic transactions, joint ventures, and regional business initiatives where required.
- Manage disputes, investigations, contentious matters, and regulatory inquiries.
- Provide practical and strategic advice on legal exposure, reputational risks, and escalation management.
- Promote legal awareness and compliance culture across the organization.
Requirements
- Qualified lawyer admitted in a common law jurisdiction preferred.
- Approximately 12–15 years of post-qualification experience.
- Strong financial regulatory experience within fintech, payments, digital banking, consumer finance, or broader financial services sectors is essential.
- Combination of top-tier private practice and in-house experience preferred.
- Strong experience advising on cross-border legal and regulatory matters across APAC.
- Proven ability to operate effectively within fast-paced, evolving, and highly regulated environments.
- Excellent commercial judgment and stakeholder management skills.
- Prior leadership or team management experience preferred.
EA Lic: 24S2202 | CEI Reg: R2091776
