VP, Senior Legal Counsel - Wholesale Banking

Job Purpose: - The senior legal counsel will lead and provide expert legal support on complex and high-value banking and finance transactions, including bilateral and syndicated loans, structured finance, cross-border and multi-jurisdictional matters, and specialist banking products. Operating with significant autonomy, the role involves drafting, reviewing, and negotiating financing documentation, including LMA-based agreements and security packages, and advising on regulatory and legal risk issues across the bank’s Corporate & Investment Banking, International Banking, and Treasury and Capital Markets divisions. This role requires deep expertise in UAE and international banking laws, financial services regulation, and a proven track record in navigating sophisticated financing structures and regulatory frameworks. - As a senior member of the Legal Division, to represent the bank in high-level meetings with clients, regulators, industry bodies, and internal stakeholders. The senior legal counsel will manage external counsel, contribute to legal policy development, and support bank-wide strategic initiatives, including innovation, digital transformation, and emerging technologies. A key responsibility includes mentoring junior legal staff and promoting best practices in legal advice and documentation standards. Strong leadership, commercial acumen, and the ability to deliver under pressure in a dynamic, multicultural environment are essential. Key Result Areas: - Lead and advise on complex banking and finance transactions, including bilateral and syndicated loans, cross-border matters, specialist banking products and services, and multi-jurisdictional projects, across wholesale corporate, institutional, and international banking. - Operate autonomously with minimal escalation, demonstrating senior-level expertise, decision-making, and direct oversight of external counsel and consultants. - Represent the Legal Division in senior-level meetings with clients, internal stakeholders, regulators, and industry bodies, aligning with the expectations of senior legal counsel. - Provide sound legal advice on a wide range of wholesale banking financial products and services, transactions, issues, regulatory matters, and strategic matters across the bank’s Corporate & Investment Banking Group and International Banking Group. - Lead legal projects, managing timelines and resources, and collaborating effectively with internal teams, external counsel, and key stakeholders. - Contribute to bank-wide initiatives, including AI, digital transformation, innovation, banking and financial products and services, initiatives with active engagement across international offices. - Identify legal risks, ensure compliance with applicable banking and financial laws and regulations, and implement risk mitigation strategies. - Draft, review, and negotiate financing documentation, including LMA-based agreements and security packages, in line with UAE and international banking laws and best practice. - Draft, review, and negotiate financing documentation, including LMA-based agreements and security packages, in line with UAE and international banking laws and best practice. Treasury/capital markets exposure i.e., ISDA, GMRA & CSAs. - Monitor legal developments and assess impact on the bank’s financing activities. - Contribute to the development and implementation of legal policies, procedures, and templates. - Collaborate with business teams and stakeholders to structure innovative, commercially sound, and legally robust solutions. - Instruct, manage, and monitor external legal counsel and third-party advisors to ensure quality, efficiency, and alignment with bank interests. - Mentor junior legal staff, support professional development, and promote best practices in banking and finance advice and documentation standards. Operating Environment, Framework and Boundaries, Working Relationships: - Operating Environment: Provide legal advice on a wide range of wholesale banking financial products and services, transactions, issues, regulatory matters, and strategic matters across the bank’s Corporate & Investment Banking Group, International Banking Group, and Treasury and Capital Markets. Covers Wholesale Banking presence and non-presence business. - Framework: Transactional; Leadership; Senior representation, Documentation, Legislation (laws & regulations); Advisory expertise; Risk management; Regulatory compliance; Strategic initiatives; Project management; Collaboration & teamwork; Risk management; Communication; Problem Solving. - Boundaries: Scope of work /role limited to law and role of a legal adviser within the above framework. - Working Relationships: Colleagues in Legal Division, Cross-functional teams, external counsel, business units, and stakeholders (Compliance, Credit Management, Credit Administration, Tax). Problem Solving: - Analytical Thinking - Ability to advise on complex financial structures, a broad array of banking and finance transactions, products and services, and identify legal, regulatory, and commercial risks. - Apply logical reasoning to legal and commercial issues and conflicts and devise practical solutions. - Regulatory & Legal Acumen - Interpret and apply evolving banking and finance legislation across multiple jurisdictions. - Anticipate regulatory challenges and propose compliant, commercially viable solutions. - Risk Management - Experienced in identifying legal risks in financing structures, transactions, and banking products, with a strong understanding of risk-based approach. - Commercial - Provide risk-based advice aligned with legal and commercial objectives, tailored to the audience. - Navigate high-stakes negotiations to achieve balanced outcomes between parties and stakeholders. - Align legal advice with business objectives; navigate negotiations to balanced outcomes. - Strategic - Design bespoke solutions for unique or first-of-its-kind transactions while maintaining compliance with credit policies and legal frameworks. - Adapt strategies to meet evolving challenges and apply creative solutions to complex legal issues. - Apply critical thinking and problem-solving with a balanced approach to detail & strategic judgment. - Stakeholders - Engage with regulators, counterparties, and internal stakeholders, external counsel to resolve challenges. - Communicate complex legal concepts clearly to non-lawyers and senior management for informed decision-making. Decision Making Authority & Responsibility: - Deliver timely and decisive legal solutions in complex and fast-paced deal environments. - Exercise independent judgment, escalating only in exceptional cases. - Balance competing demands while ensuring compliance and transaction integrity. Knowledge, Skills and Experience: - Experience: Minimum 8–10 years’ post-qualification experience in Core Areas preferably with a top-tier law firm or financial institution. - Core Areas: International Banking & Finance; Corporate Finance; Corporate and Commercial; Treasury and Capital Markets; Transaction Banking (Trade Finance and Cash Solutions); Investment Banking; Asset-Based, Structured and Leverage Finance; Financial Markets; Financial Services and Financial Services Regulation. - Education: Law degree from a reputable university; admission to practice law in a recognized jurisdiction.(Covering areas: banking and finance, financial services and regulation, international finance and corporate and commercial). - Possess strong expertise in banking, finance, and financial services, including relevant legal and regulatory frameworks. - Proven track record in complex, high-value financing transactions across multiple jurisdictions. - Experience leading legal projects, managing timelines, resources, and stakeholders. - Skilled in analysing complex issues and advising with a strategic legal risk focus. - Effective collaboration with business units, support functions, external counsel, and key stakeholders. - Strong legal drafting and research skills. - Problem solving and analytical thinking. - Deep understanding of LMA documentation. - Skilled in collaborating effectively with multicultural teams. - Effective communication and people skills. - Agile and proven ability to perform under pressure with composure and focus. - Legal practice certificate or licence. Languages: Fluent in English (Arabic is a plus). Originally posted on Himalayas