Director of Legal

Job description / Role

A Director of Legal is needed to oversee all legal activities within a leading Real Estate investment company in Dubai. The ideal candidate will possess a strong legal background, with a focus on corporate structuring, real estate, regulation and compliance.

Client Details

Our client is a well-respected investment company based in Dubai. With a focus on real estate, they have developed a robust reputation for their professional services and commitment to excellence.

Description

The Director - Legal will oversee and manage the group's legal operations at both the parent and subsidiary levels, providing strategic legal counsel and ensuring the institution of legal best practices across diverse business units. This includes legal structuring, regulatory compliance, risk management, governance, and acting as the lead advisor to the Group CEO, COO, CFO, and heads of business and support functions. This role will lead the legal function, ensuring compliance with corporate law, industry-specific regulations, employment law, and other laws applicable to the group's businesses in the UAE, DIFC, ADGM, and other relevant jurisdictions. The Director will also institutionalize the legal function to ensure scalability and operational excellence.

The Director - Legal will manage complex legal and regulatory matters, covering corporate, real estate development, real estate management, asset management, investments, and support the group's family office operations including social initiatives. A key aspect of this role is ensuring the protection of the group's legal, financial, and operational interests by proactively managing risks and ensuring full legal compliance across all areas of business, including data privacy and regulatory compliance.

Job Offer

* A competitive salary
* Standard company benefits including flight allowance, health insurance and annual leave.
* An opportunity to work in a professional and highly respected organization in Dubai.
* A chance to lead a team within the legal department of a well-regarded real estate investment company

If you are a legal professional looking to take the next step in your career, we encourage you to apply for the Director of Legal position.

- Minimum of 10-12 years' experience in a senior legal role, ideally with a focus on corporate law, regulatory compliance, and real estate law across multiple jurisdictions (including UAE, DIFC, ADGM), in the real estate, asset management, and investment sectors.
- Proven track record of providing legal counsel to senior leadership teams, and heads of business and support functions.
- Extensive experience in corporate structuring, contract management, licensing, and regulatory compliance across diverse sectors, including real estate, asset management, family office operations, and social initiatives.
- Demonstrated ability to manage and institutionalize the legal function at both the parent and subsidiary levels, ensuring consistency and scalability.
- Experience in litigation and dispute resolution, with a focus on minimizing risk and safeguarding the group's interests across various legal matters.
- Proven experience managing and leading a legal team, ensuring effective delegation and development of legal professionals.
- Deep understanding of the local legal landscape, particularly in relation to the real estate and asset management industries, as well as AML, data privacy, and other compliance requirements.

About the Company

Michael Page is one of the world's leading professional recruitment consultancies, specializing in the placement of candidates in permanent, contract, temporary and interim positions with clients around the world.

The Group has operations in the UK, Continental Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas. In the Middle East we focus on the areas of:

Finance & Accounting Banking & Financial Services Procurement Property & Construction Engineering & Supply Chain Oil & Gas Technical and Engineering Human Resources Sales Marketing Technology Secretarial Executive Search Legal

The Group operates through 161 offices in 33 countries and employs over 5,000 employees worldwide.