Senior Legal Counsel

About the role

The Senior Legal Counsel will provide comprehensive legal advice and support for transactions and commercial activities across Kuwait and the broader GCC region. The role involves close collaboration with senior management, business units, and external advisors to ensure compliance with local and international laws.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct legal research and deliver advice on cross‑border transactions, joint ventures, franchising, and licensing arrangements.
• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts and legal documents in English and Arabic, ensuring compliance with Kuwaiti and applicable international laws.
• Advise on compliance with Kuwaiti regulations, identify legal risks, and develop mitigation strategies.
• Assist business and GA teams in obtaining licenses and permits for retail, logistics, warehousing, and related operations.
• Work with senior management and business units to ensure legal requirements are met across all operations in Kuwait.
• Support communication with Kuwaiti authorities and external stakeholders to maintain a business‑friendly regulatory environment.
• Represent the company in legal proceedings, negotiations, and dispute resolution in courts and alternative forums.
• Monitor changes in Kuwaiti and GCC legal landscapes and communicate updates to internal stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain a high‑quality pool of external law firms and legal advisors in Kuwait.
• Collaborate with the global legal team to ensure consistency of legal frameworks across jurisdictions.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in law from a recognized university (advanced degree preferred).
• Minimum 7 years of relevant legal experience, including at least 5 years in Kuwait.
• Extensive knowledge of Kuwaiti corporate, contract, commercial, labor law and regulatory frameworks for foreign‑invested enterprises.
• Native Arabic speaker with fluent written and spoken English.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving and communication skills, able to present complex legal matters to non‑legal stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage complex legal projects, transactions and deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
• Familiarity with Kuwaiti regulatory authorities, licensing procedures and government approval mechanisms.
• Experience in retail, logistics, warehousing or food‑delivery sectors is a plus.

Required skills