Head of Legal, GCC&NA

#LI - AIG

At AIG, we are reimagining the way we help customers to manage risk. Join us as a Head of Legal to play your part in that transformation. It’s an opportunity to grow your skills and experience as a valued member of the team.

AIG underwriting teams help to find insurance solutions in areas including Financial Lines, Property, Casualty, Specialty Lines, Cyber, Multinational Clients, and High Net Worth individuals. We are reimagining how we help customers to manage risk, transforming our operating model, and reshaping our role responsibilities and career pathways. The goal is to unlock the full potential in each colleague – empowering our people to grow as insurance professionals and add more value to our customers and AIG.

The Senior Legal Counsel will provide high-quality, commercially focused legal advice to the UAE business, with primary responsibility for supporting the UAE insurance operations and ensuring that the business operates within applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

The role requires a practical, solutions-driven insurance lawyer who is comfortable working closely with senior management, underwriting, claims, finance, compliance, risk, operations and business development teams. The successful candidate will be expected to operate as a trusted legal business partner while maintaining appropriate legal and regulatory challenge.

• Provide legal advice on a broad range of insurance and reinsurance matters across the UAE business.
• Advise on policy wordings, endorsements, coverage issues and insurance contracts.
• Review and negotiate broker, intermediary, distribution, service provider, outsourcing, reinsurance and other commercial agreements.
• Advise underwriting and business teams on legal and regulatory considerations arising from new products, transactions and distribution arrangements.
• Provide advice on contractual risk, liability, indemnities, limitations of liability and dispute resolution provisions.
• Support the business on complex and sensitive legal matters and liaise with external counsel where appropriate.

• Provide legal advice on the requirements applicable to the UAE insurance business and maintain a strong working knowledge of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and the DIFC and DFSA regulatory environment.
• Advise management and business functions on regulatory developments and their impact on the business.
• Support responses to CBUAE/DFSA regulatory requests, inspections, enquiries and supervisory matters.
• Assist with regulatory applications, notifications, approvals and submissions where required.
• Monitor developments in UAE insurance legislation and regulation and identify areas requiring legal, governance or operational action.
• Work closely with Compliance, Risk and other control functions on regulatory matters and remediation initiatives
• Provide legal support on matters involving the DIFC and DFSA regulatory environment.

DIFC/DFSA experience would be highly advantageous, particularly experience relating to insurance/reinsurance.

Experience in regulatory affairs, compliance or regulatory change management would be advantageous.

This may include:

• Regulatory horizon scanning and implementation of regulatory changes.
• Engagement with regulators and responding to regulatory enquiries.
• Regulatory submissions and licensing matters.
• Regulatory remediation and enforcement matters.
• Supporting regulatory inspections and thematic reviews.
• Translating regulatory requirements into practical business actions.
• Working collaboratively with Compliance, Risk and other control functions.

Experience in regulatory affairs, compliance or regulatory change management would be advantageous.

This may include:

• Regulatory horizon scanning and implementation of regulatory changes.
• Engagement with regulators and responding to regulatory enquiries.
• Regulatory submissions and licensing matters.
• Regulatory remediation and enforcement matters.
• Supporting regulatory inspections and thematic reviews.
• Translating regulatory requirements into practical business actions.
• Working collaboratively with Compliance, Risk and other control functions.

• Qualified lawyer with a recognised legal qualification.
• Substantial experience in the insurance and/or reinsurance industry.
• Strong knowledge of UAE insurance laws and regulations.
• Practical experience dealing with the CBUAE, preferably in relation to insurance/reinsurance.
• Strong commercial contracting and insurance legal experience.
• Experience advising senior management and business stakeholders.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to operate independently and manage multiple priorities in a lean legal function.
• Strong commercial judgement and ability to balance legal risk with business objectives.

We are looking for someone who is:

• Solutions-driven but able to take a firm legal position when required.
• Commercially minded and pragmatic.
• Confident dealing with senior stakeholders.
• Comfortable challenging the business constructively.
• Able to distinguish between issues that require escalation and those that can be resolved pragmatically.
• Highly organised and able to work independently.
• Strong in written and verbal communication.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, regulated environment.
• Hands-on rather than purely supervisory or advisory.

Ready to take your career to the next level? We would love to hear from you.

At AIG, we value in-person collaboration as a vital part of our culture, which is why we ask our team members to be primarily in the office. This approach helps us work together effectively and create a supportive, connected environment for our team and clients alike.

American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is a global leader in commercial and personal insurance solutions; we are one of the world’s most far-reaching property casualty networks. It is an exciting time to join us — across our operations, we are thinking in new and innovative ways to deliver ever-better solutions to our customers. At AIG, you can go further to support individuals, businesses, and communities, helping them to manage risk, respond to times of uncertainty and discover new potential. We invest in our largest asset, our people, through continuous learning and development, in a culture that celebrates everyone for who they are and what they want to become.

We’re committed to creating a culture that truly respects and celebrates each other’s talents, backgrounds, cultures, opinions and goals. We foster a culture of inclusion and belonging through learning, cultural awareness activities and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). With global chapters, ERGs are a cornerstone for our culture of inclusion. The talent of our people is one of AIG’s greatest assets, and we are honored that our drive for positive change has been recognized by numerous recent awards and accreditations.

AIG provides equal opportunity to all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, age, gender, gender expression, national origin, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected categories.

AIG is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to job applicants and employees with disabilities.  If you believe you need a reasonable accommodation, please send an email to candidatecare@aig.com.  

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