Legal Counsel

Legal Counsel – Intra-African Trade & Structured FinancingSector: Pan-African Trade, Physical Commodities & Cross-Border Supply Chain / Distribution

Location: Dubai, UAEOn behalf of our client—a tier-one pan-African trading, supply chain, and distribution platform backed by leading multilateral financial institutions and industrial infrastructure sponsors—we are conducting an executive search for an experienced Legal Counsel.The organization is dedicated to accelerating regional economic integration across Africa, optimizing distribution corridors, and scaling physical trade in essential commodities, metals, and manufactured goods.Operating at the intersection of international trade, structured trade finance, and cross-border commercial strategy, this role provides end-to-end legal architecture and advisory for complex physical trading flows, pre-export and receivables financings, and cross-border expansion.Key ResponsibilitiesTrade & Physical Commodities Contracting: Structure, draft, and negotiate trading, supply, distribution, logistics, agency agreements, and bespoke commodity transactions across physical metals, manufactured products, and agricultural commodities.Structured & Cross-Border Trade Finance: Lead legal structuring for complex prepayments, receivables discounting, trade risk distribution, syndicated facilities, bilateral lines, and credit enhancement structures in collaboration with international banks and DFIs.Corporate & Strategic M&A: Provide strategic counsel on joint ventures, corporate reorganizations, project investments, and cross-border market entry across multiple African and global jurisdictions.Governance & Board Advisory: Support governance frameworks, statutory documentation, board resolutions, and delegated authority controls aligned with top-tier institutional governance standards.Regulatory Compliance & Risk Mitigation: Ensure alignment with international sanctions regimes, AML/CFT frameworks, anti-bribery statutes, and multi-jurisdictional trade regulations.Disputes & External Counsel Management: Oversee cross-border disputes, litigation strategy, and claims resolution while coordinating panel law firms across target operating markets.Candidate ProfileQualifications & ExperiencePostgraduate degree in Law from a recognized university, together with a Diploma in Legal Practice or equivalent qualification from a recognized Bar Course.10+ years of post-qualification experience (PQE) gained in a leading law firm and/or in-house legal function, preferably within a premier banking institution, commodities-focused financial institution, or similar multinational platform.Demonstrable track record in cross-border corporate, banking, structured trade finance, specialized projects, and commercial trading transactions.Substantial exposure to multi-jurisdictional regulatory environments across African and emerging markets, with experience operating in institutionally governed or board-supervised environments.Leadership & Technical ImpactProven ability to manage transactions through the entire credit value chain and oversee multi-stakeholder legal workflows.Authority and credibility to contribute to high-stakes commercial negotiations with firm-wide impact.Track record of exploring and implementing innovative technical advancements across legal and trade processes.Experience representing the organization with confidence before external financiers, DFIs, regulators, and third-party institutions.Interpersonal & Communication ExcellenceExceptional ability to synthesize complex transaction structures and legal risk management issues clearly and succinctly for senior management, Executive Leadership, and the Board.Strong relational presence to influence decisions at the functional level, foster cross-departmental collaboration, and mentor junior legal professionals.Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.Problem Solving & Strategic AcumenDeep technical acumen to identify core transaction risks, analyze complex regulatory and contractual data, and design commercially viable mitigation strategies.High commercial judgment to balance business growth and innovation with institutional risk discipline.Behavioral Attributes & Working StyleSelf-Starter & Execution Focus: Autonomous, proactive, and capable of prioritizing tasks with minimal supervision while meeting rigorous transaction deadlines.Team Collaboration & Adaptability: High emotional intelligence and resilience, operating seamlessly within diverse, multidisciplinary teams across Trading, Risk, Compliance, Finance, and Operations.Change Agent: Agility to thrive in a high-growth, evolving trading environment and champion modern legal risk management standards across diverse jurisdictions.Tools & Systems: Strong proficiency in executive productivity suites (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and legal risk management systems.