Position: Head Legal

Function: General Counsel

Location: Hyderabad

Experience: 15+ Years

The Opportunity:

We are seeking a senior legal leader to manage the organisation's legal, governance, compliance and risk agenda across its domestic and international businesses. The position will work closely with the Board and senior leadership, providing strategic and commercially oriented legal counsel across business operations, transactions, regulatory matters and risk.

What You Will Drive:

1. Enterprise Legal & Business Advisory:

- Own the overall legal function and provide strategic counsel to the Board, CEO, CFO and senior leadership.

- Advise on business expansion, investments, partnerships, licensing, restructuring and other strategic initiatives.

- Provide legal guidance across commercial, operational and strategic business decisions.

- Anticipate changes in laws and regulations and assess their impact on the business.

2. Governance, Compliance & Risk:

- Strengthen corporate governance practices across the organisation and its group entities.

- Advise the Board and leadership on governance standards, fiduciary responsibilities and regulatory obligations.

- Oversee compliance frameworks, Code of Conduct and ethics initiatives.

- Provide guidance on anti-bribery and anti-corruption, sanctions, AML, competition law, data privacy and other applicable requirements.

- Identify key legal and regulatory exposures and develop appropriate mitigation measures.

- Support enterprise-level risk assessment and compliance initiatives.

3. Contracts, Commercial Matters & Strategic Deals:

- Lead the drafting, review and negotiation of complex commercial agreements.

- Manage legal aspects of manufacturing, supply, distribution, licensing, technology transfer, procurement and strategic alliance arrangements.

- Provide legal support for domestic and cross-border transactions.

- Lead legal workstreams for acquisitions, divestments, investments, JVs and restructuring initiatives.

- Oversee due diligence, transaction documentation, regulatory approvals and closing requirements.

- Coordinate with external legal, financial and other professional advisors.

4. Regulatory, Disputes & Intellectual Property:

- Provide legal counsel on matters impacting pharmaceutical, healthcare and life sciences businesses.

- Advise on regulatory developments relating to manufacturing, product development, commercialisation and distribution.

- Manage litigation, arbitration, regulatory proceedings and other disputes.

- Develop strategies to minimise legal exposure and oversee external counsel and litigation spend.

- Oversee protection and enforcement of patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and other intellectual property.

- Partner with R&D, innovation and business teams on IP-related matters.

5. Leadership & Strategic Stakeholder Management:

- Lead, mentor and develop a high-performing legal and compliance team.

- Build strong relationships with regulators, external counsel, auditors and other key stakeholders.

- Drive improvements in legal processes, governance systems, knowledge management and legal operations.

- Partner with business leaders to balance legal protection with commercial priorities.

- Support a culture of ethical, responsible and compliant business conduct.

What We Are Looking For:

- LL.B. from a recognised university; LL.M. would be preferred.

- 15+ years of post-qualification legal experience.

- Experience with a listed organisation, multinational, pharmaceutical/life sciences company or reputed law firm.

- Strong exposure to corporate and commercial law, governance, contracts, M&A, compliance, litigation and risk.

- Experience working with Boards, CXOs and senior business stakeholders.

- Exposure to international/cross-border legal matters will be an advantage.

Key Attributes:

- Strong commercial and business orientation.

- Strategic thinking and sound judgement.

- Excellent negotiation and influencing skills.

- Executive presence and stakeholder management capability.

- Strong understanding of corporate and regulatory frameworks.

- Ability to manage complex and sensitive matters independently.

- Leadership capability with a focus on team development.