Global General Counsel

AXA XL; City Of London; Remote; GBP 283,000 - 341,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global insurance firm is seeking a Global General Counsel to oversee legal and compliance functions. The role involves providing strategic legal counsel to senior management, ensuring compliance with regulations, and leading a global team of 250 legal and compliance professionals. The successful candidate will possess extensive experience in legal practice, preferably in the insurance sector, along with strong analytical and leadership skills. This position offers a competitive salary and a dynamic work environment focused on innovation and compliance.

Benefits

Competitive compensation

Flexible working arrangements

Health and wellness programs

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in a legal and/or compliance role, preferably within the insurance industry.
• Ability to leverage technology to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
• Fluent in English with strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee legal affairs and corporate governance of AXA XL.
• Provide comprehensive legal advice to senior management.
• Ensure compliance with laws and regulations across all operations.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Analytical skills

Negotiation skills

Leadership

Cross-cultural communication

Education

Law degree from an accredited law school

Job description

AXA XL is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Global General Counsel

Target Locations: USA (New York, Stamford, Hartford) preferred, or UK. Extensive travel required.

AXA XL is a leading global commercial P&C and specialty lines insurer dedicated to delivering innovative insurance solutions and risk prevention services to our clients. As we navigate a rapidly evolving industry landscape, we are seeking a visionary General Counsel (GC) who will lead our legal and compliance departments into the future, leveraging technology and artificial intelligence to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

The GC will oversee the legal and compliance functions of the company, ensuring adherence to all applicable laws and regulations while fostering a culture of integrity and ethical behavior. In this role, the GC provide strategic legal counsel to senior management across the AXA XL Division, ensure effective legal and compliance support to enable strategic and business priorities, anticipate emerging legal and compliance issues, and will be responsible for the corporate governance of the AXA XL legal entities. The GC will have oversight of the Global Chief Compliance Officer of the division who fulfils the Solvency II key function and will be ultimately responsible for all regulatory relationships and ensuring that all compliance obligations are met.

The GC will also be responsible for transforming the legal and compliance departments by integrating technology solutions and AI tools to drive efficiency and fostering an innovative, learning-focused team environment that embraces technology and adapts to changing market conditions.

The GC will oversee a global team of approximately 250 legal and compliance professionals and will report to the Chief Administrative Officer and Global Head of Claims with a dual reporting line to the AXA Group General Counsel for legal matters, joining their respective global leadership teams and responsible for working closely with the AXA Group central functions to ensure consistency and sharing of best practices.

What you’ll be doing

What will your essential responsibilities include?

1. Legal

• Responsible for the day-to-day legal affairs and corporate governance of the AXA XL Division and its legal entities and branches
• Ensure appropriate and proactive legal assessment legal risks and develop practical, commercial solutions in all business and functional areas of AXA XL
• Provide comprehensive legal advice and strategic guidance to senior management and keep the AXA Group General Counsel proactively updated on all key legal issues
• Ensure coordination with compliance teams across the globe on all issues as appropriate
• Manage all external legal counsel relationships, with a focus on efficiency
• Lead, mentor and develop and high-performing team of legal professionals, promoting inclusion, continuous learning and professional growth
• Ensure escalation of all material matters to the Group GC and proactively contribute to the Group Legal Leadership Team
• Work collaboratively with other General Counsels across the AXA Group to ensure consistency and develop talent across the AXA global legal family and build a legal department fit for the future
• Promote and ensure a positive culture of legal, compliance and ethics within AXA XL
• Foster robust relationships with industry associations, industry peers, external legal counsel, and General Counsels in other AXA entities

1. Compliance

• Oversight of the Global Chief Compliance Officer whose responsibilities include:
• Maintain a robust compliance program across all the AXA XL division and its legal entities and branches that aligns with AXA Group requirements and industry best practices, including Financial Crime, Data Privacy
• Monitor regulatory changes, assess their impact on the company’s operations and ensure prompt adjustments to operational processes and practices
• Ensure coordination with legal teams across the globe on all issues as appropriate
• Create and maintain a culture of compliance across the AXA XL division through training programs and awareness initiatives for all colleagues
• Provide regular updates to the XLB Board regarding compliance matters, information on AXA XL compliance program, regulatory developments, and matters specifically requested by the Board and/or the Audit Committee
• Lead, mentor and develop and high-performing team of Compliance professionals, promoting inclusion, continuous learning and professional growth
• Work collaboratively with the AXA Group Chief Compliance Officer to develop talent across the AXA global compliance family and build a compliance department fit for the future
• Foster robust relationships with regulators, industry peers, and Chief Compliance Officers in other AXA entities

What you’ll bring

We’re looking for someone who has these abilities and skills:

• Law degree from an accredited law school and bar admission (US) or other necessary licenses to practice law
• Extensive experience in a legal and/or compliance role, preferably within the insurance industry
• Experience working in an international environment with cross-cultural communications skills and a high level of comfort in a variety of cultural settings
• Ability to think strategically and provide sound, practical, and commercial advice, coupled with scrupulous adherence to legal and ethical requirements
• Excellent analytical, negotiation, communication and leadership skills
• Demonstrated flexibility, adaptability, capacity for growth and for reorientation
• All round corporate lawyer with knowledge and experience in insurance law (preferred), litigation, contract law, civil law, in various countries, including but not limited to, the US, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, APAC.
• Demonstrated ability to leverage technology to increase efficiency and effectiveness
• Fluent in English

What we offer

Inclusion

AXA XL is committed to equal employment opportunity and will consider applicants regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity and origins, marital status, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic. At AXA XL, we know that an inclusive culture enables business growth and is critical to our success. That’s why we have made a strategic commitment to attract, develop, advance and retain the most inclusive workforce possible, and create a culture where everyone can bring their full selves to work and reach their highest potential. It’s about helping one another — and our business — to move forward and succeed.

• Five Business Resource Groups focused on gender, LGBTQ+, ethnicity and origins, disability and inclusion with 20 Chapters around the globe.
• Robust support for Flexible Working Arrangements
• Enhanced family-friendly leave benefits
• Named to the Diversity Best Practices Index
• Signatory to the UK Women in Finance Charter

Learn more at axaxl.com/about-us/inclusion-and-diversity. AXA XL is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Total Rewards

AXA XL’s Reward program is designed to take care of what matters most to you, covering the full picture of your health, wellbeing, lifestyle and financial security. It provides competitive compensation and personalized, inclusive benefits that evolve as you do.

We’re committed to rewarding your contribution for the long term, so you can be your best self today and look forward to the future with confidence.

Sustainability

At AXA XL, Sustainability is integral to our business strategy. In an ever-changing world, AXA XL protects what matters most for our clients and communities. We know that sustainability is at the root of a more resilient future. Our 2023-26 Sustainability strategy, called “Roots of resilience”, focuses on protecting natural ecosystems, addressing climate change, and embedding sustainable practices across our operations.

Our Pillars:

• Valuing nature: How we impact nature affects how nature impacts us. Resilient ecosystems - the foundation of a sustainable planet and society – are essential to our future. We’re committed to protecting and restoring nature – from mangrove forests to the bees in our backyard – by increasing biodiversity awareness and inspiring clients and colleagues to put nature at the heart of their plans.
• Addressing climate change: The effects of a changing climate are far-reaching and significant. Unpredictable weather, increasing temperatures, and rising sea levels cause both social inequalities and environmental disruption. We're building a net zero strategy, developing insurance products and services, and mobilizing to advance thought leadership and investment in societal-led solutions.
• Integrating ESG: All companies have a role to play in building a more resilient future. Incorporating ESG considerations into our internal processes and practices builds resilience from the roots of our business. We’re training our colleagues, engaging our external partners, and evolving our sustainability governance and reporting.
• AXA Hearts in Action: We have established volunteering and charitable giving programs to help colleagues support causes that matter most to them, known as AXA XL’s “Hearts in Action” programs. These include our Matching Gifts program, Volunteering Leave, and our annual volunteering day – the Global Day of Giving.

For more information, please see axaxl.com/sustainability.

The U.S. base salary range for this position is $375,000 to $450,000 USD.

AXA XL is a global Company. The salary range noted above is applicable only for US applicants. Actual pay will be determined based upon the individual’s skills, experience and location. We strive for market alignment and internal equity with our colleagues’ pay.

At AXA XL, we know how important physical, mental, and financial health are to our employees, which is why we are proud to offer benefits such as a competitive retirement savings plan, health and wellness programs, and many other benefits. We also believe in fostering our colleagues' development and offer a wide range of learning opportunities for colleagues to hone their professional skills and to position themselves for the next step of their careers.

Who we are

AXA XL, the P&C and specialty risk division of AXA, is known for solving complex risks. For mid-sized companies, multinationals and even some inspirational individuals we don’t just provide re/insurance, we reinvent it.

How? By combining a comprehensive and efficient capital platform, data-driven insights, leading technology, and the best talent in an agile and inclusive workspace, empowered to deliver top client service across all our lines of business – property, casualty, professional, financial lines and specialty.

With an innovative and flexible approach to risk solutions, we partner with those who move the world forward.

Learn more at axaxl.com