Global General Counsel - Growth & Compliance Leader

Rakuten Viber; Greater London; On-site; GBP 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Rakuten Viber in London seeks a seasoned General Counsel to join the executive team and lead global legal, regulatory, privacy, compliance and corporate governance. You will advise the CEO and Board, partner with Product, Engineering and Commercial teams on new products and markets, and manage external counsel to scale risk‑aware growth.

This hands‑on, strategic role requires cross-border experience, high integrity and the ability to navigate complex regulatory environments while enabling

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a General Counsel or senior legal leader in a complex international company.
• 12+ years of legal experience, in-house in global technology or digital business.
• Licensed/qualified lawyer in a relevant jurisdiction.
• Experience advising executives and boards on complex legal/regulatory matters.
• Strong knowledge of tech law, privacy/data protection and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience leading legal teams across multiple countries.
• Experience negotiating complex commercial and strategic agreements.
• Experience with product and technology organizations.
• Experience managing regulatory matters, investigations, disputes and external counsel.
• Excellent governance, risk management and compliance understanding.
• Experience in regulated tech environments is advantageous.
• Experience in both B2B and B2C environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the company's global legal team and define its priorities, structure and operating model.
• Oversee all significant legal matters affecting Rakuten Viber globally.
• Provide strategic guidance on commercial agreements, technology, advertising, partnerships, intellectual property, corporate matters, regulatory matters, employment matters and disputes.
• Oversee complex negotiations and high-value strategic agreements.
• Manage relationships with external counsel and ensure effective and commercially focused use of outside legal resources.
• Develop scalable legal processes, templates, policies and playbooks that enable the business to move quickly while managing risk.
• Partner with Product, Engineering and Technology leadership to provide strategic legal guidance on new products, features, business models and emerging technologies, including AI, advertising, communications, payments and dating.
• Lead Viber’s global privacy, regulatory and compliance agenda, working closely with relevant internal functions and Rakuten Group to ensure compliance with evolving laws and regulatory requirements across our markets.
• Advise senior leadership and the Board on corporate governance, legal and regulatory risk, material corporate matters and significant incidents, ensuring appropriate escalation and reporting to Rakuten Group.

Skills

General Counsel experience

In-house leadership

Regulatory expertise

Corporate governance

Strategic thinking

Cross-border experience

Negotiation

Education

Licensed/qualified lawyer

Job description

Rakuten Viber in London seeks a seasoned General Counsel to join the executive team and lead global legal, regulatory, privacy, compliance and corporate governance. You will advise the CEO and Board, partner with Product, Engineering and Commercial teams on new products and markets, and manage external counsel to scale risk‑aware growth.

This hands‑on, strategic role requires cross-border experience, high integrity and the ability to navigate complex regulatory environments while enabling