Head of Legal

FWD Insurance; Taguig; On-site; PHP 6,000,000 - 12,000,000; Full time

Job summary

FWD Life Philippines seeks a Head of Legal to lead the Legal function as a strategic partner to the business. The role ensures effective management of legal risk and supports growth initiatives across bancassurance, distribution, and regulatory matters.

You will build a high-performing legal team, advise on regulatory engagements with the Insurance Commission, and provide robust legal services for a major financial institution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Law is required.
• 10–15 years total legal experience with strong background in financial institutions.
• Must have direct experience engaging regulators (e.g., Insurance Commission).

Responsibilities

• Lead the Legal function and act as a strategic partner to the business.
• Identify and mitigate legal and regulatory risks proactively.
• Support growth initiatives and strengthen governance across the organization.
• Build and manage a high-performing legal team and external counsel relationships.

Skills

Legal leadership

Regulatory engagement

Risk management

Contract governance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Law

Accounting/Finance background is a plus

Job description

About FWD Group

FWD Group (1828.HK) is a pan-Asian life and health insurance business that serves over 40 million customers across 10 markets, including BRI Life in Indonesia. FWD's customer-led and tech-enabled approach aims to deliver innovative propositions, easy-to-understand products and a simpler insurance experience. Established in 2013, the company operates in some of the fastest-growing insurance markets in the world with a vision of changing the way people feel about insurance. FWD Group is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code 1828. For more information, please visit www.fwd.com

About FWD Life Philippines

FWD Life Insurance Corporation (FWD Life Philippines) launched its commercial operations in September 2014. As of end-2022, FWD Life Philippines ranks 3rd and 6th in terms of Paid-up Capital(1) and New Business Annual Premium Equivalent(2), respectively. For more information, please visit fwd.com.ph. 1 www.insurance.gov.ph > Statistics > Life > 2022 > Based on Paid-Up Capital 2 www.insurance.gov.ph > Statistics > Life > 2022 > Based on New Business Annual Premium Equivalent

Job Purpose

The Head of Legal is responsible for leading the Legal function and acting as a strategic partner to the business. The role ensures effective management of legal risk, supports business growth initiatives, and strengthens governance and regulatory engagement.

Success in this role is defined by:

• Delivering timely, high-quality legal support to the business
• Proactively identifying and mitigating legal and regulatory risks
• Enabling strategic transactions and new business models
• Building a high-performing Legal team and sustainable function

Education & Certification

• At least a Bachelor's degree in Law
• Accounting or Finance background is a plus

Experience

• 10–15 years total legal experience, with strong background in financial institutions
• Must have direct experience engaging regulators (e.g., Insurance Commission)
• Exposure to strategic transactions, bancassurance/distribution, and regulatory matters
• Proven leadership of legal teams and management of external counsel
• Strong background in providing legal services for financial institutions, with at least 10 - 15 years total experience. Handled regulators such as the Insurance Commission.

• Preferred to have at least 5 years experience in a life insurance company's Legal Department or Legal and Compliance Department.

• Experience in: Strategic transactions, Distribution / Bancassurance, and Regulatory crises or investigations

• With proven leadership of legal teams both internal and external counsels and exercising authority over:

• Legal opinions

• Contract thresholds

• External counsel management

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