Head of Legal

ADVANCE.AI; Singapore; On-site; SGD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading AI company in Singapore seeks a Head of Legal to oversee its legal function across Southeast Asia. You will provide strategic legal guidance, manage a multicultural team, and ensure regulatory compliance across jurisdictions. The ideal candidate has at least 10 years’ PQE in in-house and private practice, with a preference for experience in fintech, corporate, and data law. This role demands strong leadership, negotiation skills, and the capacity to work in a fast-paced, innovative environment.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing legal teams in a multi-jurisdictional context.
• Strong background in corporate, technology, and data/privacy law.
• Ability to work closely with cross-functional teams and navigate complex business operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the legal function across Southeast Asia.
• Advise on licensing, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify legal risks and implement solutions.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Strategic thinking

Excellent communication

Negotiation skills

Leadership skills

Education

Minimum 10 years PQE

Job description

ADVANCE.AI is a leading AI company that provides digital transformation, fraud prevention, and process automation solutions for enterprise clients. A leader in Artificial Intelligence, risk management and digital lending solutions, it currently partners over 700 enterprise clients across banking, financial services, fintech, payment, retail and e-commerce sectors. ADVANCE.AI has a global footprint across 11 markets in 3 continents. ADVANCE.AI is a leading AI company that provides digital transformation, fraud prevention, and process automation solutions for enterprise clients. A leader in Artificial Intelligence, risk management and has a global footprint with operations across ASEAN and wider APAC and Latin America it currently partners over 700 enterprise clients across banking, financial services, fintech, payment, retail and e-commerce sectors. ADVANCE.AI has a global footprint across 12 markets in 3 continents.

ADVANCE.AI is part of Advance Intelligence Group, a Series D-backed Tech Unicorn valued at US$2 billion, and also one of the largest independent technology startups based in Singapore. Founded in 2016, the Group has presence across South and Southeast Asia, Latin America and Greater China. The Group is backed by top tier investors SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Warburg Pincus, Northstar, Vision Plus Capital, Gaorong Capital, Pavilion Capital, GSR Ventures and Singapore-based global investor EDBI.

Ranked as the No.1 Top Startup in Singapore in 2021, we are partners with 700+ enterprise clients across Southeast Asia, South Asia and Mexico in sectors such as banking, financial services, fintech, payment, retail and e-commerce.

Our Culture

Our culture is built on values that are core to who we are and what we stand for:

• We foster an INNOVATION mindset
• We achieve results with EFFICIENCY and excellence
• We take pride in the QUALITY of our work
• We uphold INTEGRITY in all we do
• We embrace COLLABORATION to work across business lines and borders

About The Role

The Head of Legal will lead and oversee Advance AI's legal function across Southeast Asia, managing a multicultural team and providing strategic legal guidance across the business. You will support commercial, regulatory, product, data/privacy, and corporate initiatives, ensuring compliance and risk mitigation across multiple jurisdictions. This is a senior leadership role with both operational and strategic responsibilities.

You Will

• Advise the leadership team on licensing, regulatory compliance, corporate governance, and shareholder/investor matters.
• Provide legal guidance on product, AI, data, and technology initiatives from PRD/BRD stage to launch, ensuring compliance and risk mitigation.
• Support M&A initiatives, including due diligence, drafting and negotiation of documents, and preparing board summaries.
• Advise on IP matters, including transfers, licensing, and asset structuring.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, BD, Data Science) to identify legal risks and implement practical solutions.
• Anticipate emerging legal and regulatory risks, advise on strategic initiatives, and strengthen compliance processes (AML, sanctions, data governance)
• Lead and develop a multicultural regional legal team across SEA, fostering a proactive, commercially-minded legal culture.

What You Need To Succeed

• Minimum 10 years PQE in a mix of in-house and private practice; TMT, fintech, and financial services experience will be preferred.
• Proven experience managing legal teams in a multi-jurisdictional context.
• Strong background in corporate, technology, and data/privacy law.
• Ability to work closely with cross-functional teams and navigate complex business operations.
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and business acumen.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership skills.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, start-up environment with a hands-on, solution-oriented approach.