Legal Counsel - Africa & Middle East

Job description

Legal Counsel - Africa & Middle East - - - - - - - - - - - - We are seeking a highly competent, commercially astute, and motivated Legal Counsel to join our dynamic egal team, supporting the Africa and Middle East region within the AIM (Africa, India, Middle East and Sri Lanka) Region of the Michelin Group. The ideal candidate will have 10–12 years of post-qualification experience, with strong expertise in commercial and corporate law, agency and distributorship arrangements, joint ventures, mediation and dispute resolution, corporate governance, and legal operations. The Legal Counsel for the Africa and Middle East region will be responsible for ensuring the Group's legal, governance, and ethical compliance across its entities, including joint ventures and recently acquired businesses, within the designated geographical perimeter. The role involves providing pragmatic and commercially focused legal advice, identifying and mitigating legal risks, supporting strategic business initiatives, and partnering with internal stakeholders across a broad range of legal and operational matters. The incumbent will also help ensure that business activities are conducted in compliance with applicable local laws and regulations, while remaining aligned with Michelin's global legal, ethics, and compliance framework. Main Missions: 1. Legal Advisory and Regulatory Compliance- Monitor and interpret applicable laws and regulations across the region (notably UAE, KSA & other GCC countries, Morocco, South Africa, Nigeria) and advise the Business. Provide timely, accurate, and business-oriented legal advice to all internal stakeholders across various domains of law including commercial law, antitrust, consumer protection, privacy, labor, business ethics, and all other regulatory matters. Anticipate legal risks and propose practical and strategic mitigation measures that safeguard the company’s interests while enabling business ambitions. Serve as the first point of contact for legal consultations across the region and ensure legal risks are properly managed. Support business negotiations with third parties, administrations, and partners, ensuring legal robustness in all agreements. 2. Contract Management and Negotiations- Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial contracts including franchise, distribution, supply, partnership, licensing, and marketing agreements. Serve as the primary legal point of contact for the Lifestyle business line and provide focused support to the Mining business line. Ensure alignment of regional contracts with Group templates (including those of the business lines), internal policies, and local legal frameworks. Ensure effective implementation and continuous use of the Contract Lifecycle Management tool in the region. 3. Ethics and Compliance Programs- Ensure implementation and enforcement of Group compliance programs in the region, including without limitation those pertaining to anti-corruption, antitrust, privacy, and export control. Serve as the primary point of contact for third-party payment processes. 4. Labor Law and HR Support- Advise HR teams on labor law issues, including disciplinary processes, employment contract compliance, non-compete enforcement, and local labor regulation updates. Review and support the drafting and updating of HR policies (e.g. attendance policies, internal regulations) to ensure legal soundness and applicability. 5. Export Control Compliance- Act as liaison between business teams and the export control department. Ensure that all transactions, clients, and contracts comply with export control regulations. Negotiate and manage export control clauses in contracts and provide support in sensitive case requiring legal advice. 6. Litigation Management- Supervise litigation matters in the region in collaboration with external counsel. Manage selected cases efficiently, ensuring efficient handling and proper alignment with company strategy and risk tolerance. 7. Internal Training and Knowledge Sharing- Train internal teams on compliance and relevant legal topics (antitrust, privacy, marketing and communications, anticorruption, etc.) Translate complex legal concepts into accessible and practical guidance to build legal literacy within the business. 8. Company Secretarial and Corporate Governance Support entities across the Africa and Middle East region in relation to corporate governance, board and committee processes, and company secretarial compliance requirements, as required. Assist in ensuring compliance with applicable corporate governance standards, statutory obligations, and internal Group governance policies. 9. Miscellaneous Support the Group Intellectual Property team on intellectual property matters affecting the Africa and Middle East region, as required. Lead and support ethics investigations across the Africa and Middle East entities, as required, ensuring adherence to the Group's ethics, compliance, and investigation protocols. Undertake such other legal, compliance, governance, or strategic projects and responsibilities as may be assigned from time to time. Support public affairs activities, including monitoring regulatory developments relevant to the business and coordinating engagement with public authorities and industry stakeholders, if required. Key Expected Achievements- Regional Compliance: Ensure legal and regulatory compliance of all entities and operations in the Africa and Middle East region. Effective Legal Risk Mitigation: Proactively identify, assess, and manage legal risks across all functions and business lines. Strategic Legal Partner: Provide pragmatic, business-friendly legal advice that enables growth while protecting the company’s interests. Contractual Excellence: Secure favorable outcomes in negotiations and ensure the legal integrity of commercial agreements. Compliance Program Implementation: Successfully roll out and maintain Group compliance programs (e.g. anti-corruption, antitrust, privacy, export control) within the perimeter. Ethical Governance: Actively contribute to a strong culture of ethics and compliance by supporting governance structures such as the Ethics Committee. Labor Law Support: Ensure HR processes (i.e. disciplinary processes) and documentation (i.e. internal regulations) are legally compliant. Litigation Oversight: Ensure litigation cases are efficiently and properly managed, minimizing exposure and aligning with company objectives. Internal Capability Building: Improve internal understanding of legal and compliance obligations through training, clear communication, and practical advice. Autonomous Delivery with Strategic Reporting: Deliver responsibilities independently while keeping the General Counsel informed on high-priority topics. Qualifications- A bachelor’s degree in law from a reputed law school or university. A master’s degree in law is preferred but not mandatory. 10-12 years of relevant experience in legal roles. Demonstrated experience in a similar role within a corporate legal department, with a strong understanding of commercial and corporate/legal affairs