Standard Chartered Bank – UAE
Dubai, UAE
The Role
You will be joining a dynamic team that is ambitious to make its mark as a high quality legal team that can make an impact in SC’s growing private banking business. You will be challenged and do interesting and high quality work. We foster a supportive environment and are flexible so that you can do the work you like and have a life outside of work. We have a good sense of humour, respect each other and are open to new and better ideas and ways of doing things. We value differences of opinion whilst collaborating effectively to get things done.
Job Description
• To provide legal advice and transactional support to the Private Banking business in UAE (including DIFC)
• To promote the culture and practice of legal with the letter and spirit of all applicable legal and regulatory requirements and ethical standards in the conduct of the private banking business in UAE (including DIFC), so as to protect and enhance the reputation of the Bank
• To work with the Head of Legal for Private Banking and Wealth Management in ensuring that Standard Chartered Private Bank adheres to all legal and regulatory requirements, and reduce or mitigate legal risk.
Key Roles and Responsibilities
• Review and interpret Private Bank’s Terms and Conditions, Credit Documentation, facility letters and other documents.
• Have a broad grasp of (or be able to quickly grasp) all areas of law affecting the private banking business, including general contractual principles, enforceability of loans, securities regulation, taxation, financial product structuring and regulation, funds, derivatives, cross-border licensing issues and so forth
• Review legal opinions from external counsel and challenge legal conclusions that may not have a commercially sensible outcome, to see if alternative and valid approaches are available
• Improve effectiveness of the legal function by promoting and doing high value legal work and helping to streamline processes such that routine work is embedded into policies and performed by other more appropriate functions within the bank
• Work effectively and closely with other team members to improve the Legal team’s collective legal expertise and knowhow
• Respond quickly, commercially and correctly to queries from the business and personally take charge in ensuring that Legal maintains its reputation as the most valuable business partner
• Stop wrongdoing (potential and actual) whenever and wherever it may occur, and seek to understand the business in order to identify any legal and reputational concerns that may not be initially apparent
• Work closely with Compliance to provide holistic support to the business
• Implement and promote policies designed to minimise risks and ensure effective management of all legal matters in UAE (including DIFC)
• Proactively identify material legal and regulatory risks in the business. Influence stakeholders to improve the management of legal and regulatory risk
• Ensure that external legal engagements are coordinated and effective and provide support for panel arrangements when required
• Conduct training to the business (as required) to ensure understanding of impact to relevant changes in laws
• Support Wealth Management in the development of products and processes. Identify generic reputational, ethical, legal and regulatory risks affecting Wealth Management products and make necessary recommendations for the approval or amendments of such products in order to provide adequate risk controls
• Identify, and implement, applicable laws and regulations
Requirements
• Qualified lawyer with 6 years’ post-qualification experience
• Arabic language skills are essential with proficiency (both spoken and written) in English
• Thorough knowledge of banking and other laws and regulations in UAE (including DIFC), including financial law
• Strong analytical and innovative legal skills
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, especially with business people
• Good commercial judgement enabling the provision of sound advice in difficult areas of law and legal practice – comfortable with or willing to be challenged by situations where laws are ambiguous and their application may not be straightforward
• An inquisitive approach to practices, procedures and specific transactions
• Personal authority, integrity and ethics
• Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines and work effectively with business units
• Must be a team player and yet be able to operate independently and robustly
About the Company
Standard Chartered Bank started in 1958 in UAE with its first branch in Sharjah. The Group\\’s business gradually increased in Dubai with the opening of several branches and today, Dubai is the administrative hub of the Middle East and South Asia Region. In its 43rd year, the Bank enjoys the position of having the most extensive branch network among foreign international banks in UAE with 10 branches emirate-wide.
Standard Chartered is an international bank, focused on the established and emerging markets of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America with an extensive global network of more than 600 offices in over 50 countries. The three principal business groups are Global Markets, Personal Banking and Corporate and Institutional Banking.
In UAE, we are one of the leading banks, offering an extensive range of products and services for personal customers, local companies, multinational corporate and financial institutions.