Head of Legal
Job type:Permanent
Town/City:Frankfurt
Region:Hessen
Sector:Legal & Compliance, Legal
Client Company Type:In-House
Job ref:9265
Post Date:May 5, 2026
Meet Our Recruiter
George Higgins
Principal Consultant - Legal
About the Role
Global Head of Legal (International) | E-Commerce / Retail
Location: Frankfurt
Our client is seeking an exceptional legal leader to serve as their Global Head of Legal (International), a high-trust, high-autonomy position reporting directly to the CEO and CFO, with full international remit across all markets outside Asia. This is not a support function role. You will operate as the brand's chief legal architect internationally, leading one direct report and acting as a genuine strategic partner at the highest level of the business.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and define the international legal strategy across all markets outside Asia.
- Oversee commercial legal matters including franchise, wholesale, distribution, and retail expansion.
- Support omnichannel business models and advise on new market entry strategies.
- Drive intellectual property protection and anti-counterfeiting initiatives globally.
- Ensure compliance with data protection regulations (e.g. GDPR) and consumer law requirements.
- Take ownership of ESG and supply chain compliance, including relevant EU regulatory frameworks.
- Act as the key legal interface between international and Asian business units.
- Provide strategic legal advice to executive leadership and senior stakeholders.
- Lead and develop a lean international legal function.
Your Profile:
- Fully qualified lawyer (German Volljurist) or equivalent international qualification.
- Extensive post-qualification experience, including significant time in senior legal leadership roles.
- Strong background in international commercial law within retail, consumer, or lifestyle sectors.
- Proven experience working across both Civil Law and Common Law jurisdictions.
- Ability to translate complex legal frameworks into pragmatic, business-oriented solutions.
- Strong stakeholder management skills with executive-level presence.
- Fluent German and English; familiarity with Asian markets or business culture is advantageous.
What’s on Offer?
- A high-impact leadership role with direct access to executive management.
- Opportunity to shape global legal strategy in a premium, international brand environment.
- Broad scope across commercial, regulatory, and strategic legal matters.