Head of Legal & Compliance

Location Zurich
Discipline: Governance, Risk, & Compliance
Job type: Permanent
Contact name: Georgia Leatherland

Contact email: georgia.leatherland@venturesearch.com
Job ref: 4004
Published: 22 days ago

Head of Legal & Compliance

Zurich, Switzerland

A highly regarded and discreet multi-family office based in Zurich is seeking an experienced Head of Legal & Compliance to lead its legal, regulatory, and governance framework. This is a senior leadership position offering broad exposure across wealth management, regulatory affairs, risk management, and strategic business initiatives.

The successful candidate will play a critical role in ensuring the organisation maintains the highest standards of compliance, governance, and legal oversight while supporting the firm's continued growth and evolution.

Key Responsibilities

Legal & Regulatory Oversight

  • Lead all legal and regulatory matters across the business, ensuring compliance with applicable Swiss financial market regulations and industry standards.

  • Provide practical legal advice to senior management on corporate, contractual, regulatory, and governance matters.

  • Monitor regulatory developments and assess their impact on the organisation, implementing necessary changes to policies and procedures.

  • Oversee the review, negotiation, and management of commercial agreements, client documentation, and third-party service provider contracts.

  • Manage relationships with external legal counsel and specialist advisors.

Compliance & Risk Management

  • Serve as the designated lead for compliance activities, maintaining a robust compliance framework aligned with regulatory expectations.

  • Develop and enhance compliance policies, procedures, and internal controls.

  • Conduct periodic compliance and risk assessments, identifying areas for improvement and implementing mitigating measures.

  • Oversee AML/KYC frameworks, client onboarding controls, transaction monitoring, and regulatory reporting obligations.

  • Lead investigations into compliance incidents, breaches, or regulatory concerns and coordinate remediation efforts.

Governance & Regulatory Relations

  • Act as the primary point of contact for regulatory authorities, including FINMA, as well as external auditors and compliance consultants.

  • Support Board and Executive Committee governance processes, including preparation of regulatory and governance materials.

  • Ensure effective implementation and maintenance of governance frameworks, delegations of authority, and decision-making processes.

  • Prepare and deliver compliance reporting to senior management and relevant governance bodies.

Strategic & Business Support

  • Partner with senior leadership on strategic projects, organisational change initiatives, and business transformation programmes.

  • Support corporate restructuring, integration activities, and operational enhancements where required.

  • Provide regulatory and legal guidance on new products, services, jurisdictions, and business opportunities.

  • Contribute to the development of a strong compliance culture across the organisation through training and awareness programmes.

Leadership

  • Lead and develop the Legal & Compliance function, fostering a proactive and business-oriented approach.

  • Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders across the organisation.

  • Promote best practices in governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance.

Candidate Profile

  • Significant experience within Legal & Compliance functions in Swiss wealth management, private banking, external asset management (EAM), or multi-family office environments.

  • Strong knowledge of Swiss financial market regulation, governance frameworks, AML requirements, and regulatory expectations.

  • Proven experience interacting with FINMA, auditors, and regulatory stakeholders.

  • Ability to operate effectively within a lean, entrepreneurial organisation and balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.

  • Strong commercial judgement and pragmatic problem-solving skills.

  • Excellent stakeholder management and communication abilities.

  • Fluent English is essential; German and/or Italian would be advantageous.

  • Autonomous, proactive, and comfortable operating in a dynamic environment undergoing continued development and growth.

Opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced legal and compliance professional to take ownership of a broad and influential mandate within a respected private wealth environment. The role offers significant exposure to senior decision-makers, strategic initiatives, and the opportunity to shape the future governance and regulatory framework of the organisation.