Head of Legal & Compliance Switzerland — Michael Page

Full description

About Our Client Our client is an international well-known asset manager based in Zurich.

Job Description Regulatory & Compliance Leadership

• Serve as the designated Head of Compliance under Swiss financial market regulations and maintain accountability for the Swiss compliance framework.
• Act as the primary contact for FINMA, regulatory auditors, and internal audit on all supervisory matters, regulatory reviews, filings, and remediation activities.
• Oversee the implementation, maintenance, and continuous enhancement of the Compliance Management Framework, including risk assessments, policies, monitoring, training, and reporting.
• Act as Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) and lead the management of compliance incidents, investigations, and integrity-related matters.
• Monitor and assess regulatory developments and ensure timely implementation of relevant Swiss regulatory requirements.

Business Partnership & Stakeholder Management

• Act as a strategic partner to the business, balancing commercial objectives with regulatory and conduct risk considerations.
• Lead, develop, and inspire a high performing Legal & Compliance team of 4 headcounts
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and professional development.
• Support strategic initiatives, new business developments, and organizational change from a legal and compliance perspective.

Legal Advisory & Governance

• Serve as the principal legal advisor to Swiss business activities, providing pragmatic and commercially focused legal guidance.
• Review, negotiate, and advise on a broad range of commercial, regulatory, corporate, and financial services agreements, including investment management, outsourcing, distribution, licensing, vendor, and intra-group arrangements.
• Ensure global legal documentation, policies, and frameworks are adapted and compliant with Swiss legal and regulatory requirements.

Advise senior management, governance committees, and the Board on legal, regulatory, governance, and risk-related matters.

The Successful Applicant

• Swiss law degree or equivalent
• 8-15 years of experience in legal and/or compliance roles within asset management industry in Switzerland
• Proven stakeholder management skills, advantage to have leadership experience
• Deep knowledge of Swiss financial market regulation, including FinSA, FinIA, CISA, AMLA, and FINMA regulatory requirements.
• Strong understanding of European financial services regulation, including MiFID, UCITS and related frameworks.
• Experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex commercial and financial services agreements.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence senior executives and Boards.
• Strong judgment, integrity, and ability to operate independently in a complex, international environment.
• Interest in technology enabled ways of working, including AI and process optimization initiatives
• Fluent in English and German.

What's on Offer

• A highly visible leadership role with direct exposure to FINMA, senior management, and the Board.
• The opportunity to shape the Swiss Legal & Compliance strategy within a leading international asset manager.
• A collaborative, global environment with strong influence on governance, risk management, and business decisions.