Director, General Counsel

Leads the legal function for Southeast Asia, reporting to the VP Global, NA, APLA & Converse Marketplace Counsel. It sits on the SEA&I Leadership Team and partners closely with the Office of the General Counsel, the business, and global and regional functions. The role holder builds and leads a legal team based in Singapore to support the evolving SEA marketplace.

• Lead legal strategy and deliver business-aligned legal support across Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, with responsibility for India determined by the successful candidate's experience and final team structure.
• Build, lead, and develop the legal team in Singapore, creating the capabilities and operating model needed to support the evolving SEA marketplace.
• Advise on marketplace strategy and expansion, developing practical paths to enable Nike Direct, Nike.com, third-party marketplaces, and evolving wholesale, distributor, and partner models.
• Lead legal analysis of route-to-market and operating-model structures, including legal entity, licensing, foreign ownership, distributor, merchant-of-record, consignment, and marketplace arrangements.
• Proactively identify and address legal and regulatory barriers to growth, and communicate complex issues with clarity and discipline, providing leadership with clear options, trade-offs, concise recommendations, and a clear point of view.
• Partner across Tax, Customs, Finance, Corporate Governance, Supply Chain, Technology, and Commercial teams to develop marketplace solutions that are legally compliant, operationally viable, and aligned with business priorities.
• Draft, negotiate, and manage complex commercial agreements, including strategic transactions, partner arrangements, dispute resolution, and agreement lifecycle management.
• Support the evolution of Nike's marketplace by ensuring legal strategy keeps pace with changes in consumer channels, digital commerce, fulfilment models, and strategic marketplace partnerships.
• Strengthen and continuously improve the legal operating model through scalable processes, templates, playbooks, technology, and effective use of external resources
• And collaborate with Legal Directors and OGC teammates across APLA and globally to share best practices and manage cross-border and regional issues.
• Where the role includes India leadership, lead and develop the India legal team and provide strategic legal leadership for the India business, working closely with India, territory, and APLA leadership.

• Juris Doctor (JD), Master of Laws (LL.M.), or international equivalent; licensed to practise law in Singapore and/or another relevant jurisdiction.
• Minimum 10+ years of legal experience, including substantial experience in a leading law firm and/or in-house legal department.
• Substantive experience advising on commercial, consumer, digital commerce, sales, distribution, marketing, and marketplace matters across multiple Southeast Asia markets, including experience in several of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
• Demonstrated experience advising on marketplace and route-to-market models, including direct retail, wholesale and distributor models, digital commerce, and third-party marketplaces.
• Experience navigating market-entry and expansion issues, including legal entity structures, business licensing, foreign ownership restrictions, and regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions.
• Demonstrated experience drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements and managing strategic transactions.
• Strong experience partnering across Tax, Customs, Finance, Corporate Governance, Supply Chain, Technology, and Commercial teams to develop and implement legally compliant and commercially viable operating models.
• Excellent communication skills in English, with the ability to provide clear, concise, and business-focused guidance to stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including understanding of key business drivers, revenue models, and margin implications.
• For candidates who will assume leadership responsibility for the India legal team, significant India legal experience and demonstrated experience leading lawyers and/or a legal function are required.
• High-judgment, business-focused legal leader who operates with clarity, ownership, and accountability, and can independently manage complex legal and commercial matters across a diverse set of markets, consistently delivering clear, practical, and business-ready guidance.
• Strong commercial acumen, sound legal judgment, and a disciplined approach to execution, with the ability to proactively identify risks, validate assumptions, and drive solutions without relying on direction for matters within remit.
• Ability to go beyond transactional law and regulatory compliance, bringing a deep understanding of business objectives and anticipating risks in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
• Confidence engaging senior leaders, bringing a clear point of view and communicating with precision, clarity, and impact, and ability to operate effectively across geo and global teams while maintaining strong alignment and accountability.
• Legal rigor, commercial pragmatism, and the ability to deliver concise, actionable guidance across a broad range of legal, regulatory, and business issues impacting SEA&I.

• Experience in a multinational environment.
• Experience spanning all or most of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
• Demonstrated legal leadership and deep India experience, which may lead to leadership responsibility for the India legal team.