Senior Legal Counsel, FTSE Russell and Risk Intelligence

We are seeking a Senior Legal Counsel to provide legal support to the FTSE Russell and Risk Intelligence divisions. This Cape Town‑based role plays an important role in enabling product innovation, managing legal and regulatory risk, and supporting commercial execution across global markets, focusing on the FTSE Russell business. The role is for a senior legal counsel who operates as a trusted partner for business stakeholders, manages matters end‑to‑end with autonomy, and operates collaboratively within the team. The role requires a wide range of legal skills and capabilities, partnering with the Risk Intelligence and the broader Legal & Compliance team.

The role reports to the Legal Director, FTSE Russell.

Role Responsibilities

Enable delivery of risk management and commercial objectives for FTSE Russell, ensuring alignment with Group strategy and regulatory requirements.

Serve as a trusted advisor to business and other functional stakeholders, identifying legal and regulatory risks and supporting strategic business decisions.

Negotiate and manage important, high-value agreements (including data, software, IP, outsourcing, and M&A), ensuring robust risk assessment and mitigation.

Partner with stakeholders on the implementation of legal aspects of new product development, regulatory change, market expansion, and strategic initiatives, including AI.

Demonstrate the legal team culture of high performance, inclusion, and continuous development.

Collaborate closely with privacy, litigation, compliance, GRRS and risk teams on disputes, advocacy, regulatory matters, and cross-functional projects.

Develop and maintain strong relationships with legal service providers, ensuring efficiency, value and alignment with business objectives.

Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant laws and regulations, and ensure the implementation of effective internal controls, policies, and procedures.

Represent Legal at FTSE Russell governance forums and committees, providing input on risk, compliance, and business transformation.

Contribute to special projects, including group/division/function-wide initiatives, template and playbook development, MLS, regulatory change, and operational improvements in collaboration with the FTSE and Risk Intelligence and broader L&C teams.

Qualifications and Experience Required

Qualified lawyer with meaningful post-qualification experience in commercial, regulatory, and financial services law.

Demonstrated experience as a legal counsel, including managing strategic initiatives.

An understanding of LSEG and the financial markets infrastructure and data industry, with exposure to FTSE Russell, financial indices and benchmarks regulation an advantage.

Ability to steer stakeholders as a trusted advisor across functions and geographies.

An enterprise, commercial and solution-oriented mindset, with outstanding commitment to internal and external customer service.

Strong strategic, organizational, operational, analytical, and decision-making skills, with the ability to simplify complex issues and propose solutions that balance legal considerations.

Shows ability to come up with new ideas and novel approaches to problems.

Ability to work both collaboratively and independently with quality judgement, including when to escalate matters to senior members of the Legal and Compliance team and business.

Effective communication and interpersonal skills and capability to build robust working relationships with key stakeholders across different functions, demonstrating desired behaviors, and supporting pragmatic commercial solutions.

Fluency in English (written and oral) is required.

Career Stage:

Manager

London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) Information:

Join us and be part of a team that values innovation, quality, and continuous improvement. If you're ready to take your career to the next level and make a significant impact, we'd love to hear from you.

LSEG is a leading global financial markets infrastructure and data provider. Our purpose is driving financial stability, empowering economies and enabling customers to create sustainable growth.

Our purpose is the foundation on which our culture is built. Our values of Integrity, Partnership, Excellence and Change underpin our purpose and set the standard for everything we do, every day. They go to the heart of who we are and guide our decision making and everyday actions.

Working with us means that you will be part of a dynamic organisation of 25,000 people across 65 countries. However, we will value your individuality and enable you to bring your true self to work so you can help enrich our diverse workforce.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. This means that we do not discriminate on the basis of anyone’s race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. Conforming with applicable law, we can reasonably accommodate applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as mental health or physical disability needs.

You will be part of a collaborative and creative culture where we encourage new ideas. We are committed to sustainability across our global business and we are proud to partner with our customers to help them meet their sustainability objectives. Our charity, the LSEG Foundation provides charitable grants to community groups that help people access economic opportunities and build a secure future with financial independence. Colleagues can get involved through fundraising and volunteering.

LSEG offers a range of tailored benefits and support, including healthcare, retirement planning, paid volunteering days and wellbeing initiatives.

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