Corporate Counsel

ABOUT AIRWALLEX Airwallex is the AI-native financial operating system for a real-time, intelligent economy. More than 675,000 businesses, including McLaren Racing, Qantas, SHEIN, and TikTok, use us, directly or through our platform partners, to run their financial operations or build and monetize financial products of their own. We started in Melbourne in 2015 to build the infrastructure global commerce runs on. We're the regulated backbone behind global payments: not by accident, but by design. A decade plus, 85+ licenses, and a financial infrastructure spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. We're co-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore, with more than 2,700 people across 27 offices. We hire builders with founder-level energy, people who move fast with good judgment, dig in with real curiosity, and make calls from first principles rather than waiting to be told what to do. Read our operating principles https://www.airwallex.com/en-us/operating-principles to see it in full. HOW YOU'LL MAKE IMPACT As Corporate Counsel, you’ll support Airwallex’s growth in the UK by providing practical, business-focused legal advice on corporate, regulatory and commercial matters. You’ll work closely with Corporate Development on strategic transactions such as fundraising and M&A, partner with UK and regional leaders on new-market entry, support licence expansion, and help align Airwallex’s global policies and governance with UK and relevant EMEA requirements. You’ll also advise on marketing, referral and partnership initiatives, helping the business move quickly while managing legal and regulatory risk. - Provide clear, pragmatic advice on UK and relevant EMEA legal and regulatory requirements, helping teams navigate applicable rules while enabling responsible growth. - Support Corporate Development on fundraising rounds and strategic transactions, including due diligence, data rooms, corporate approvals, investment documentation, cap table changes and ongoing governance. - Partner with the business, Regulatory Legal and Regulatory Compliance teams on expansion into and launches in new markets across the UK and EMEA, including regulatory mapping, entity and licensing considerations, and corporate governance requirements. - Align Airwallex’s policies, procedures and corporate governance frameworks across jurisdictions, with particular focus on UK requirements. - Draft, review and negotiate referral agreements, marketing and sponsorship agreements, and other commercial arrangements, ensuring risks are appropriately managed and documented. - Advise on marketing, advertising and promotions, including claims, disclosures, digital campaigns, co-marketing and referral programmes, while supporting the review of customer-facing materials for legal and regulatory compliance. - Coordinate and manage outside counsel on specialised matters in the UK and across EMEA, ensuring advice is high-quality, cost-effective and aligned to Airwallex’s risk appetite and business goals. - Use technology and AI-enabled tools, including templates, playbooks, contract lifecycle tools and knowledge bases, to increase the speed, consistency and quality of legal work. You’ll work from our London office three days a week. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR Essentials - Qualification as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales, or an equivalent qualification in another UK jurisdiction, and in good standing with the relevant professional body. - Proven experience in financial services and corporate law, preferably gained at a fast-growing technology or fintech company and/or a top-tier law firm. - Demonstrated interest in financial services regulation and the fintech industry, with willingness to go deep on payments, e-money, money services and related regulatory topics in the UK and EMEA. - In-depth knowledge of, or strong familiarity with, the UK legal and business environment, including how UK legislation, FCA requirements and cross-border rules impact fintech and payments businesses. - Proven experience drafting and negotiating corporate and commercial agreements, with strong written and verbal communication skills that make complex issues clear to non-lawyers. - Strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Corporate Development, Finance, Product, Compliance, Risk and Marketing, across time zones. - Demonstrated capability in managing and leading outside counsel, including scoping work, controlling costs and consolidating advice into clear recommendations. - Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a practical, business-oriented approach and comfort operating in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. Preferred - Experience supporting fundraising transactions, M&A or strategic investments, including due diligence and deal execution, ideally in a technology or fintech context. - Prior in-house experience in a fintech, payments or broader financial services company, particularly one operating across the UK and multiple EMEA jurisdictions. - Experience advising on legal issues related to marketing, advertising and promotions, including digital marketing, performance marketing, referral programmes and brand partnerships. - Exposure to UK financial services regulatory frameworks, including the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the Payment Services Regulations 2017, the Electronic Money Regulations 2011, FCA rules and guidance, and applicable financial promotions requirements. - Experience partnering with Regulatory Legal, Regulatory Compliance or licensing teams on market expansion initiatives and regulatory change. - Comfort using technology, AI and legal operations tools to increase the speed and quality of legal work, for example playbooks, templates, contract lifecycle tools or knowledge bases. YOU'LL THRIVE HERE IF - You own the outcome and you don't wait for permission to fix what's broken. -