Legal & Compliance Director, Region APAC

Are you an experienced legal professional with a passion for navigating complex legal landscapes? Do you thrive in a leadership role where you can shape strategy, ensure compliance, and drive impactful decisions? If so, we invite you to join Novo Nordisk as our new Legal Director for the APAC region. Read on and apply today for a life-changing career! 

Shape the future of obesity care across Asia Pacific, where strategic legal and compliance leadership meets transformative healthcare impact.

Your new role

The Legal & Compliance Director oversees legal strategy, compliance, and risk management to ensure alignment with Novo Nordisk’s business objectives and regulatory requirements. This role serves as the company’s primary legal representative in negotiations, litigation, and corporate governance matters across the APAC region. The Legal Director collaborates with senior leadership and external stakeholders to develop policies, exercise independent judgment on complex legal issues, and represent the Legal, Compliance & Audit department.  

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Developing and implementing legal and compliance strategies across BASEA, ensuring alignment with business objectives and regulatory frameworks
• Overseeing legal counselling, compliance monitoring, and audit readiness operations across multiple sub-functions
• Leading and dotted line managing a team of legal and compliance experts, fostering a high-performing culture aligned with Novo Nordisk values
• Serving as obesity subject matter expert, driving LEC priorities across APAC and BASEA, including online partnerships and KOIs/DOLs strategies
• Collaborating with Medical, Marketing, Regulatory teams at regional, IO level, and affiliate levels to implement obesity strategies with a bold, Play to Win mindset
• Ensuring adherence to company-wide policies and regulatory requirements, including regular compliance checks across affiliates in collaboration with the APAC Compliance Director
• Driving strategies for co-promotion partnerships, including partners for second brands, to maximize market impact

Your new department

You will be part of the Legal, Compliance & Audit team at Novo Nordisk APAC. Based in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, this department ensures that our organisation operates ethically and in compliance with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements. From corporate governance to business litigation, intellectual property, and compliance, we provide strategic legal counsel across the full value chain. Our team is committed to safeguarding Novo Nordisk’s interests while supporting its mission to improve the lives of patients worldwide. The role will report directly to the Vice President of Legal, Ethics, Compliance & Quality (LECQ) APAC. 

Your skills & qualifications

We're looking for an experienced legal and compliance leader who thrives in complex, high-growth environments and brings both strategic vision and operational excellence. You'll bring with you:

• Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) is required; advanced legal qualifications (e.g., LLM or equivalent) strongly preferred. Admission to the bar or equivalent legal accreditation is essential.
• Minimum 10 years of legal experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven expertise in corporate law, compliance, and regulatory matters within the pharmaceutical or life sciences industry.
• Proven track record of managing cross-functional teams and delivering strategic business impact in regional or multi-country environments
• Strong understanding of the pharmaceutical value chain, with particular expertise in obesity therapeutic areas and their unique regulatory considerations; Demonstrated ability in strategic leadership, change management, and stakeholder engagement across diverse cultural contexts
• Exceptional regulatory acumen combined with ethical decision-making capabilities and risk assessment expertise; Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to balance compliance requirements with business enablement; Excellent communication and influence skills, with fluency in English (additional Asian languages would be advantageous); Experience driving bold, Play to Win strategies while maintaining the highest compliance standards

Working at Novo Nordisk

Every day we seek the solutions that defeat serious chronic diseases. To do this, we approach our work with determination, constant curiosity and a commitment to finding better ways forward. For over 100 years, this dedication has driven us to build a company focused on lasting change for long-term health. In APAC, you'll be part of our fastest-growing region, where innovation meets opportunity and where your expertise will help shape how we bring transformative obesity treatments to millions. This is a place where diverse thinking, shared purpose and mutual respect come together to create extraordinary results. When you join us, you're not just starting a job – you're becoming part of a story that spans generations.

Contact
Upload your CV to our online career page (click on Apply and follow the instructions).

Internal candidates are requested to inform their line manager when applying. 

Deadline
Until the completion of recruitment. Applications will be screened on an ongoing basis, so you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk, we're not chasing quick fixes – we're creating lasting change for long-term health. For over 100 years, we've been driven by a single purpose: to defeat serious chronic diseases and help millions of people live healthier lives. This dedication fuels our constant curiosity and inspires us to push the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. We embrace diverse perspectives, seek out bold ideas, and build partnerships rooted in shared purpose. Together, we're making healthcare more accessible, treating and preventing diseases, and pioneering solutions that create change spanning generations. When you join us, you become part of something bigger – a legacy of impact that reaches far beyond today.