Principal Company Secretary

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There are two things that we want to share with anyone considering joining us.

Firstly, we’ve got big ambitions for our colleagues and the future of the organisation. These include our vision that inclusion and accessibility drive every conversation we have and every decision we make. We want our workforce to fully represent the communities and customers we serve, because a diverse business is a better business. We value every colleague, their diversity and the contribution that they make. When we say you’re welcome at BT, we really mean it.

**About this role**

This role is accountable for all Corporate Governance & Company Secretary activities covering 54 countries across AMEA and India. This includes: (a) 7 legal entities and one joint venture across India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka; and (b) 83 legal entities and 12 joint ventures across AsiaPac, Middle East and Africa (53 of which have directors employed by BT and 31 entities with nominee directors).

This role would also be a key management position for the business in India and AMEA

**You'll have the following responsibilities**
- set up and head up the Corporate Governance Centre of Excellence for AMEA and India
- be responsible for all governance & board activities of wholly owned & JV companies in the regions
- ensure compliance with local corporate laws and certify legal compliances based on necessary internal corporate assurances
- ensure all local corporate compliances w.r.t. corporate finance requirements, foreign exchange controls, risk management, business licenses, tax and joint venture compliances in coordination with the minority shareholders
- managing any change in the group subsidiary structure throughout both regions, including implementing JV structures, complex corporate transactions affecting BT Group investments
- maintaining business licence and corporate entity databases
- manage the corporate governance & cosec team, currently consisting of 5 individuals
- manage BT’s engagement with external cosec service providers
- manage BT’s engagement with local nominee directors in region
- set strategy for corporate governance & company secretarial support of BT across the region and across all CFU/CU’s operating in the region, looking for opportunities for transformation of the service to ensure that it is delivered in an efficient and cost effective manner
- maintain a close working relationship with and take guidance from the AMEA legal director on all matters relating to corporate governance and cosec in the AMEA region
- ascertain synergies and capabilities to extend services to other Global regions in consultation with concerned Legal Directors.

**You'll have the following skills & experience**

**Skills**:

- **Proven Experience** in working in a fast-paced legal environment. Able to manage competing issues and priorities, working with and through others - maintaining alignment with BT Group strategic direction and aims.
- **Drive & Enthusiasm**:must be self-motivated, capable of working independently with drive and enthusiasm, and being part of and leading a team
- **Business acumen**: knowledgeable in business strategy and the drivers of organisational performance, including people drivers of performance and financial literacy
- **Pragmatic**: the role holder must be pragmatic and solutions driven
- **Strong relationship and stakeholder skills**: track record of developing positive relationships internally and externally. The ability to influence and inspire the confidence of very senior stakeholders.
- **Excellent leadership skills**: the proven ability to inspire people and get the best out of everyone around you, developing people; successful experience of leading and managing through change.
- **Collaboration**: successful experience of working in a collaborative manner across multiple teams, with diverse skills and experience, to deliver at pace and drive change, and encourage learning across BT.
- **Commercial acumen**: An appreciation of the commercial landscape in which BT operates and an ability to focus on what matters most to BT
- **Qualification **must have 10+ years of PQE as a company secretary and preferably a law degree in addition; be qualified as a company secretary preferably across multiple jurisdictions, including India and AMEA;
- **Experience** have ‘expert’ level proficiency in company law and other aligned corporate regulations within the remit of a company secretary’s duties, e.g. forex laws, etc across India and AMEA;
- **Experience** advise on entity trading capabilities in different jurisdictions in the regions and amending them to adjust to business / legal requirements.
- **Experience**: must be able to demonstrate a proven track record of dealing with high value and complex company secretary, governance and legal matters in a fast moving and demanding enviro