Legal Director EMEA

We are seeking an experienced and business-oriented EMEA Legal Director to lead legal support across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Based at our global headquarters in Libourne, France, the EMEA Legal Director will manage a team of 7 professionals located in Paris and Libourne, supported by several legal trainees. The role combines strong people leadership with hands-on management of complex strategic matters, including litigation, intellectual property licensing, business development transactions, and high-value commercial negotiations. The successful candidate will act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and business stakeholders while ensuring effective legal risk management and supporting Ceva's growth strategy across the region. Key Responsibilities : Legal Strategy Risk Management - Partner with the Group General Counsel to implement the legal strategy across the EMEA region. - Identify, assess, prioritize, and mitigate legal and compliance risks impacting the business. - Ensure consistent and pragmatic risk management aligned with business objectives. - Support strategic initiatives, acquisitions, partnerships, product launches, and business expansion activities. - Communicate legal risks and recommendations effectively to senior management. Business Partnership - Serve as a trusted legal advisor to regional and global leadership teams. - Provide timely, practical, and commercially focused legal advice across all business functions. - Support key stakeholders in achieving strategic business objectives while maintaining legal and regulatory compliance. - Foster strong relationships with business leaders across multiple countries and cultures. Commercial Transactions Contracting - Lead negotiations and drafting of complex commercial agreements. - Support a broad range of transactions including: Distribution agreements Manufacturing and supply agreements Strategic partnerships R D collaborations Licensing and technology transfer agreements Business development transactions - Provide advice relating to competition law, commercial law, and intellectual property matters. Intellectual Property Licensing - Lead negotiations involving patents, technologies, know-how, trademarks, and other intellectual property rights. - Advise business teams on the protection, exploitation, and enforcement of intellectual property assets. - Develop legal strategies supporting innovation and product development activities. Litigation Dispute Resolution - Directly manage complex litigation and contentious matters across the EMEA region. - Coordinate external counsel and legal budgets where necessary. - Develop dispute resolution strategies aligned with business objectives. - Anticipate and mitigate potential legal disputes before escalation. Legal Expertise Continuous Improvement - Maintain expert knowledge of relevant legal developments and regulatory trends. - Promote legal best practices and knowledge sharing within the legal team. - Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the Legal Department. - Contribute to the ongoing digital transformation of legal operations, including Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) systems and Artificial Intelligence solutions. Leadership Team Management - Lead, coach, and develop a team of legal professionals across multiple locations. - Foster a high-performance and collaborative team culture. - Support professional development and succession planning. - Allocate work and resources effectively to ensure high-quality legal support. - Promote engagement, inclusion, and knowledge sharing within the team. Legal Culture Governance - Encourage a culture of integrity, compliance, and ethical decision-making. - Partner with internal stakeholders to enhance legal awareness across the organization. - Support implementation of legal processes, policies, and governance frameworks. - Promote efficiency, consistency, and innovation within legal operations.