New Development Counsel - Branded Residences

About the role

IHG is looking for a Development Counsel in Singapore to help shape its growth across South East Asia and Korea as the legal partner behind hotel signings, with a strong focus on branded residences. You will advise regional business teams on deal structures and negotiate agreements with owners and developers, from franchised and managed hotels to branded residential projects.

Key responsibilities

• Partner with regional business teams on branded residences, including deal structuring, contractual documentation and owner relationships, alongside hotel signings, renewals and variation negotiations.
• Prepare, review and negotiate hotel management, franchise and related agreements, and advise on operational and compliance issues with owners and internal stakeholders.
• Support transactional activity involving IHG equity, including disposals, acquisitions, leases and joint ventures, working with finance, tax and treasury on optimal deal structures.
• Lead franchise regulatory filings across jurisdictions, including renewals, new market filings and FDD preparation, and act as a regional centre of excellence for franchise compliance.
• Maintain and improve IHG's legal templates, support broader BRR matters such as IP, owner due diligence and procurement, and manage external counsel effectively.

Required profile

• At least 10 years' experience in-house or in a law firm, and Commonwealth qualified.
• Hospitality experience, with hotel management, franchise or branded residential structures strongly preferred.
• Experience handling complex legal issues across multiple jurisdictions, preferably within South East Asia and Korea.
• Commercial acumen to give pragmatic, business-oriented advice.

Required skills

• Excellent negotiation, drafting and transactional skills.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, able to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Comfortable using AI-enabled tools and emerging technologies, and quick to adapt to new systems and digital ways of working.

What we offer

• Hybrid working, with flexible arrangements between office and remote work.
• Room discounts across IHG properties, recharge days and volunteering days.
• A wellbeing programme through the myWellbeing framework.