Counsel, JAPAC Investigations and Enforcement Leader

At IBM Legal, Regulatory Affairs & General Counsel, we provide the guidance and oversight that enable IBM to innovate responsibly and operate with integrity. Our teams manage complex legal, regulatory, and compliance matters across the globe. Ensuring trust with clients, partners, and communities. Working in Legal and Regulatory Affairs means tackling diverse challenges, from intellectual property and data privacy to corporate governance and ethical business practices. You’ll collaborate with colleagues worldwide to protect IBM’s interests while supporting growth and innovation. With continuous learning, global exposure, and opportunities to shape the future of technology through law and policy, IBM offers a unique environment to build your career while making a meaningful impact.

The Global Investigations Team is responsible for handling investigations of matters that present significant legal, financial, and reputational risks to the company. You will be a part of the organization that conducts such internal investigations in all jurisdictions where IBM maintains business operations – leading the team that focuses on Asia Pacific and Japan (JAPAC). Your role will sit within IBM’s Legal & Regulatory Affairs department and ultimately report to Corporate Headquarters.

As the regional leader for JAPAC on the Global Investigations team, you will work on and oversee cross-border matters involving allegations of, among other things, violations of criminal and civil regulatory statutes and violations of IBM’s Business Conduct Guidelines, with a focus on JAPAC.

You will also manage enforcement matters in JAPAC working closely with IBM’s Litigation team.

In the course of your work, you will manage the JAPAC Investigations team, consisting of other directing attorneys and investigators, and collaborate closely with other IBM stakeholders, including Litigation, HR, Internal Audit, and IBM business units. You will also have primary responsibility for engaging with and managing outside counsel, where needed, and for engaging with external parties such as regulatory bodies and law enforcement.

The Investigations organization, under the leadership of the VP & AGC, Global Investigations, has overall responsibility for conducting the investigations, the content of final reports and alignment on disciplinary actions, process recommendations and other actions. As such, you will also be responsible for regular reporting on developments in investigations to Compliance and Investigations management and the General Counsel as well as to the company’s senior management and the Audit Committee of the Board.

This leadership role requires a candidate with significant investigations and enforcement experience as well as prior managerial experience, preferably with respect to cross-border matters.

You must be a licensed attorney with significant experience in white-collar criminal defense, internal investigations, and regulatory enforcement, whether from similar in-house positions, outside counsel positions and/or government service.

You must demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, and an ability to effectively engage with individuals at all levels of seniority. Experience designing complex investigation plans; collecting, organizing, and reviewing large volumes of data; using data review platforms; conducting interviews; drafting reports; and presenting findings. Must be collaborative, collegial and possess critical thinking skills. Flexibility and facility with respect to collaborating with employees across geographies and cultures. Substantive knowledge of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar laws in the JAPAC region as well as accounting fraud are strongly preferred. Some travel required.