Chief Operating Officer - Dubai

Executive Operations & Strategy

• Oversee day-to-day business and commercial operations for the UAE-regulated entity across Sales, Trading, and Operations.
• Implement scalable, efficient operational systems that align with global and regional business objectives.
• Track and report key KPIs across commercial performance, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and risk.
• Partner with the CEO of Middle East and collaborate closely with global leadership to shape and execute strategic initiatives.

Sales, Trading & Operational Oversight

• Provide operational leadership across the sales processes, onboarding, and customer lifecycle management.
• Oversee trading operations, ensuring effective controls, timely issue escalation, and operational resilience.
• Optimize operational support for customer operations and post-trade processes.
• Support commercial strategy through data-driven insights, operational improvements, and performance management.

Product Strategy & Localization

• Partner with global Product, Engineering, and Ops teams to tailor products for the UAE market.
• Ensure operational readiness and internal alignment for new product launches.
• Lead cross-functional evaluations to confirm compliance with UAE regulatory standards.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Embed UAE regulatory standards into operational workflows
• Act as the first line of defense, ensuring operational activities meet regulatory requirements.
• Maintain risk registers, lead incident reviews, and ensure internal governance discipline.
• Work closely with Legal, Compliance, and Risk teams to support regulatory reporting, audits, and supervisory engagement.

Performance & Metrics Monitoring

• Build and monitor KPIs across commercial, operational, and risk domains.
• Produce regular performance reports for senior management and regulatory stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational effectiveness.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Product, Engineering, Compliance, Legal, Marketing, Customer Ops, Sales, and Trading teams.
• Foster a culture of transparency, accountability, and high performance.

What We Look For

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or related field; MBA preferred.
• 10+ years of operational leadership within regulated financial services, fintech, trading, brokerage, or crypto.
• Strong experience operating in a similar role in a regulated UAE financial/fintech institution (SCA/VARA/FSRA/DFSA preferred).
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and develop scalable operational frameworks.
• Strong commercial acumen with demonstrated involvement in Sales and Trading operations.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to thrive in dynamic, high-growth environments.