Chief Executive Officer

ABOUT THE ROLE
Our client is a Malaysia-based company operating in the financial services and payments sector. The company is currently working towards obtaining the required regulatory licence in Malaysia and is looking for an experienced senior executive to lead the business and support its regulatory and long-term development.
The company is open to two potential engagement models:
1. PROJECT-BASED / SHORT-TERM CONTRACT
The successful candidate will lead and support the company through the regulatory licensing process in Malaysia. The licensing process is expected to take approximately 1–2 years, and the engagement may conclude once the required licence has been obtained.
2. LONG-TERM CEO CONTRACT
The company is also open to establishing a long-term relationship with the successful candidate.
Under this arrangement, the candidate will take on the CEO role and remain involved after the licensing stage, leading the company's continued development, operations, and business growth.
For the long-term arrangement, salary and potential company profit-sharing may be discussed depending on the candidate's experience, responsibilities, and level of involvement.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Provide senior leadership and strategic direction for the Malaysian business.
• Lead and support the regulatory licensing process in Malaysia.
• Act as a key senior representative of the company in engagements with relevant regulators and stakeholders.
• Oversee the development and operation of a regulated financial-services business.
• Ensure appropriate governance, compliance, risk management, AML/CFT, and operational frameworks are established and maintained.
• Work closely with internal teams across operations, compliance, risk, technology, and cybersecurity.
• Ensure the business is structured and operated in accordance with applicable Malaysian regulatory requirements.
• Lead business development and strategic initiatives where applicable.
• Build and manage relationships with key financial-services, regulatory, banking, payment, and business partners.
• For the long-term arrangement, lead the company's development and growth following the successful licensing stage.
REQUIREMENTS
• Proven senior management experience in payments, e-money, merchant acquiring, card acquiring, payment processing, banking, fintech, or other regulated financial-services businesses.
• Strong understanding of payment operations, regulatory compliance, risk management, AML/CFT, technology, and cybersecurity.
• Previous experience dealing with a financial regulator, central bank, or regulatory licensing process is highly relevant.
• Ability to meet the relevant Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) fit-and-proper requirements, including integrity, competence, relevant experience, and financial soundness.
• Strong professional reputation with no material unresolved criminal, regulatory, disciplinary, bankruptcy, or misconduct matters.
• Full-time commitment to the Malaysian company.
• For the EMI application, willingness to reside in Malaysia unless a written regulatory exemption is granted by BNM.
• Excellent English communication skills, Bahasa Malaysia proficiency is an advantage.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
• Previous experience as CEO, Managing Director, COO, Country Head, or equivalent senior executive.
• Experience launching, managing, or scaling a regulated payment or financial-services business.
• Previous involvement in obtaining or maintaining financial-services licence.
• Direct experience engaging with financial regulators or central banks.
• Experience within Malaysia or another regulated ASEAN financial market.
• Experience across payments, e-money, merchant acquiring, card acquiring, payment processing, banking, or fintech.
• Relevant university degree or professional qualification in Finance, Business, Law, Technology, Risk, Compliance, or a related field.

Work arrangement
No