Regional Head of Financial Crime Compliance (GCC)
ETRA Talent · Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Apply & track with Apply EdgeRegional Head of Financial Crime | Banking | Dubai | GCC Coverage
The successful candidate will provide independent advice and challenge to senior management, strengthen controls and manage regulatory engagement across multiple jurisdictions.Direct experience within a CBUAE regulated bank is strongly preferred, alongside strong knowledge of GCC financial crime requirements and practical experience across retail, corporate and cross-border banking.Key responsibilitiesRegional financial crime oversightLead the regional financial crime compliance strategy, ensuring group standards reflect applicable local laws, regulatory requirements and country-specific risks.Oversee financial crime risk assessments across customers, products, delivery channels and geographies, translating findings into effective controls.Advise senior management on financial crime exposure arising from new products, market entry, partnerships and business expansion.Maintain oversight of AML, counter-terrorist financing, proliferation financing and sanctions policies, ensuring consistent implementation across GCC operations.Monitor regulatory developments and emerging typologies, coordinating impact assessments and timely implementation.Customer due diligence and risk managementOversee customer identification and verification, beneficial ownership, customer risk classification and ongoing due diligence.Provide independent challenge over enhanced due diligence, politically exposed persons, complex ownership structures and other higher-risk relationships.Oversee standards for source of funds and source of wealth assessments, periodic reviews and event-driven customer reviews.Advise on customer acceptance, escalation, restrictions and exit decisions in line with risk appetite and local requirements.Strengthen controls relating to correspondent banking, cross-border payments, trade finance and higher-risk business activities.Transaction monitoring, screening and intelligenceOversee the effectiveness of transaction monitoring and customer and payment screening across regional operations.Challenge scenario coverage, thresholds, segmentation and data quality to ensure systems reflect the bank’s financial crime risks.Oversee tuning, testing and validation, with clear governance over system changes and remediation.Use investigation outcomes, intelligence and emerging typologies to improve detection capability.Monitor alert quality, investigation standards, backlogs and escalation processes, ensuring timely and well-supported decisions.Sanctions and proliferation financingOversee compliance with applicable UAE and GCC sanctions and targeted financial sanctions requirements.Ensure effective controls for identifying designated parties, escalating potential matches and implementing applicable freezing and reporting obligations.Advise on sanctions exposure relating to customers, counterparties, ownership and control, payments and trade activity.Assess relevant international sanctions regimes where applicable to the bank’s activities, counterparties and correspondent relationships.Strengthen identification and management of proliferation financing risks across relevant products and jurisdictions.Investigations and suspicious activity reportingOversee investigation quality and the governance of suspicious transaction and suspicious activity reporting.Support country MLROs and reporting officers in meeting local reporting obligations, while respecting their statutory responsibilities and decision-making authority.Ensure appropriate confidentiality, record keeping and controls to prevent tipping off.Coordinate responses to financial intelligence unit and law enforcement enquiries through the appropriate local channels.Work with Fraud, Cybersecurity and operational teams to address overlapping threats, including scams, mule accounts and misuse of banking services.Regulatory engagement and governanceLead or coordinate financial crime engagement with local regulators, financial intelligence units and other relevant authorities.Manage regulatory inspections, thematic reviews and remediation programmes, ensuring corrective actions address underlying weaknesses.Provide clear reporting to senior management and Board committees on financial crime exposure, control effectiveness and material issues.Lead risk-based financial crime monitoring and assurance, working closely with Internal Audit and other control functions.Develop regional teams and training programmes, strengthening expertise, accountability and timely escalation.Regulatory knowledgeCandidates should demonstrate strong knowledge of UAE financial crime requirements and experience navigating multiple GCC jurisdictions. Relevant banking regulators include:UAE: Central Bank of the UAE - CBUAE experience strongly preferred.Saudi Arabia: Saudi Central Bank - SAMA.Bahrain: Central Bank of Bahrain - CBB.Qatar: Qatar Central Bank - QCB.Kuwait: Central Bank of Kuwait - CBK.Oman: Central Bank of Oman - CBO.Candidates should also understand the role of local financial intelligence units, applicable reporting channels and national sanctions authorities. Familiarity with the DFSA, ADGM FSRA and QFCRA would be beneficial where relevant to the organisation’s licensed activities.Candidate requirementsSignificant senior financial crime compliance experience within banking, ideally including regional or multi-country responsibility.Strong practical knowledge of AML, counter-terrorist financing, proliferation financing, sanctions and suspicious activity reporting.Experience across retail and corporate banking, with an understanding of cross-border payments, correspondent banking and trade finance risks.Demonstrable experience overseeing customer due diligence, transaction monitoring, screening and investigations.A track record of managing regulatory relationships, inspections and substantial remediation programmes.Ability to interpret differing GCC requirements and implement effective regional standards with appropriate local controls.Experience advising and challenging senior executives, business heads and Board committees.Proven leadership skills, sound judgement and the ability to explain complex financial crime matters clearly.Relevant degree or professional qualification; CAMS, ICA or comparable financial crime qualifications would be advantageous.Preferred experienceRecent experience within a CBUAE regulated bank.Financial crime leadership responsibility across more than one GCC market.Previous experience as an MLRO, Deputy MLRO, Head of Financial Crime or regional financial crime leader.Experience improving monitoring and screening systems, data quality and intelligence-led detection.Exposure to digital banking, fintech partnerships and emerging payment channels.Familiarity with FATF standards and their implementation within local regulatory frameworks.Arabic language skills would be advantageous.Ideal profileAn established Regional Head of Financial Crime, Head of AML or senior banking financial crime leader with strong UAE regulatory experience, credible GCC exposure and the ability to combine strategic oversight with detailed knowledge of operational controls.The role suits someone who can lead regulatory engagement, challenge financial crime risk decisions and build effective, sustainable controls across a regional banking business.For a confidential discussion, contact Sultan Afzal at sultan@etratalent.com.