Associate Director

Associate Director – Authorisation l UAE

We are supporting a leading financial services organisation in the UAE with the appointment of an Associate Director – Authorisation. This senior role sits within a core regulatory operations function responsible for overseeing licensing and market‑entry assessments across a wide range of financial institutions.

Role Overview

The position involves leading a specialist team, managing authorisation applications, and ensuring risk‑aligned assessments across new and existing regulated entities. It offers senior leadership responsibility and exposure to complex wholesale financial business models.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee and approve authorisation applications across banking, asset management, brokerage, insurance, advisory, and other financial services.
• Manage lifecycle applications for existing regulated entities.
• Lead and develop a team of authorisation professionals.
• Contribute to process improvement and operational strategy.
• Engage with internal stakeholders to support efficient, risk‑based authorisation outcomes.

Key Requirements

• 10+ years regulatory experience within a financial regulator or regulated entity.
• Minimum 5 years managerial or supervisory experience.
• Strong understanding of risk‑based regulation and wholesale financial business models.
• Experience in licensing/authorisation processes.
• Excellent leadership, analytical, and communication skills