Head of Finance & Custody - VARA

We are looking for an experienced finance and client asset professional to take on the role of Head of Finance & Custody for our VARA-regulated Dubai VASP entity. The role combines ownership of core financial and management reporting for the local entity with day-to-day oversight of the safeguarding of client money and client virtual assets (VAs) held under the entity's VASP Licence. The successful candidate will act as the bridge between Group Finance, Group Client Asset Office, and the local VARA-regulated business, and will be expected to build a robust control environment for a newly licensed entity operating across a compulsory and activity-specific VARA rulebook set.

Responsibilities

Own the delivery of monthly, quarterly, and annual management and financial accounts for the VARA VASP entity, including budget-to-actuals review; Prepare and submit VARA regulatory reporting packs and act as the primary point of contact with VARA on finance-related information requests; Prepare forecasts and budgets for the local entity in collaboration with the Group FP&A team, including ongoing review of paid-up capital and Net Liquid Assets headroom; Lead the local entity's involvement in the statutory audit process; Develop and maintain the finance function's control environment and Finance risk register; Prepare legal entity Board presentations covering financial performance and capital/NLA position; Monitor, control, and report on the safeguarding of client money and client virtual assets; Own the daily reconciliation of client virtual assets and client money held in UAE-based client accounts; Own the daily reserve asset coverage workbook; Maintain client money placement timelines and escalation of the aged-item exception queue; Enforce no-rehypothecation controls over custody assets; Develop and maintain the entity's client asset/custody safeguarding procedures and control framework; Maintain the paid-up capital and licence/activity capital matrix, NLA reconciliation and reporting workflow, and liaise with Group Risk on insurance schedule; Own the breach-notification playbook for capital, NLA, insurance, or reserve-asset shortfalls; Maintain and test the client asset return element of the entity's wind-down plan; Oversee relationships with third-party service providers relevant to client asset safeguarding; Maintain a strong working knowledge of the VARA rulebook set; Support cyber/BCDR and material-incident reporting timelines relevant to client asset systems; Lead the finance and safeguarding workstream on local projects and legal entity development.

Requirements

Qualified Accountant (ACA, CIMA, ACCA, or equivalent) with significant relevant experience in financial services, ideally including exposure to a VARA-regulated or comparable digital-asset regulatory regime; Demonstrable experience in safeguarding, custody, or client asset/client money control environments - crypto, e-money, or investment-firm client asset regimes are all relevant background; Working knowledge of VARA's rulebook architecture or a demonstrated ability to build this knowledge rapidly; Demonstrable experience in a Group reporting role focused on financial accounts and external/regulatory reporting; Knowledge and understanding of key accounting principles under IFRS and/or US GAAP; Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and stakeholder communication skills, with a proven track record of managing cross-functional projects; Strong leadership skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire cross-functional teams across finance, compliance, and risk; Highly organised, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple regulatory deadlines in a fast-paced, newly licensed environment; Proactive and adaptable, with a willingness to take ownership of ambiguous or evolving regulatory requirements; Ethical and accountable, with a commitment to the highest standards of integrity in client asset stewardship; Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, comfortable operating with minimal supervisory oversight; Assertive, tenacious, and control-focused.

Nice to have

An understanding of virtual assets, blockchain technology, and wallet/custody infrastructure.