Regional Head of Financial Crime Investigations

About the Role
We are currently seeking a high calibre professional to join our team as Regional Head of Financial Crime Investigations. In this role, you will shape regional financial crime investigations across MENAT. Financial Crime Investigations (FCI) protects the organization, customers, and communities from the harms associated with financial crime using intelligence, analytics, technology, and investigation. As Regional Head of Investigations for FCI in MENAT, you’ll set direction for the region’s investigative programme, ensuring investigations meet both regulatory expectations and standards. The role spans fraud, anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism, sanctions, and anti-bribery and corruption with accountability for quality, consistency, and resourcing. You’ll strengthen how investigations operate end-to-end from intake and triage through investigation, reporting, and action. Additionally, you will keep senior management informed on the most significant and sensitive cases, ensuring effective cross-border coordination and information sharing.

What You'll Be Doing

• Provide strategic direction and oversight for investigative programmes across the region and countries covering key financial crime threats.
• Set and improve the end-to-end investigative operating model from lead intake and triage through investigation, reporting, and action.
• Oversee delivery of complex proactive intelligence-driven investigations alongside high-volume investigative activity.
• Ensure external regulatory reporting including SARs and VSDs is completed effectively and within regulatory and FCC standards.
• Govern prioritisation, resourcing, and investigative strategy for the most significant and sensitive investigations.
• Communicate key investigation themes status and mitigating actions to regional senior management to support informed risk decisions.
• Coordinate timely cross-border information sharing and support major cross-border investigations across countries.
• Establish a systemic referral and tracking approach so investigative findings translate into follow-on mitigation actions with appropriate governance.

What We're Looking For

• Substantial executive experience from a regulatory, investigative, or financial intelligence agency, or as a senior compliance manager within a global financial services firm.
• Deep expertise in mitigating financial crime threats at a strategic level across multiple typologies.
• Strong understanding of the regulatory environment and expectations, relevant regulations, codes, and Group Standards.
• Established experience in setting direction for an investigative function and translating strategy into operational objectives.
• Clear communication skills with senior stakeholders and the ability to present sensitive investigation matters with appropriate judgement and discretion.
• Effective working relationships with external stakeholders including law enforcement, security, regulatory agencies, and financial intelligence units.
• Ability to develop efficient and effective approaches to complex issues where there is no clear-cut solution.
• Legal or formal accountancy qualification, or equivalent demonstrable experience in this risk area.

Strengthening Investigation Outcomes
This role sits at the centre of how the organization identifies, investigates, and responds to financial crime risk across MENAT. You’ll shape how investigations are prioritised, resourced, and executed, and how outcomes translate into concrete risk mitigation across the wider organisation. You’ll also represent the function with key external stakeholders and support cross-border coordination when cases demand it. If you’re ready to build a consistent high-quality investigative capability at regional scale, we’d like to hear from you.

You’ll Achieve More
We are committed to building a culture where all employees are valued, respected, and their opinions count. We take pride in providing a workplace that fosters continuous professional development, flexible working, and opportunities to grow within an inclusive and diverse environment. We believe diversity brings benefits for our customers, our business, and our people. Different ideas and perspectives help us innovate, manage risk, and grow the business in a sustainable way.