UAE Chief Risk Officer and Compliance and Money Laundering Reporting Officer (CRO/COMLRO)

Stripe

WHO WE ARE ABOUT STRIPE Stripe is a financial infrastructure platform for businesses. Millions of companies—from the world's largest enterprises to the most ambitious startups—use Stripe to accept payments, grow their revenue, and accelerate new business opportunities. Our mission is to increase the GDP of the internet, and we have a staggering amount of work ahead. That means you have an unprecedented opportunity to put the global economy within everyone's reach while doing the most important work of your career. ABOUT THE TEAM We started operations in the UAE in 2021 as our first Middle East launch to provide UAE businesses of all sizes with the financial infrastructure they need to accept payments, manage operations, and grow their revenue globally. The EMEA Regulatory Legal team is a team of legal counsel responsible for providing strategic guidance on Stripe's financial regulatory obligations across EMEA. We're hiring our first team member based in the UAE to lead our work in the UAE and future expansion in the region. As a member of the team, you'll tackle a diverse range of cutting-edge financial regulatory challenges on a daily basis. You'll have the chance to influence new product development, interact with regulatory authorities shaping our industry, and help define Stripe's policy positions. WHAT YOU'LL DO We're seeking an experienced legal counsel with a passion for payments and fintech regulation. In this role, you'll be a trusted advisor to our business, legal, policy, compliance, and risk partners on applicable regulations. You'll also work with internal stakeholders to engage regulators and policymakers on these issues to enable Stripe's mission of helping businesses to grow and thrive. You'll have the opportunity to contribute more broadly to other regulatory and legal matters as well. This is a full-time role for a candidate based in the UAE (based in-office) and will report to the Head of EMEA Regulatory Legal, based in Dublin. RESPONSIBILITIES • Advise internal stakeholders on a wide range of regulatory issues with a focus on UAE • Counsel Product Legal and Compliance teams on regulatory requirements for Stripe products to enable compliant product development and expansion • Support teams in developing policies and procedures and shaping compliance programs to meet regulatory requirements • Be a proactive partner and trusted advisor to cross-functional teams in EMEA • Monitor developments in financial regulations to provide proactive guidance on regulatory trends, risks, and opportunities • Advise on advocacy in connection with contemplated and proposed laws, rules, and regulations • Collaborate with business and legal teams across Stripe to address regulatory issues efficiently • Identify and evaluate business and legal risks, and find creative ways to mitigate them while achieving business goals • Develop and work with stakeholders on regulatory engagement strategies • Maintain and contribute to internal legal resources and repositories, help refine our processes, create playbooks, and provide training where necessary WHO YOU ARE We're looking for someone who meets the minimum requirements to be considered for the role. If you meet these requirements, you are encouraged to apply. The preferred qualifications are a bonus, not a requirement. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS • 6+ years of experience practicing as a qualified lawyer in the UAE, with a focus on payments and fintech regulation • Excellent skills in issue spotting, risk assessment, and problem-solving, particularly in ambiguous or complex situations • Strong strategic thinking capabilities to enable business partners to make decisions that are grounded in a practical application of the law, technology, and business goals • Excellent written and verbal communication skills • Integrity and sound judgment • Ability to distill difficult and complex legal advice in a clear, convincing, and solutions-oriented manner to various stakeholders, including senior management to enable effective decision-making • Capable of multitasking and working effectively and independently under pressure • Able to make sound decisions in the face of complexity, ambiguity, and imperfect information • Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build consensus across myriad groups • A collaborative team player who is willing to pitch in wherever needed in a dynamic, rapidly growing company • Experience working closely with financial regulators in the UAE and wider region—whether as a regulator, within a regulated firm, or advising regulated clients PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS • Experience in advising on financial regulation pertaining to money movement, crypto, and a demonstrated interest in payments, fintech and innovative financial products • Prior experience in payments, fintech, banking, and familiarity with associated regulatory issues including licensing • Prior experience in advising on crypto legal issues and regulations • Fluency in both Arabic and English (written and spoken), with the ability to draft, review, and negotiate legal documents and regulatory responses in both languages. • Experience navigating both UAE onshore and offshore regulatory frameworks • Experience advising on market entry and licensing requirements across the wider MENA region • Proven ability to engage with and influence policymakers or industry bodies in the UAE on the development of new financial regulations. • Prior experience in an in-house legal role at a high-growth technology company or a leading international financial institution

Stripe

WHO WE ARE ABOUT STRIPE Stripe is a financial infrastructure platform for businesses. Millions of companies - from the world’s largest enterprises to the most ambitious startups - use Stripe to accept payments, grow their revenue, and accelerate new business opportunities. Our mission is to increase the GDP of the internet, and we have a staggering amount of work ahead. That means you have an unprecedented opportunity to put the global economy within everyone's reach while doing the most important work of your career. ABOUT THE TEAM We're looking for a sharp, detail-oriented regulatory professional to join Stripe's Affiliate Assurance and Enablement team as an International Regulatory Exam Lead. In this role, you will manage and coordinate regulatory examinations and supervisory inquiries across Stripe's international licensed entities outside of North America, working closely with Legal, Financial Crimes, Finance, Product, and regional Compliance teams to ensure Stripe demonstrates strong regulatory standing with its international supervisory authorities. Stripe's international regulatory affairs program is expanding rapidly as we enter new markets and obtain licenses across the EU, UK, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and beyond. This role is a key contributor to that growth—responsible for the hands-on execution of international regulatory exams and supervisory requests. The ideal candidate will be a strong individual contributor with solid subject matter expertise in financial services regulation outside the US, familiar with regulatory frameworks across markets such as Ireland, the UK, Singapore, Australia, the UAE, and others, and a proven ability to manage complex, multi-jurisdictional inquiries with precision, professionalism, and care. The successful candidate will gain wide-ranging exposure to Stripe's international business lines, senior leadership, and the governance and workings of a fast-scaling global fintech. This is an excellent opportunity to deploy regulatory exam management skills in a rigorous, high-velocity environment, deepen expertise in international financial regulation, and grow within a team that is building from the ground up. WHAT YOU’LL DO As an International Regulatory Exam Lead, you will be the primary point of contact for managing regulatory examinations, supervisory inquiries, and periodic regulatory reviews across Stripe's international licensed entities. You will coordinate with regional legal and compliance teams, outside counsel, and internal DRIs to gather, review, and submit high-quality responses to international regulators. You will also help build and mature Stripe's international exam management program as the portfolio of licensed international entities grows. RESPONSIBILITIES * Manage end-to-end regulatory exam processes for Stripe's international licensed entities, including coordinating information requests, organizing document production, and tracking remediation items through to closure * Serve as a primary point of contact for international regulatory examinations, acting as the liaison between Stripe's internal teams and international supervisory authorities (e.g., the Central Bank of Ireland, the FCA, MAS, ASIC, CBUAE/VARA, and others) * Draft clear, professional, and well-reasoned regulatory responses, narratives, and submissions in coordination with Legal and Compliance stakeholders * Monitor and stay current on international regulatory developments—particularly in markets where Stripe holds or is applying for licenses—and assess how changes may impact exam obligations and program activities * Build and maintain strong working relationships with internal stakeholders including Legal, Financial Crimes, Product, Finance, and regional compliance teams, as well as with outside counsel * Track and report on the status of open regulatory exam items, remediation timelines, and exam deliverables, providing visibility to senior leadership * Support ad hoc regulatory supervisory inquiries and special projects as the international regulatory affairs program expands * Leverage AI tools and agentic workflows to streamline exam coordination, document review, and regulatory tracking WHO YOU ARE We're looking for someone who meets the minimum requirements to be considered for the role. If you meet these requirements, you are encouraged to apply. The preferred qualifications are a bonus, not a requirement. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS * Bachelor's degree in Finance, Law, Political Science, International Relations, Economics, or a related field * 5+ years of experience in financial services regulatory compliance, with meaningful experience in international regulatory exam management, supervisory engagement, or regulatory affairs in a payments or financial services context * Familiarity with key international regulatory frameworks and financial services supervisors (e.g., FCA, CBI, MAS, ASIC, CBUAE/VARA, or similar), including experience responding to regulatory information requests or examinations from such authorities * Experience working cross-functionally, coordinating responses across Legal, Compliance, Finance, and Operations teams in a fast-paced environment * Excellent written communication skills, with demonstrated ability to draft clear, professional regulatory submissions and internal communications * Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple concurrent exam processes with competing deadlines * Demonstrated comfort using AI tools, with curiosity about how to apply them in a regulatory context to reduce manual burden and improve quality * Sound judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to operate with appropriate autonomy while knowing when to escalate