Head of Enterprise Risk & Controls, Fintech

Experience

• →Circa 15 years of professional experience in enterprise risk management, with a minimum of 3 years in a leadership capacity, either managing risk functions or holding a risk advisory role.
• →Demonstrated expertise in developing and implementing enterprise risk management frameworks aligned to international standards (ISO 31000, COSO, King Code or equivalent governance frameworks).
• →Strong understanding of risk appetite frameworks, risk-return optimization, and the application of risk appetite in strategic decision-making and capital allocation.
• →Proven capability in risk identification, assessment and monitoring methodologies; experience in scenario analysis; quantitative risk modelling experience is a plus.
• →Deep knowledge of financial resilience, credit risk, operational risk, technology resilience and regulatory compliance as principal risk categories in financial services or fintech environments.
• →Experience establishing internal control frameworks and control libraries; knowledge of COSO Internal Control – Integrated Framework or equivalent control maturity models.

• Develop, implement and continuously enhance the enterprise risk management framework, aligned to international standards (ISO 31000, COSO) and tailored to Optasia's business model, risk appetite and regulatory obligations.
• Define the organization's risk governance structure, escalation protocols and decision rights; establish clear accountabilities for risk identification, assessment, treatment and monitoring across the Group.
• Lead the ongoing development of the risk policy, risk appetite framework and supporting standards; engage Board and C-suite to embed these into organizational processes and key decision-making forums.
• Coordinate the preparation of integrated annual report disclosures relating to the Group's risk management framework, principal risks, risk appetite and the effectiveness of controls; ensure disclosure accuracy and compliance with applicable standards.
• Establish a system for tracking principal risks, key risk indicators and risk metrics; prepare periodic reporting to the Board, executive leadership, the Risk Committee or other forums, as required.
  
  Principal risks and risk appetite
• Own the Group's principal risks portfolio, ensuring risks are identified, assessed, prioritized and monitored based on adopted methodology, against approved risk appetite and tolerance levels.
• Lead the articulation and embedding of risk appetite statements and tolerance levels by risk category; establish key risk indicators and monitoring mechanisms to enable proactive risk management.
• Facilitate risk discussions with business leaders to understand emerging exposures, evaluate risk-return trade-offs and support alignment of strategic and operational decisions with risk appetite.
  
  Internal controls & Assurance
• Coordinate the development of control libraries and risk-control matrices for priority risk areas (financial resilience, credit risk, technology resilience, regulatory, and other operational risks).
• Define control design standards and testing methodologies and lead the implementation of control assessments where required, in line with governance requirements.
• Coordinate with Internal Audit and other assurance teams to address gaps. monitor remediations, and to facilitate the reporting of combined assurance.

• Develop internal capabilities to deliver tailored risk analysis, scenario planning and quantification to support key business and strategic decisions, including product launches, new market expansion, partnerships, acquisitions and capital allocation.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, articulating complex risk concepts in clear business language and recommending pragmatic mitigation strategies aligned to risk appetite.

• Lead and mentor the enterprise risk team, building the required technical capabilities.
• Establish effective working relationships with business and function leaders to embed risk ownership and accountability across the organization.
• Contribute to the delivery of training and awareness initiatives to foster a strong risk culture and risk-conscious decision-making.
• Promote the Three Lines Model and combined assurance principles to ensure accountability for risk management is understood.

• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate complex risk concepts into clear business language and actionable guidance for senior leadership and Board-level audiences.
• Strong stakeholder management and influence skills; ability to engage executives, business leaders and regulators to build trust and drive risk accountability across the organization.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with demonstrated ability to prepare executive reports, board papers and policy documentation to professional standards.
• Highly analytical and results-oriented; comfortable with data-driven decision-making and ability to leverage analytics and digital tools to enhance risk monitoring and reporting.
• Strong integrity, independence and judgment; ability to provide objective advice and escalate concerns.
• Collaborative and pragmatic leadership style; ability to build and develop high-performing teams and foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Comfort with ambiguity and working in a multicultural, multinational environment with exposure to various operating models, a can-do attitude, and an ability to operate strategically and pragmatically.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in business, finance, accounting, risk management, or related discipline;
• Chartered Accountant or professional certification in risk management (e.g. FRM) or related certification (e.g. CIA, CRMA) is valued.
• Proficiency in MS Office and data visualization tools; experience with GRC software platforms is valued.