CEO / MD UK

Bvnk Ltd; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Flexible working

Hybrid working

Travel opportunities

Open and creative environment

Job summary

BVNK is seeking an experienced Managing Director - UK to lead our FCA-authorised electronic money institution and drive UK-regulated growth. This senior role shapes strategy, governance, and regulatory compliance while aligning with Mastercard to transform global money movement.

You will oversee the UK entity through the authorisation process, establish effective governance, and manage risk, capital planning and consumer duties.

Qualifications

• Significant senior executive leadership experience within a UK-regulated financial services business.
• Demonstrable experience running or holding executive accountability within a regulated entity and engaging with the FCA.
• Strong knowledge of the UK financial services regulatory environment and SMF requirements.
• Experience in payments, electronic money, cryptoassets or related financial services sector.
• Understanding of Consumer Duty requirements and financial promotions governance.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex regulatory activities.
• Willingness to be based in the UK full-time.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall executive leadership of BVNK UK with strategy, governance and regulatory obligations.
• Lead the UK entity through the FCA authorisation process.
• Establish and maintain UK governance and decision-making authority.
• Hold FCA approvals for SMF roles and related regulatory duties.
• Oversee risk management and financial resources across e-money and cryptoasset activities.
• Own commercial strategy and financial performance of the UK entity.
• Oversee local marketing compliance with financial promotions.
• Represent BVNK UK with regulators and strategic partners.
• Build and lead a high-performing UK senior management team.
• Collaborate with Mastercard and BVNK leadership while maintaining regulatory accountability.

Skills

Senior executive leadership

FCA engagement

Regulatory governance

UK financial services regulatory env.

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic planning

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Job description

BVNK is the stablecoin-powered financial stack for enterprises. We're now part of Mastercard, and together we're building a network for every form of money – one that delivers more reach, more capability and more choice.

We enable businesses to build financial products, unlock new markets, and move money in seconds across 130+ countries, with 40+ licenses for fiat and digital assets globally. Processing billions annually, we empower enterprises worldwide to send, receive, convert, and settle stablecoins and fiat seamlessly through a single integration.

Our mission is to accelerate global money movement, and we're assembling a world-class team to make it happen.

Trusted by industry leaders like Corpay, Worldpay, Deel, and Flywire, we deliver the infrastructure that makes new forms of money usable within the financial systems customers already rely on today.

By combining Mastercard's global payment reach and trusted networks with BVNK's stablecoin infrastructure, we're building the trusted operating layer for the evolution of money movement, helping customers participate in emerging digital networks without having to rebuild their businesses around every new innovation.

We're a diverse team spread across EMEA, North America, and APAC, with a shared belief that stablecoins are the new infrastructure layer for financial services, and that BVNK is at the forefront of this shift.

We're incredibly honored to have been recognized by:

• CNBC World's Top Fintech Companies (2026)
• FXC Intelligence Top 100 Cross-border Payment Companies (2026)
• Newsweek's The Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces (three years running, most recently 2025)
• LinkedIn as one of the Top 20 Startups in the UK (2025)

About this role in the team:

We are looking for an experienced Managing Director - UK to lead BVNK’s UK regulated entity, an FCA-authorised electronic money institution, as it seeks FCA authorisation for cryptoasset services.

This is a critical leadership appointment, responsible for establishing and maintaining a strong UK-regulated business while supporting BVNK's broader ambition to transform global money movement through stablecoin and payment infrastructure.

As Managing Director - UK, you will have overall executive accountability for the UK entity's strategy, financial performance, regulatory compliance and governance. You will work closely with the Board, UK senior management and wider BVNK and Mastercard leadership to ensure the business operates effectively within its regulatory permissions and maintains appropriate local decision-making authority.

The position will carry Senior Management Functions SMF1 and SMF3, subject to FCA approval, and will play a central role in demonstrating effective UK mind and management to the regulator.

You will be expected to lead engagement with the FCA throughout the authorisation process and establish a sustainable, commercially successful and well-controlled regulated business.

Key Areas of Responsibilities:

• Provide overall executive leadership of BVNK UK, with accountability for its strategy, commercial performance, governance and regulatory obligations.
• Lead the UK entity through the FCA authorisation process, acting as a key point of contact for regulatory engagement, assessments and interviews.
• Establish and maintain effective UK-based governance, ensuring appropriate decision-making authority, management oversight and accountability within the regulated entity.
• Hold the FCA approvals required for the role, including as a Senior Manager (SMF1 and SMF3) and as a director or manager of the electronic money institution, fulfilling the associated regulatory obligations and maintaining compliance with the Senior Managers and Certification Regime.
• Take responsibility for the firm's Senior Managers Regime obligations, Certification Regime arrangements and Conduct Rules training.
• Oversee the firm's financial resources and prudential compliance across its e-money and cryptoasset activities, including capital and liquidity adequacy, fixed overhead requirements, financial forecasting, stress testing and wind-down planning.
• Own the commercial strategy and financial performance of the UK entity, leading UK commercial teams, balancing sustainable growth with regulatory requirements and effective risk management.
• Ensure appropriate governance and oversight of the firm's cryptoasset, e-money and payment services, working closely with the COO and relevant control functions.
• Oversee local marketing activities and compliance with applicable financial promotions requirements and ensure appropriate controls are maintained.
• Lead the implementation and ongoing oversight of Consumer Duty requirements where applicable to the firm's regulated activities.
• Work closely with Compliance, Risk, Finance and Operations to establish an effective three lines of defence model, with clear responsibilities, appropriate independence and robust escalation arrangements.
• Maintain effective oversight of material risks, ensuring the Board receives appropriate management information and that significant regulatory or operational issues are escalated promptly.
• Establish effective working relationships with Mastercard and BVNK group leadership, ensuring appropriate oversight of intra-group dependencies while preserving the UK entity's regulatory accountability.
• Chair or attend relevant local and group-level committees and/or forums, providing effective challenge and ensuring the local entity is properly represented.
• Build and lead a high-performing UK senior management team, promoting a culture of accountability, integrity, customer protection and regulatory compliance.
• Represent BVNK UK with regulators, strategic partners and other key stakeholders.

What we need from you:

• Significant senior executive leadership experience within a UK-regulated financial services business, ideally having previously held an FCA-approved SMF1 or SMF3 position.
• Demonstrable experience running or holding substantial executive accountability within a regulated entity, including engagement with the FCA and responsibility for regulatory governance.
• Strong knowledge of the UK financial services regulatory environment, including the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, governance requirements and individual accountability.
• Experience within payments, electronic money, cryptoassets, digital assets or a closely related financial services sector.
• A strong understanding of the regulatory and operational risks associated with cryptoasset custody and trading activities.
• Sound knowledge of prudential requirements, including capital and liquidity adequacy, fixed overhead requirements, financial resource planning, stress testing and wind-down planning.
• Understanding of Consumer Duty requirements, financial promotions and the associated governance and oversight expectations.
• Experience developing and executing commercial strategies while maintaining effective regulatory controls and financial discipline.
• Demonstrable ability to lead cross-functional senior management teams and oversee complex operational, financial and regulatory activities.
• Strong understanding of risk management frameworks, governance structures and the three lines of defence model.
• Experience working within a wider group structure, with the ability to balance group strategy and shared services with local regulatory accountability.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including the confidence and credibility to engage directly with regulators, Board members and senior executives.
• Ability to demonstrate the fitness and propriety standards required for FCA Senior Manager approval, including honesty, integrity, competence, capability and financial soundness.
• Willingness and ability to be based in the UK on a full-time basis, providing effective local leadership and regulatory oversight.

What you can expect from us:

• Fair and competitive salary at every stage of your growth
• Flexible working hours, with hybrid working at its heart
• A culture built on passionate, growth-minded people
• A flexible approach to holiday
• Opportunities to travel to our offices around the world
• An open and creative environment where you can help us define the future of BVNK, its culture, and its opportunity sets

At BVNK, we are focused on building a diverse and inclusive team. While you may not meet all of our requirements, we’d encourage you to apply if you meet the majority of our expectations. You may be a great fit for this role or another role in our team.