Director of Compliance

Private Company; Kuwait City; On-site; KWD 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Private Company, LLP in Kuwait is seeking an experienced Director of Compliance to lead and strengthen Governance and Compliance through IPO readiness and into a listed-company environment. This senior, hands-on role provides direct exposure to senior management and the Board.

You will own the governance and compliance workstream, close readiness gaps, and coordinate with Legal, Risk, Internal Control, Internal Audit and external IPO advisers to build a robust framework for post‑listing

Qualifications

• Significant Governance and/or Compliance experience in Kuwait.
• Strong knowledge of CMA Kuwait, Boursa Kuwait and listed-company governance requirements.
• Experience engaging with regulators, disclosures, board reporting or remediation.

Responsibilities

• Lead Governance and Compliance workstream for IPO readiness.
• Identify gaps, drive closure and strengthen control environment.
• Lead CMA Kuwait and Boursa Kuwait requirements implementation.
• Manage regulatory correspondence, inspections and remediation.
• Strengthen policies, procedures, monitoring and reporting across Governance and Compliance.
• Establish controls around disclosures, conflicts of interest, related-party transactions, insider matters, Code of Conduct and whistleblowing.
• Provide Governance and Compliance reporting to senior management and the Board.
• Collaborate with Legal, Risk, Internal Control, Internal Audit and IPO advisers.
• Develop and grow the Compliance capability and team.

Skills

Governance experience

Regulatory interaction

Board reporting

CMA Kuwait familiarity

Boursa Kuwait familiarity

Job description

A major Kuwait-headquartered regional group with substantial operations across the GCC is preparing for a planned IPO targeting Boursa Kuwait's Premier Market.

This is an established, large-scale operating group entering its next stage of institutional development - not an early-stage business preparing to grow after listing.

We are looking for an experienced Director of Compliance to lead and strengthen the Group's Governance and Compliance function through IPO readiness and into life as a listed company.

This is a senior, hands-on role with direct exposure to senior management and the Board. You will be the Group's senior internal Governance and Compliance leader, with the mandate to strengthen the framework, close readiness gaps and develop the function for a listed-company environment.

What You Will Own

• Lead the Governance and Compliance workstream for IPO readiness.


• Assess existing arrangements, identify priority gaps and drive them through closure.


• Lead implementation of applicable CMA Kuwait and Boursa Kuwait requirements.


• Manage regulatory correspondence, submissions, inspections and remediation.


• Strengthen policies, procedures, monitoring and reporting across Governance and Compliance.


• Establish effective controls around disclosures, conflicts of interest, related-party transactions, insider matters, Code of Conduct and whistleblowing.


• Provide clear Governance and Compliance reporting to senior management, the Board and Board Committees.


• Work closely with Legal, Risk, Internal Control, Internal Audit, Finance and external IPO advisers.


• Lead and develop the existing Compliance capability and build the team further as required.


• Maintain a practical and proportionate approach to AML/KYC appropriate to the Group's business.

Who We Are Looking For

You should have significant Governance and/or Compliance experience in Kuwait, with strong practical knowledge of CMA Kuwait, Boursa Kuwait and listed-company governance requirements.

We are particularly interested in candidates who have personally owned meaningful responsibilities involving regulatory interaction, disclosures, Governance or Compliance frameworks, Board reporting, inspections or remediation.

Direct experience within a Boursa Kuwait-listed company is strongly preferred but not mandatory. Candidates with substantial CMA/Boursa, IPO, governance-transformation or listed-company advisory experience will also be considered.

Experience supporting an IPO, listing or post-listing transition is a strong advantage.

Candidates from financial services are welcome where their experience extends beyond AML/CFT into broader corporate governance, disclosure and regulatory Compliance.

Arabic and English fluency are required. Current residence in Kuwait is preferred.

Why Join

This is an opportunity to take a senior leadership role in an already established regional group before listing, rather than join after the public-company framework has already been built.

You will help shape the Group's Governance and Compliance architecture, work directly with senior management and the Board, develop the function and team, and continue leading it as part of the permanent listed-company structure.