Country Manager, Malaysia

Confidential; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 200,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services provider is seeking an experienced leader to drive growth in Malaysia. The role focuses on shaping the country strategy, leading cross-functional teams, and enhancing partnerships. The ideal candidate has over 8 years of relevant experience, with significant exposure to the fintech ecosystem and a proven track record in team leadership and stakeholder management. Fluency in both Malay and English is required to effectively navigate the local market.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of relevant experience in consulting, banking, or fintech.
• 5+ years of experience in Malaysia, understanding the local ecosystem.
• Proven leadership experience with P&L responsibility.
• Experience in enterprise-grade business development and sales.
• Fluency in Malay and English.

Responsibilities

• Shape and execute the Malaysia country strategy.
• Lead growth initiatives and build partnerships with local institutions.
• Drive commercial growth and client acquisition.
• Track and report performance and key initiatives regularly.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Sales and business development

Stakeholder management

English proficiency

Malay proficiency

Job description

We are looking for an experienced leader to further grow and deepen their Malaysia business. This is a high-impact role ideal for sales and strategy leaders who enjoy driving growth, strengthening market position and leading cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Shape and execute the Malaysia country strategy
• Refine and deliver the overall Malaysia market strategy, including team structure, product focus, go-to-market approach, operational model and local partnerships.
• Lead growth initiatives such as new segment penetration, product expansion and optimization of existing channels and partnerships.
• Partner with internal Legal, Risk and Compliance teams to support ongoing regulatory and licensing needs as the business scales.
• Drive commercial growth and client acquisition
• Build and deepen partnerships with local financial institutions and fintechs (e.g. regional banks, payment players, platforms) to expand distribution and co-create solutions.
• Build a strong industry network to generate insight, identify emerging opportunities and position the business as a leading player in Malaysia.
• Be the bridge between Malaysia and regional / global leadership
• Work closely with regional and global leadership to align on strategy, priorities and investments for Malaysia.
• Track and report country performance, pipeline and key initiatives on a regular basis, highlighting risks, opportunities and recommended actions.
• Scale and develop the local team, including recruitment, onboarding, coaching and performance management.
• Shape a strong team culture – high ownership, data-driven decision making and bias to action.
• Create clear goals, operating rhythms and ways of working to enable the team to execute at pace.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of relevant experience in management consulting, investment banking, corporate strategy, venture capital or banking, with significant exposure to payments, fintech, financial services or banking and to management / strategy / business development work.
• 5+ years of experience working in Malaysia, with a strong understanding of the local financial services and/or fintech ecosystem.
• Proven leadership experience with direct reports and/or P&L responsibility, and a track record of leading complex, multi-stakeholder projects or teams.
• Experience in enterprise-grade business development and sales, including delivering against sales KPIs/OKRs, is a strong plus.
• Prior experience as a country manager or driving growth strategy for a geography or business line is an advantage.
• Fluent in both Malay and English, with strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Required Skills

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys combining strategy, execution and team leadership – with the mandate to sharpen the strategy, scale the team and accelerate growth in one of the region’s highest-potential markets.