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Coinbase is building its regulated presence in the Middle East, and this role sits at the center of that expansion. In this role, you'll drive Coinbase's regional crypto strategy, manage critical regulatory relationships, and build the operational foundation for our growing business. This is a rare opportunity to shape how crypto capital markets develop in one of the world's most strategically important financial centers.
What You'll Do
- Build and lead the locally based Abu Dhabi team, managing Coinbase's Middle East crypto business and ADGM legal entity while engaging senior regulators, clients, and industry stakeholders
- Drive the development and execution of Coinbase's UAE crypto strategy in close collaboration with the Dubai/VARA team
- Develop operational capacity to grow Coinbase's tokenization business and adjacent opportunities under ADGM
- Oversee strategic budgeting and resourcing to optimize business impact and ensure alignment with local and global financial frameworks
- Establish robust governance structures, including controls, compliance programs, and ethical leadership practices that align local operations with global standards
- Lead ongoing engagement with ADGM and FSRA, cultivating trusted relationships with senior regulators and key external stakeholders
- Champion Coinbase's culture within the entity, ensuring customer interests are appropriately prioritized and strategy aligns with Coinbase's global business model
Required Skills & Experience
- 7+ years of senior-level experience in financial services, including experience with securities
- Deep understanding of ADGM/FSRA regulatory requirements covering best execution, client assets, custody, market conduct (FSMR, COBS, MIR), and AML frameworks
- Proven track record in operational oversight, including policies and procedures development and monitoring of day-to-day business activities
- Strong understanding of how regulated financial services functions operate (Compliance, Finance, Risk, Treasury, Audit, Outsourcing)
- Demonstrated ability to influence and drive alignment across senior, peer, and junior stakeholders regionally and globally
- Sound judgment in assessing and escalating risk, with excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills
- Experience building and maintaining strong relationships with regulators, specifically ADGM and FSRA
- Familiarity with the crypto/Web3 landscape, including tokenization, DeFi, and digital asset markets
- Utilizes AI responsibly, maintaining human oversight to deliver business-ready outputs and drive measurable improvements in workflow efficiency, cost, and quality.
P78324
Pay Transparency Notice: The target annual base salary for this position can range as detailed below. Total compensation may also include equity and bonus eligibility and benefits (including medical, dental, and vision).
Annual base salary range (excluding equity and bonus):
730,000 د.إ—730,000 د.إ AED
- Application Limit: Candidates may submit a maximum of 3 applications within a 6-month period.
- Equal Opportunity Employer: Coinbase is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information. Applicants with criminal histories will be considered consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
- US Applicants: View Employee Rights, Know Your Rights, and E-Verify Notice of Participation.
- Accommodations: If you are an individual with a disability who needs a reasonable accommodation, email us your request and contact info at accommodations[at]coinbase.com. Need screen reading technology? Click here to download a free compatible screen reader and view the tutorial.
- Data Privacy & Arbitration: By submitting your application, you agree to our Candidate Privacy Notice. US applicants: By submitting your application, you agree to Arbitration of Disputes.
