About this role
ROLE PROFILE
Associate Director
Wealth & Asset Management Consulting
Strategy | Growth | Delivery | Leadership
At a Glance
Role Associate Director Level Associate Director
Function Consulting Reports To Managing Director / Partner
Location Middle East (UAE preferred; KSA, Qatar considered) Travel Regional, up to 40%
Experience 8–12 years Industry Focus Wealth & Asset Management
Role Purpose
Summary Build and develop a high-performing Risk & Regulatory Affairs consulting capability focused on the Wealth & Asset Management sector across the Middle East. The Associate Director will lead complex client engagements across regulatory transformation, risk management, governance, compliance, conduct risk, operational resilience, and enterprise-wide risk frameworks for asset managers, private banks, wealth platforms, family offices, and sovereign wealth institutions.
The Associate Director will act as a trusted advisor to C-suite and board-level clients, driving engagement origination, managing delivery teams, and contributing to the strategic build-out of the WAM practice.
Key Responsibilities
Practice Development & Business Growth
• Drive origination of new engagements across WAM segments — private wealth, institutional asset management, family offices, sovereign wealth funds, and digital wealth platforms. • Build and maintain a pipeline of qualified opportunities, working closely with the Partner group and leveraging personal and institutional networks across the GCC and broader MENA region. • Develop compelling thought leadership, proposals, and point-of-view content to differentiate the firm's WAM proposition. • Manage and grow strategic alliances in the WAM sector aligned to KPMG bridge campaign. This includes Blackrock Alladin and State Street Alpha. • Support the development of the firm's go-to-market strategy for WAM in the Middle East, including coverage model, service lines, and target client prioritisation.
Client Engagement & Delivery
• Lead large-scale Risk & Regulatory Affairs engagements within the Wealth & Asset Management sector, including regulatory compliance reviews, operating model transformation, governance enhancement, and risk framework implementation. • Advise boards, executive management, and risk committees on regulatory expectations, emerging risks, and industry-leading governance practices. • Deliver projects across enterprise risk management, operational risk, compliance, conduct risk, third-party risk, model risk, investment governance, and financial crime compliance. • Support clients in responding to regulatory changes issued by regional regulators including ADGM, DIFC, SCA, CMA, QCB, and other GCC regulatory authorities. • Lead risk assessments, gap analyses, remediation programs, target operating model design, and regulatory transformation initiatives. • Oversee quality assurance, client satisfaction, project economics, and delivery excellence across multiple engagements. • Serve as the day-to-day client relationship owner for key accounts, ensuring satisfaction, quality, and commercial outcomes. • Structure and scope engagements, manage project economics, and oversee teams of consultants and analysts.
People & Team Leadership
• Recruit, develop, and retain consulting talent within the WAM practice, acting as a mentor and performance coach. • Actively contribute to the firm's WAM knowledge base, internal capability development, and cross-practice collaboration. • Foster an inclusive, high-performance team culture aligned with the firm's values.
Thought Leadership & External Presence
• Represent the firm at industry events, forums, and roundtables relevant to wealth and asset management in the region. • Publish insights on regional WAM trends, regulatory developments, and market shifts in collaboration with Marketing and Communications. • Build the firm's profile as a leading voice in GCC wealth management transformation.
Experience Requirements
Essential
• 10+ years of experience within Risk & Regulatory Affairs, Financial Services Risk Consulting, Internal Audit, Compliance, or Enterprise Risk Management. • Proven consulting experience gained within a Big 4 firm, global consultancy, or specialist risk advisory practice. • Strong experience serving Wealth Management, Asset Management, Private Banking, Investment Management, Capital Markets, or Sovereign Wealth Fund clients. • Deep knowledge of: • Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) • Regulatory Compliance • Governance Frameworks • Operational Risk • Conduct Risk • Internal Controls • Operational Resilience • Risk and Control Self-Assessments (RCSA) • Compliance Monitoring Programs • Regulatory Change Management • Experience interacting with regional regulators and working knowledge of ADGM, DIFC, SCA, CMA, QCB, CBB, and related regulatory frameworks. • Demonstrated experience leading large-scale risk transformation and regulatory remediation programs.
Preferred / Advantageous
• Experience leading or supporting practice-building or market-entry initiatives in the region. • Prior exposure to sovereign wealth fund advisory or Ultra-High-Net-Worth client segments. • Familiarity with key regional WAM technology platforms and fintech landscape. • Experience in a dual-hat role (industry leadership + external advisory) or within a captive consulting unit of a financial institution.
Core Competencies
Leadership & Commercial Technical & Domain
▸ Client relationship management & influence ▸ WAM operating models & value chain
▸ Business development & pipeline ownership ▸ Investment products & portfolio management principles
▸ Engagement structuring & P&L management ▸ Regulatory & compliance landscape (MENA)
▸ Team leadership & talent development ▸ Digital transformation & wealthtech
▸ Executive communication & storytelling
▸ Stakeholder management at C-suite level
Qualifications & Credentials
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field — required. • Master's degree (MBA, MSc Finance, MSc Wealth Management) from a recognised institution — strongly preferred. • Familiarity with ADGM / DIFC regulatory frameworks and local licensing requirements — advantageous.
Languages & Personal Attributes
• English — fluent, essential (professional written and verbal communication at board level). • Arabic — highly desirable; adds significant value in client relationship management and regional business development.
In addition to domain expertise, the successful candidate will demonstrate:
• Entrepreneurial mindset — comfortable with ambiguity, building from a base, and driving outcomes with limited infrastructure. • Cultural intelligence — deep respect for and sensitivity to Gulf business culture, social norms, and relationship-driven commercial practices. • Intellectual rigour — ability to navigate complex, multi-stakeholder problems with structured thinking and creative problem-solving. • Executive presence — confidence and composure when engaging with senior client leadership, regulators, and industry peers. • Resilience — thrives under pressure, manages competing priorities, and maintains high standards of quality and professionalism.
Career Progression & Opportunity
This role represents a significant opportunity for a senior consultant or experienced industry professional to shape the growth of a high-priority practice at a critical moment in the development of the Middle East's wealth management ecosystem.
The successful candidate will benefit from:
• Exposure to some of the most complex and high-profile mandates in the region, including sovereign-linked institutions and leading regional private banks. • A competitive compensation package commensurate with the seniority of the role, including base salary, performance bonus, long-term incentive eligibility, and benefits aligned to regional norms. • Access to the firm's global WAM network, knowledge capital, and proprietary frameworks and assets.