Chief Operating Officer, VASP, General Counsel Executive.

All IRACE Digital employees are expected to demonstrate our core competencies as outlined below. The role of CRO/CCO has unique requirements and duties; however, these responsibilities are to be executed within the organization’s framework of core values. FundBank expects all employees to be high performing, self-motivated, learners and leaders.
SUMARRY: The Chief Operating Officer (COO) & General Counsel is a key member of the executive leadership team, responsible for overseeing day‑to‑day operations and serving as the primary legal advisor across the Group’s Cayman entities, including the licensed Trust structure, operating companies, regulated VASP businesses, and the affiliated Bank.
This dual executive role combines operational leadership, legal governance, regulatory compliance, and AI‑enabled operational strategy. The successful candidate will ensure operational efficiency, maintain strong legal and regulatory alignment, and support ongoing obligations under the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) VASP regime, Trust law, company law, and applicable banking regulatory requirements.

The COO & General Counsel will collaborate closely with the CEO and Board to execute strategic initiatives, strengthen legal infrastructure, and build a high‑performance culture consistent with supervisory expectations.

Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership
• Lead and manage all operational functions, including business operations, risk management, compliance operations, customer operations, technology coordination, and AI supported operational tools.
• Develop and implement operational strategies, policies, and procedures to support growth and regulatory readiness.
• Oversee internal controls, operational workflows, and cross departmental coordination to ensure efficiency, scalability, and accountability.
• Drive continuous improvement, automation, and AI enabled operational enhancements across the organization.
General Counsel Responsibilities (Cayman Entities: Trust, Company, VASP)
• Serve as General Counsel for all Cayman legal entities:
o The licensed Bank and any applicable financial services subsidiaries
o The licensed Trust entity
o The corporate operating entities
o The VASP regulated entity/entities
• Provide legal advice on Cayman regulatory frameworks including Trusts Act, Companies Act, VASP Act, Data Protection Act, Bank and Trust Companies Act, and cross border regulatory considerations.
• Manage legal oversight for the Bank including governance, risk assessment, regulatory filings, prudential obligations, and legal interface with CIMA’s Banking Supervision Division.
• Draft, negotiate, and review commercial agreements, client contracts, custodial agreements, technology/vendor contracts, and banking services documentation.
• Provide legal risk assessments across product development, operational processes, digital asset activities, and financial services offerings.
• Coordinate with external counsel, fiduciary service providers, banking advisors, and regulatory specialists.
• Ensure all Group entities maintain appropriate legal compliance, corporate governance, and records management.

Regulatory & Compliance Oversight
• Ensure full operational and legal alignment with CIMA requirements across VASP, Trust, Company, and Bank regulatory regimes.
• Partner with the Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) to maintain robust AML/CTF, KYC, transaction monitoring, sanctions, and reporting frameworks—including AI based surveillance tools.
• Support regulatory filings, audits, supervisory inspections, prudential assessments, and ongoing obligations for all regulated entities.
• Maintain strong relationships with regulators, auditors, external counsel, and key service providers.

AI Strategy, Automation & Controls
• Develop and oversee the company’s AI strategy, ensuring alignment with regulatory, legal, and operational requirements.
• Implement AI driven tools for customer onboarding, transaction monitoring, fraud/risk detection, reporting, workflow automation, and customer service enhancement.
• Establish governance frameworks for responsible AI use, model validation, data quality oversight, and bias mitigation.
• Ensure AI systems comply with evolving standards in data protection, cybersecurity, and AI governance applicable to global financial services.

Strategic Execution
• Translate strategic objectives into operational and legal plans with measurable KPIs.
• Lead cross‑functional initiatives including product launches, market expansion, digital asset services, and banking operations.
• Provide data‑driven and AI‑enhanced insights to support executive decision‑making.
Team Leadership & Culture
• Build, mentor, and manage high performing operational, legal support, and AI enablement teams.
• Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, regulatory integrity, and innovation.
• Support talent acquisition, workforce planning, and leadership development as the company scales.

Qualifications & Experience
Required
• 6–8 years of senior operational leadership within financial services, fintech, banking, crypto exchanges, custodians, VASPs, or regulated digital asset businesses.
• Qualified legal professional with experience advising on Cayman (or comparable) regulatory frameworks.
• Experience in banking or financial institution legal oversight (prudential, conduct, risk, governance).
• Strong understanding of digital asset infrastructure, blockchain technology, and crypto native operational risks.
• Demonstrated experience in operational scale up, process design, and cross functional leadership.
• Experience with AI tools deployed in compliance, risk, or operational functions.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, stakeholder management, and governance skills.
Preferred
• Direct experience within the Cayman Islands regulatory environment (CIMA VASP, Trust, Banking).
• Exposure to custodial solutions, wallet infrastructure, blockchain analytics, or AI based surveillance tools.
• Background spanning legal, compliance, risk management, or data governance.
• MBA, CFA, CAMS, CA/LLB, or blockchain/AI related certifications.