Chief Operating Officer

Role overview OKX is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead the operational and commercial functions of our UAE Business. This role will oversee the full operational lifecycle—including Sales, Trading, Customer Operations, and Business Support ensuring our business runs efficiently, compliantly, and in alignment with regulatory requirements. The COO will act as a key partner to the regional CEO and global leadership, driving growth, operational excellence, and cross‑functional collaboration across the organization.

• Oversee day-to-day business and commercial operations for the UAE-regulated entity across Sales, Trading, and Operations.
• Implement scalable, efficient operational systems that align with global and regional business objectives.
• Track and report key KPIs across commercial performance, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and risk.
• Partner with the CEO of Middle East and collaborate closely with global leadership to shape and execute strategic initiatives.

• Provide operational leadership across the sales processes, onboarding, and customer lifecycle management.
• Oversee trading operations, ensuring effective controls, timely issue escalation, and operational resilience.
• Optimize operational support for customer operations and post-trade processes.
• Support commercial strategy through data-driven insights, operational improvements, and performance management.

• Partner with global Product, Engineering, and Ops teams to tailor products for the UAE market.
• Ensure operational readiness and internal alignment for new product launches.
• Lead cross-functional evaluations to confirm compliance with UAE regulatory standards.

• Embed UAE regulatory standards into operational workflows
• Act as the first line of defense, ensuring operational activities meet regulatory requirements.
• Maintain risk registers, lead incident reviews, and ensure internal governance discipline.
• Work closely with Legal, Compliance, and Risk teams to support regulatory reporting, audits, and supervisory engagement.

• Build and monitor KPIs across commercial, operational, and risk domains.
• Produce regular performance reports for senior management and regulatory stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational effectiveness.

• Work closely with Product, Engineering, Compliance, Legal, Marketing, Customer Ops, Sales, and Trading teams.
• Foster a culture of transparency, accountability, and high performance.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or related field; MBA preferred.
• 10+ years of operational leadership within regulated financial services, fintech, trading, brokerage, or crypto.
• Strong experience operating in a similar role in a regulated UAE financial/fintech institution (SCA/VARA/FSRA/DFSA preferred).
• Proven ability to lead cross‑functional teams and develop scalable operational frameworks.
• Strong commercial acumen with demonstrated involvement in Sales and Trading operations.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to thrive in dynamic, high-growth environments.

• Experience in a regulated UAE financial institution, or equivalent international markets.
• Strong understanding of blockchain, digital assets, trading infrastructure, and market structure.
• Demonstrated success in scaling operations and driving regulatory compliance transformation.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with passion for innovation and operational excellence.

• Competitive total compensation package
• L&D programs and Education subsidy for employees' growth and development
• Various team building programs and company events
• Wellness and meal allowances
• Comprehensive healthcare schemes for employees and dependants
• More that we love to tell you along the process!