Head of Operations, Hong Kong

Our Vision is to be the preferred talent partner in Asia to accurately identify and integrate high potential talents for our clients and accomplish career success for our candidates. Our client is seeking a proven operations leader to establish and oversee its Hong Kong business operations under the SFC Type 1 (Dealing in Securities) framework. This role will be pivotal in building the companys regional operational backbone, supporting its trading and brokerage activities in FX and equities. Reporting directly to senior leadership, the Head of Business Operations will design, implement, and scale the full suite of post-trade, settlement, and operational control processes. This is a hands-on leadership mandate ideal for an executive who thrives in both strategy and execution, capable of transforming a start-up operation into a robust, compliant, and data-driven infrastructure aligned with global standards.The ChallengesEstablish and manage the Hong Kong operational framework under SFC Type 1 licensing requirementsDesign and implement core post-trade workflows covering trade capture, matching, confirmation, clearing, and settlement for FX and equities.Build, mentor, and lead a small but high-performing team responsible for daily operational support, reconciliations, and reporting.Develop and maintain strong working relationships with brokers, custodians, counterparties, and the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX)Define and enforce control standards to ensure operational accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with all regulatory obligations.Oversee trade and cash reconciliations, ensuring robust exception management and escalation procedures.Partner with Compliance to align operational processes with regulatory and audit requirements, including SFC inspections and client asset (CASS) controls.Establish clear SLAs and performance metrics to measure operational health and service quality.Collaborate with Technology teams to implement tools and automation that enhance efficiency, reduce operational risk, and support scale.Champion data-driven operations ensuring transparency through analytics, dashboards, and KPI reporting.Drive continuous improvement and best practice adoption across settlement, reporting, and risk mitigation processes.Serve as the bridge between Product, Technology, and Compliance to ensure seamless integration of operational requirements into new business initiatives.Provide operational input to strategic product launches, including new asset classes and market connectivity enhancements.Support financial and risk reporting by coordinating data flows between trading, finance, and regulatory functions.What It Takes10 years in trade operations, settlements, or middle-office leadership within a brokerage, exchange, or financial technology environment.Strong technical understanding of FX and equity trade lifecycles, including margining, clearing, and settlement across global and regional markets.In-depth knowledge of SFC Type 1 operational requirements, client asset protection, and risk management controls.Demonstrated success in building new operational frameworks or standing up local entities from inception.Familiarity with OMS/EMS systems, reconciliation tools, and automation technologies; proven ability to partner with Technology teams on implementation.Hands-on, decisive, and collaborative; able to lead through ambiguity and establish structure, governance, and discipline in a fast-moving environment. Interested candidates, please click the “Apply For This Job” Button.All information will be kept in the strictest confidentiality. Priority responses will be given to candidates who are shortlisted.Employment Agency No: 11C5794