About the role
Position Summary
The Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) – Wealth Management is responsible for designing, implementing, and overseeing the compliance and regulatory framework for the wealth management business. The CCO ensures adherence to applicable securities laws, fiduciary obligations, anti-money laundering regulations, privacy requirements, and industry standards while promoting a culture of integrity, ethical conduct, and regulatory excellence.
The role serves as the primary advisor to executive leadership and the Board on compliance matters and provides independent oversight of regulatory risks across wealth advisory, private banking, investment management, brokerage, trust, and fiduciary services.
Key Responsibilities
Compliance Strategy & Governance
Develop and execute the enterprise-wide compliance strategy for the wealth management division.
Establish and maintain compliance policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
Ensure compliance programs align with business objectives and regulatory expectations.
Advise executive leadership and the Board on emerging regulatory developments and compliance risks.
Promote a strong culture of ethics, integrity, and regulatory accountability.
Regulatory Compliance Oversight
Ensure compliance with applicable securities, investment advisory, fiduciary, and banking regulations.
Monitor regulatory developments and assess their impact on the organization.
Oversee regulatory examinations, inspections, and inquiries.
Coordinate responses to regulators and ensure timely remediation of findings.
Maintain effective relationships with regulatory authorities and industry bodies.
Wealth Management & Advisory Compliance
Oversee compliance programs covering:
Investment Advisory Services
Private Banking
Brokerage Services
Trust and Fiduciary Services
Retirement and Estate Planning Services
Discretionary Portfolio Management
Review new products, investment strategies, and business initiatives for regulatory compliance.
Ensure adherence to suitability, fiduciary, and best-interest obligations.
Financial Crime Compliance
Oversee Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) programs.
Ensure compliance with sanctions screening and anti-bribery regulations.
Monitor suspicious activity reporting and transaction surveillance programs.
Assess financial crime risks associated with clients, products, and jurisdictions.
Coordinate investigations and regulatory reporting requirements.
Surveillance, Monitoring & Testing
Establish risk-based compliance monitoring and testing programs.
Oversee employee trade surveillance and conflict-of-interest management.
Conduct periodic compliance reviews and control assessments.
Monitor client communications, marketing materials, and investment recommendations.
Ensure corrective actions are implemented for identified compliance issues.
Fiduciary & Conduct Risk Management
Ensure compliance with fiduciary duties and client best-interest standards.
Oversee management of conflicts of interest and disclosure requirements.
Promote fair treatment of clients and ethical business practices.
Assess conduct risks associated with advisor and relationship manager activities.
Training & Awareness
Develop compliance training programs for advisors, bankers, and employees.
Promote awareness of regulatory obligations and ethical standards.
Ensure timely completion of mandatory compliance certifications.
Provide advisory support to business units on compliance matters.
Reporting & Board Engagement
Prepare compliance reports for executive leadership, risk committees, and the Board.
Present compliance risk assessments, monitoring results, and regulatory updates.
Develop key compliance indicators (KCIs) and compliance dashboards.
Escalate significant compliance issues and regulatory concerns.
Leadership & Team Development
Lead and develop compliance professionals across multiple jurisdictions.
Build a high-performance compliance function.
Foster collaboration with legal, risk, audit, operations, and business teams.
Support succession planning and talent development initiatives.
Qualifications
Education
Bachelor's degree in Law, Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.
Master's degree, MBA, Juris Doctor (JD), or equivalent advanced qualification preferred.
Professional Certifications
Preferred certifications include:
Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM)
Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS)
Investment Adviser Certified Compliance Professional (IACCP)
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
Bar admission or legal qualifications may be advantageous.
Experience
12–15+ years of compliance, legal, regulatory, or risk management experience.
Significant experience within wealth management, private banking, asset management, or brokerage environments.
Experience interacting with regulators, boards, and executive leadership teams.
Demonstrated success leading enterprise compliance programs.
Strong knowledge of fiduciary and investment advisory regulations.
Technical Competencies
Wealth Management Compliance
Securities Regulation
Investment Advisory Compliance
Fiduciary Oversight
AML/KYC Compliance
Financial Crime Prevention
Regulatory Change Management
Compliance Monitoring & Testing
Conduct Risk Management
Trade Surveillance
Conflict of Interest Management
Regulatory Reporting
Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC)
Data Privacy & Information Security Compliance
Leadership Competencies
Strategic Leadership
Ethical Judgment
Regulatory Influence
Executive Communication
Board Engagement
Risk-Based Decision Making
Stakeholder Management
Change Management
Team Leadership
Problem Solving
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Regulatory Examination Outcomes
Compliance Breach Frequency
AML/KYC Compliance Effectiveness
Timely Regulatory Filings
Compliance Monitoring Results
Employee Training Completion Rates
Remediation of Regulatory Findings
Fiduciary Compliance Performance
Internal Audit Results
Client Complaint and Conduct Metrics
Originally posted on Himalayas