📍 Location: Riga, Latvia (hybrid)
🏦 Regulatory Status: Electronic Money Institution (EMI), Bank of Latvia
📈 Seniority: Executive / Key Function Holder
🕓 Engagement: Part-time during licensing → full-time post-approval
💰 Compensation: pre-license (part-time): €2,500–3,500 net/month; post-license (full-time): €6,000–8,000 net/month
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
We’re supporting a newly established fintech company in Latvia in hiring a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – a key function holder responsible for leading the organisation through the Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licensing process and into full commercial operations with a strong focus on acquiring services.
This is a defining leadership opportunity for an experienced payments professional who understands regulated environments and is motivated to build a company from the ground up – shaping strategy, product, and organisational culture.
The role begins as a part-time engagement during the 6-month pre-license phase, transitioning into a full-time CEO position once the Bank of Latvia grants the EMI license.
What You’ll Do
Strategy & Company Leadership
- Define and execute the company’s long-term vision, strategy, and operating model as an EMI with acquiring activities.
- Lead early-stage formation, balancing strategic, regulatory, and commercial priorities.
- Build a strong leadership culture focused on accountability, clarity, and sustainable growth.
Licensing & Regulatory Oversight
- Act as the primary executive contact for the Bank of Latvia during the EMI licensing process and ongoing supervision.
- Ensure full compliance with regulatory, governance, and key function “fit & proper” requirements.
- Collaborate with the MLRO and other key function holders to implement effective compliance, risk, and control frameworks.
Pre-License Phase (approx. 6 months)
- Lead and coordinate the EMI license application together with advisors and internal stakeholders.
- Shape the initial product and operational model, with special focus on acquiring and payment flows.
- Build the organisational structure required for licensing approval.
- Adjust hands-on involvement based on prior CEO experience while remaining accountable for outcomes.
Post-License Operations & Scaling
- Lead the company as a fully licensed EMI, managing daily operations and strategic execution.
- Scale the organisation: hiring, team structure, performance management.
- Ensure operational excellence across onboarding, payment processing, partnerships, and customer experience.
Product & Business Development
- Guide development of a scalable acquiring and payments product aligned with regulatory and market needs.
- Build relationships with key partners, vendors, and ecosystem players.
- Identify new growth opportunities while maintaining a strong compliance and risk-aware operating model.
What You Bring
- Senior leadership or executive experience in payments, acquiring, fintech, or financial services.
- Strong understanding of acquiring business models, payment processing, and transactional flows.
- Experience working with financial regulators and participating in licensing or supervisory processes.
- Proven ability to build organisations from scratch — product, team, processes, culture.
- Strong decision-making, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- Pragmatic, responsible, execution-focused mindset suitable for an early-stage environment.
Compensation Structure
Pre-License Stage (first ~6 months)
- Part-time engagement
- €2,500–3,500 net/month
- Focus on licensing, regulator interaction, organisational setup, and initial product design
- Hands-on intensity can be tailored based on experience level
Post-License Stage
- Full-time CEO position
- €6,000–8,000 net/month (negotiable)
- Full operational and strategic leadership of the licensed EMI
- Responsible for scaling, business development, governance, and organisational growth
Why Join?
- Lead an EMI from licensing to full operational maturity.
- Build a scalable acquiring business from day one — product, team, processes, culture.
- High-impact executive role with real strategic ownership.
- Direct collaboration with the regulator and key industry partners.
- Opportunity to shape one of Latvia’s next fintech players at the foundational stage.
Interested? Let’s talk. Reach out and we’ll share more about the company, the setup, and next steps.