- Expanding Wealth Management Group (Insurance & Investments)
- Complex UHNW / HNW Cases
- Team Build-out Leadership Role
Our client is a global financial services group undergoing strong growth in the wealth management space, with a strategic focus on UHNW and HNW clients across insurance and investment offerings. As part of its Asia expansion, the firm is seeking a Senior CDD Leader to support the scaling of its HNW/UHNW and offshore (including Bermuda) business, ensuring robust first-line due diligence, risk management, and financial crime compliance oversight. The position ideally is to be based in Hong Kong with Singapore based as an option. Overseas applicants willing to relocate to Hong Kong are welcomed.
The key responsibilities for this position are as follows:
- Oversee end-to-end client due diligence processes for HNW / UHNW, offshore / Bermuda insurance business, ensuring alignment with regulatory expectations and internal risk standards.
- Conduct risk-based assessments to define appropriate verification requirements for complex client profiles.
- Review and validate key information including source of wealth, funding origins, and ownership structures across sophisticated entities.
- Perform screening checks covering sanctions, politically exposed persons (PEPs) and jurisdictional exposure.
- Lead enhanced due diligence reviews for higher-risk clients and transactions where required.
- Act as the primary escalation contact for intricate or sensitive cases, including trusts, family offices, leverage arrangements and cross-border structures.
- Identify potential financial crime risks and escalate concerns relating to fraud, sanctions exposure, or illicit activity.
- Partner closely with Compliance and Legal teams when assessing non-standard ownership arrangements or elevated risk exposures.
- Maintain strong governance by ensuring consistent application of AML/CFT frameworks and internal onboarding standards.
- Carry out quality assurance on completed reviews, ensuring documentation is complete, accurate, and audit-ready.
- Work collaboratively with underwriting, case management, and distribution teams to facilitate efficient onboarding while managing risk appropriately.
- Support team capability development through coaching, while contributing to process optimisation and continuous improvement initiatives.
Successful applicants will have the following skills and experience:
- An university degree ideally with CAMS, ICA, ACAMS or equivalent qualifications
- Minimum 10+ years in Client Due Diligence, Client Onboarding, AML / KYC gained from Insurance, Private Banking, Wealth Management, Trust / Wealth Structuring
- Proven track record in evaluating HNW/UHNW clients and navigating complex ownership and control structures
- Solid understanding of AML/CFT regulations, sanctions screening, PEP identification, adverse media checks and risk assessment methodologies
- Exposure to trust arrangements reviews, family office setups, leveraged financing structures and offshore entities would be advantageous
- Excellent communication skills with fluency in English
