Founding CEO - New Venture AI in London

iBanFirst is a fast-growing European fintech that is revolutionising international payments for SMEs. Founded in 2016, our platform empowers Small & Medium Multinationals (SMMs) to regain control over their payment operations: currency conversion, international transactions and foreign exchange risk management across 140 countries — quickly, transparently and securely. We make life easier for SMEs through an advanced technology platform — including automation, APIs and AI — combined with dedicated expertise, offering the best of both worlds: the agility of a SaaS solution and the reliability of a trusted partner. By simplifying complexity, iBanFirst helps thousands of bold companies seize global business opportunities with peace of mind.

Key figures:

• 350+ employees across 14 offices in 11 European countries
• 30+ nationalities represented
• 10,000 corporate clients
• €80M in revenue in 2025, with a target of around €100M in 2026
• Profitable for nearly two years
• Ranked for 7 consecutive years in the Financial Times FT1000
• An NPS of 87.5, reflecting the simplicity, speed and quality of our service

About the opportunity:

iBanFirst is exploring and launching a new entrepreneurial initiative at the intersection of artificial intelligence, finance and business transformation. The initiative is supported by iBanFirst and its Founder & CEO, but is designed to operate with the speed, autonomy and ambition of a new venture. We are looking for a Founding CEO to turn an initial opportunity into a real business. The project is still confidential and further details will be shared progressively during the recruitment process. This is a highly entrepreneurial and hands-on role. You will not be joining an established business with a predefined structure, team or playbook. You will help shape the strategy, test the market, build the first relationships, sell the initial engagements and deliver the first consulting assignments before building a team. The role is ideally based in London, with Paris or Brussels also considered.

The role:

You will work directly with the Founder & CEO of iBanFirst and take ownership of building the new venture from its earliest stages. In the early stages, you will be both the commercial lead and the delivery lead. You will be responsible for identifying opportunities, selling the first engagements and delivering the related consulting work directly with clients. In the beginning, you will be highly hands-on: exploring the market, developing the proposition, speaking with potential customers and partners, structuring the first projects and testing what works. As the business gains traction, you will progressively build the operating model, recruit a team and develop a scalable and profitable organisation.

Business building:

• Build the first relationships with potential customers and partners
• Identify and qualify opportunities
• Scope client needs and translate them into clear proposals and engagements
• Sell the first consulting assignments and contribute to closing the initial deals
• Define the scope, approach, deliverables and success criteria for each engagement
• Build the first methodologies, processes and delivery standards
• Develop a repeatable and profitable model for both selling and delivering the services

Hands-on execution:

• Move quickly from strategy to execution and take direct responsibility for the first engagements
• Personally deliver the initial consulting assignments, from scoping and preparation to client presentation and follow-up
• Work directly with senior client stakeholders to understand their needs, structure recommendations and support implementation
• Prepare analyses, recommendations, presentations and other client-facing deliverables
• Lead workshops, working sessions or training initiatives where relevant
• Track client outcomes, gather feedback and continuously improve the service offering
• Balance commercial development with high-quality delivery and client satisfaction

Operating model and growth:

• Define the foundations of the venture’s operating model
• Establish the appropriate processes, tools and reporting routines
• Build a financially disciplined and scalable business model
• Identify the capabilities and resources required to support growth
• Recruit and develop a team once the model and priorities have been validated
• Create a strong culture based on ownership, speed, quality and customer impact

AI and technology:

• Develop a strong understanding of how AI is changing business and finance
• Identify practical opportunities to use AI to improve products, services or ways of working
• Stay informed about relevant tools, technologies and market developments
• Help ensure that the venture remains pragmatic, useful and focused on measurable impact

What success looks like:

After 3 months:

• A clear view of the market opportunity and priority customer needs
• Initial positioning and value proposition defined
• First customer and partner conversations underway
• First opportunities identified, sold and delivered directly
• Initial client feedback collected and incorporated into the service offering
• Initial commercial and operating assumptions tested
• A clear roadmap for the next stage of development

After 6 months:

• Initial commercial traction and first projects or pilots underway
• A more clearly validated and repeatable offer
• First operating processes and delivery standards in place
• A clear view of the resources and capabilities required to scale
• Recommendations for the next phase of investment and growth

After 12 months:

• A credible and increasingly repeatable business model
• A growing pipeline and initial revenues
• A clear operating model and development roadmap
• The first team members recruited where relevant
• A strong foundation for building a scalable and profitable business

Who you are:

Above all, you have a founder mindset. You are energised by building from scratch, working with limited resources and figuring things out as you go. You are comfortable moving between strategy and execution, and you are willing to do the work yourself before building a team around it. You are comfortable being both the person who opens the door and the person who delivers the work. You are able to sell, understand the client’s needs, structure the approach and personally deliver a high-quality outcome. You are:

• Entrepreneurial — you are motivated by building something new, not simply managing an existing organisation
• Hands-on — you are ready to sell, structure, deliver, analyse and iterate
• Commercially minded — you know how to identify opportunities, open doors and create traction
• Structured — you can turn ambiguity into priorities, plans and measurable actions
• Resourceful — you find practical solutions and make progress with limited resources
• Direct and reliable — you communicate clearly, act with integrity and build trust quickly
• Highly autonomous — you do not need a fully defined framework to move forward
• Curious about AI and technology — you are genuinely interested in how they can transform businesses
• Comfortable with uncertainty — you see an evolving project as an opportunity rather than a problem
• Client-facing credibility — you can build trust with senior stakeholders and represent the venture professionally
• High standards of execution — you care about the quality, usefulness and impact of your deliverables

Ideal background:

Strong candidates may come from a variety of backgrounds, including:

• Founder or early employee experience in a start-up or scale-up
• Strategy or management consulting combined with hands-on entrepreneurial experience
• Chief of Staff, Strategy, Product or Business Operations experience in a fast-growing company
• Business development or commercial leadership in a technology-driven environment
• Experience in finance transformation, digital transformation, AI consulting or technology services
• Experience working directly with a founder, CEO or senior executive on strategic initiatives

Experience in fintech, financial services, B2B SaaS or professional services would be valuable, but is not essential. Fluency in English is required. Fluency in French or a strong connection to the French-speaking business environment would be a big advantage.

What we offer:

• The opportunity to become the Founding CEO of a new venture
• Direct exposure to and collaboration with the Founder & CEO of iBanFirst
• The autonomy to shape the strategy, positioning and operating model
• The opportunity to work at the intersection of entrepreneurship, AI, technology and finance
• The credibility, resources and support of an established and profitable European fintech
• A genuinely hands-on role with significant responsibility from day one
• The opportunity to build a team and scale the business as the model is validated
• An international working environment
• A competitive compensation package, to be discussed

Recruitment Process:

1. Initial screening with Malorie Petitjean — Talent Acquisition 30 minutes — remote Purpose: General fit, motivation, availability and first-level assessment.
2. First conversation with Pierre-Antoine Dusoulier — Founder & CEO 30 minutes — remote Purpose: Mutual fit, entrepreneurial mindset and motivation for the opportunity.
3. Deep-dive conversation(s) Format to be confirmed Purpose: Alignment on the opportunity, operating model, expectations and next steps.

As the project is confidential, further information will be shared progressively throughout the recruitment process.