Head of Regulatory & Licensing

This is a hybrid role that requires 4 days/week in our London office (Fitzrovia) / New York City office (Financial District) / Dubai office (Dubai Internet City) / Singapore office.

About Lorum

The structural conflict at the centre of correspondent banking is not technological. It is economic. Banks earn revenue from their balance sheets: they lend deposits, capture FX spreads, and hold funds as long as it is rational to do so. Clearing, the act of releasing funds quickly and predictably, competes directly with those economics. An institution designed to lend has a structural incentive to hold deposits; an institution designed to clear has an incentive to release them. When one institution does both, clearing loses. The result is unpredictable settlement, trapped capital, and a correspondent network shrinking by design.

Why Lorum

Lorum was founded on a different premise: clearing as the business, not a byproduct. The model has been operational since 2023 and grew 55x in 2025, with USD clearing now the majority of volumes alongside a growing treasury offering. We have applied for a U.S. national trust bank charter. The people we hire now will build the clearing and treasury infrastructure it unlocks.

About the role

The Head of Regulatory will lead Lorum's regulatory strategy and help the business navigate a complex international environment. Based in London, this is a strategic, hands-on role spanning regulatory strategy, licensing, product development, market expansion and regulatory change. You will advise senior leadership on the regulatory implications of key business decisions and ensure regulatory considerations are built into Lorum's plans from the outset. You will work closely with Legal, Risk, Compliance, Product and Commercial teams, translating complex requirements into clear, practical decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Shape Lorum's regulatory strategy
• Develop Lorum's regulatory strategy in line with its commercial and product ambitions.
• Advise executive leadership and the Board on material regulatory developments, opportunities and risks.
• Assess the regulatory implications of new products, markets, partnerships and business models.
• Turn complex regulatory questions into clear recommendations and practical actions.
• Maintain a clear view of Lorum's regulatory priorities, permissions and commitments.

Build out Lorum's licensing framework

• Develop and maintain a global licensing framework aligned with Lorum's growth plans.
• Map existing permissions, licence requirements and regulatory dependencies across products and markets.
• Evaluate market-entry options, including direct authorisation, licence expansion, acquisition and regulated partnerships.
• Establish a consistent approach to assessing, prioritising and governing licensing initiatives.
• Lead licensing and authorisation processes from initial assessment through approval and implementation.
• Coordinate input from internal teams, external counsel and other advisers.
• Ensure commitments arising from regulatory approvals are implemented, tracked and reflected in the operating model.

Support product and market expansion

• Partner with Product and Commercial teams to assess new products, propositions and markets.
• Identify regulatory requirements and dependencies early in the planning process.
• Translate regulatory requirements into practical product, governance and operating decisions.
• Provide clear recommendations on regulatory feasibility, sequencing and risk.
• Conduct regulatory due diligence on potential partners and strategic transactions.

Manage regulatory change and implementation

• Monitor developments relevant to Lorum's activities and geographic footprint.
• Assess their impact and coordinate the business response.
• Work with Legal, Risk and Compliance to translate regulatory change into proportionate policies, controls and operating arrangements.
• Give leadership and the Board clear visibility over significant developments, decisions and delivery risks.

Coordinate regulatory matters

• Support significant interactions with regulators and other relevant authorities.
• Prepare Lorum's leadership for regulatory meetings and information requests.
• Coordinate high-quality, consistent regulatory submissions and communications.
• Use external counsel and advisers where specialist input is required while retaining clear internal ownership.

Success in the first 3-12 months

• Established a clear regulatory strategy aligned with Lorum's growth plans.
• Built a structured, scalable licensing framework across products and markets.
• Embedded regulatory input into product development and market-entry decisions.
• Advanced priority licensing and authorisation initiatives.
• Created a structured approach to regulatory change and implementation.
• Given leadership and the Board clear visibility over material regulatory developments, decisions and risks.

Must-Haves

• Significant experience in financial-services regulation, ideally within payments, banking, custody, clearing, treasury services or financial infrastructure.
• Experience advising on products, market entry, licensing and other strategic regulatory matters.
• A track record of developing licensing strategies and leading complex authorisation processes.
• A practical understanding of governance, safeguarding or custody, capital and liquidity, outsourcing, operational resilience and financial-crime controls.
• The ability to assess and compare regulatory regimes across multiple jurisdictions.
• Clear and persuasive communication, including experience preparing executive-, Board- and regulator-facing materials.

Nice-to-Haves

• Experience with UK, European or Middle Eastern regulatory frameworks.
• Experience with cross-border payments, correspondent banking or direct payment-system access.

Benefits

• Flexible vacation policy
• Private Healthcare
• Employee stock ownership (ESOP)
• Flexible working and autonomy
• Pay it forward days - we offer 2 annual pay it forward days where you can take time to volunteer for a charitable cause that is important to you.
• Wellness days - we believe you can only work your best when you feel your best, and we know working at Lorum is intense, so we offer 3 wellness days every quarter where you can take time to re-energize.