Open to opportunities

Muhammad Inuwa

@muhammadinuwa

Message

Chief Compliance and Financial Crime leader building AML/FinCrime frameworks and leading global teams.

United Kingdom

Message

What I'm looking for

I’m looking to lead and scale AML/financial crime programs—partnering with product and engineering to automate controls, strengthen governance, and deliver regulatory outcomes. I want to build high-performing teams and drive operational excellence in complex markets.

I’m a Senior Compliance and Financial Crime leader with 15+ years of experience designing and scaling AML, Sanctions, and compliance frameworks across fintech, banking, and global markets (EMEA, LATAM, APAC). I’m certified (CAMS, CFE) and passionate about leveraging data, technology, and governance to strengthen financial crime programs.

As Chief Legal & Compliance Officer at Aza Finance, I built and scaled compliance frameworks that reduced regulatory incidents by 60%, and I directed acquisition of an FSCA EMI license and passporting across COMESA & ECOWAS. I’ve led a 25-person global Legal, Risk & Compliance team, implemented AML technology with Product and Engineering (lowering false positives by 30%), and navigated regulatory audits with zero major findings—while also reducing third-party legal spend by 40% through strategic insourcing.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Chief Legal & Compliance Officer

Current

Aza Finance

Jan 2020 - Present (6 years 6 months)

Built and scaled AML, KYC, and sanctions compliance frameworks, reducing regulatory incidents by 60%. Led a 25-person global Legal, Risk & Compliance team and implemented AML technology that reduced false positives by 30%.

AML KYC Sanctions Financial Crime Program Management Risk Strategy Issue Management remediation Governance AML Technology False Positives Reduction Team Leadership Operational Governance

Head of Legal & Compliance (EMEA)

BitPesa

Aug 2017 - Dec 2019 (2 years 4 months)

Oversaw AML and financial crime operations, data protection, licensing, and compliance across EMEA markets. Supported product launches in 5 new jurisdictions and drove GDPR compliance readiness, training, and audits.

AML FinCrime Operations KYC Data Protection Licensing Regulatory Compliance Regulatory Strategy Contract Negotiation GDPR Compliance Training Audit Support

Compliance Due Diligence Manager

Standard Chartered Bank

Feb 2010 - Aug 2017 (7 years 6 months)

Managed KYC/AML onboarding and periodic reviews for corporate and retail clients. Led internal financial crime investigations, supported whistleblowing matters, and partnered with digital transformation teams to roll out AML FinCrime tools for onboarding and monitoring.