Malaysia Country Manager

Job description

We are looking for an experienced Country Manager to lead our business in Malaysia . This is not a traditional hands-off executive role. Based in Kuala Lumpur , you will be responsible for Wise’s overall success in the country, enabling Malaysian customers to experience the best way to move and manage their money across borders. You will be expected to grow the business by orchestrating appropriate go-to-market strategies while also improving and expanding our product offering and customer experience.

Reporting to the Head of Southeast Asia Expansion, you will be in a regulatory accountable role and responsible for the governance of Wise’s Malaysia subsidiaries. You will represent us with key regulatory bodies, and act as the chief spokesperson for Wise in local media and public forums. You will partner closely with global and regional product, engineering, compliance, risk, marketing and operations teams to expand our presence in the market.

What will you be doing? Risk, Compliance & Subsidiary Governance Entity Governance & Board Management: Serve as the CEO for Wise’s relevant licensed entity and as a Board Director, if needed, for Wise’s Malaysia subsidiaries. Direct and prepare local board materials, and ensure subsidiary governance standards meet both regulatory expectations and Wise’ global standards.

Regulatory Compliance Oversight

Own risk, compliance, and governance for our Malaysia entities, partnering with global Product, Risk, Compliance, and Legal teams to ensure absolute compliance with local regulations through robust product design, systemic controls, and oversight.

Corporate Structure Strategy

Evaluate and optimise Wise’ corporate structure in Malaysia, assessing impact on both local licensed operations and the wider Wise Group.

Regulator Relationships

Manage our key relationships with the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), Securities Commission and any other relevant regulatory or government bodies. Lobby these organisations for progressive regulatory changes to achieve our mission.

Operational Resiliency

Collaborate with Risk and Compliance teams to develop, implement, and maintain robust Business Continuity Plans (BCP) to handle unexpected operational or systemic service disruptions in the local market.

Operational Leadership

Have oversight on the day-to-day operations of Wise in Malaysia. Guide strategy and provide cross-functional leadership to colleagues supporting Malaysia operations, many of whom are based in our regional or global offices. Commercial Growth & Product Delivery Financial Partner & SLA Management: Lead commercial and operational negotiations with our partnersand the national payment network. Hold both external financial institutions and internal global service providers accountable to strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

Licensing Strategy & Acquisition

Proactively assess expansion roadmaps and future commercial strategies to identify regulatory licensing requirements; own and lead the end-to-end strategy, preparation, and application process for any new local licenses required to unlock and scale these opportunities.

Product Prioritisation & Execution

Collaborate closely with global product and engineering squads to prioritise and execute new product or feature launches.

Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy

Partner with Product and Marketing leaders to devise and execute the GTM strategy to grow our customer base in Malaysia including defining target audiences, refining positioning, and optimising acquisition channels.

Customer Experience Optimisation

Work closely with Servicing Operations leaders to ensure the end-to-end customer journey - from digital onboarding to payment speed - meets Wise's global standards and exceeds local expectations.

Brand Advocacy & Public Relations

Act as the chief public spokesperson for Wise in Malaysia. Partner with Public Relations, Government Relations, and Marketing teams to build brand awareness by participating in media interviews, public policy forums, customer meetups, and industry events.

Office Leadership & Culture

Play a leading role in the Malaysia office culture, talent attraction and retention along with relevant functional and People team leaders.

Qualifications

You have a wealth of experience in Malaysia payments, fintech or related industries , ideally with direct experience in customer / revenue growth and market / product level ownership. Proven track record of directly liaising with the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) or other regulatory bodies . You have successfully navigated license applications, feature approvals, regulatory reporting, or audit remediations in Malaysia. Deep understanding of the Malaysian payment landscape , DuitNow, clearing rails, card networks, and payments & FX regulations.

An established network within the Malaysian payment industry is preferred. Excellent professional English communication skills . You are highly comfortable presenting complex, technical concepts to regulators and external bank partners, as well as communicating with global internal stakeholders. A self-starter with a bias for action. You are low-ego and happy to roll up your sleeves to map processes, write business proposals, or investigate customer bugs yourself, alongside being a strategic thinker.

Highly data-driven . You use precise data to make business decisions, define clear product metrics, and articulate growth opportunities. Experience leading/building a team and also able to influence without authority.