Availability: Independent Director (SMF3) | Compliance Officer (SMF16) | MLRO (SMF17) | Full Nominee Services | AEMI/SPI Licensing | BVI & Cayman Islands & US Hedge Fund Board Roles | Non-Executive Director
Independent Director (SMF3) · SMF16 · SMF17 | Open for Nominee & Board Roles

Benjamin Mensah

Governance & Compliance Executive | Private Markets & Global Banking

German Citizen | UK Permanent Resident — Cross-border operation across UK and EU jurisdictions.

German Citizen UK Permanent Resident FCA/PRA SMF3, SMF16, SMF17 Ready AEMI & SPI Licensing Expertise

A seasoned Governance and Compliance Executive with a dual focus on Private Markets and Global Banking, available for board-level appointments and full nominee services. Offers a rare blend of institutional rigour (Barclays Payments) and agile, boutique asset management leadership, specialising in ESG-focused capital raising and international regulatory frameworks. Proficient in offshore and US structures: direct experience co-launching and structuring hedge funds in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and extensive know-how of Cayman Islands fund governance — including fund governance, vendor integration, and regulatory architecture — alongside a proven track record managing liquid capital inflows from US institutions. Available for Independent Director, MLRO, Compliance Officer, full nominee mandates, and AEMI/SPI licensing roles.

Strategic Capabilities

  • ▸ AEMI & SPI Licensing Architecture
  • ▸ Operational Setup & Vendor Integration
  • ▸ Payment Ecosystems (Barclays Payments, £1.2Bn portfolio)
  • ▸ Cross-border HNW & Institutional Onboarding
  • ▸ Algorithmic Trading & Fund Structuring (BVI & Cayman focus)
EU & International ready Capable of holding equivalent Key Function Holder roles for EU-based institutions leveraging German citizenship for frictionless EU board integration.

Professional experience & processes

Vice President – Global Head of Banking / MLRO2023 – Present
Steel Private Bank
United States / EMEA
Originate non-sector specific deals using SBLC, debt/equity. HNW/institutional onboarding. Trade finance, treasury. As MLRO: financial crime systems, AML/KYC, regulatory reporting.
Director / MLRO / Compliance Officer2022 – Present
Steel Private Fund
United States / EMEA (BVI domiciled)
Co-launched BVI hedge fund (FX, commodities). Global operational structure, vendor integration. Managed US institutional subscriptions. Developed algorithmic trading systems. BVI fund governance and US investor compliance.
Managing Director2021 – 2022
PFT CERTX
Spain / United Arab Emirates
Sales & operations director, US/EMEA relationships. Partner at CEO Titan Asset Management, Chair at Zeus Global Asset Management. Leveraged buyouts and mergers for digital assets.
Principal & Founder2020 – Present
Mensah & Alexander Holdings
United Kingdom
ESG-focused boutique holding company. ECM advisory, private offerings, capital raising. Grew book value to $5M USD. Partnerships with law firms, broker-dealers. Raised over $2M.
VP Sales & Operations2020
Bizugo.com
United Kingdom
Lead generation via US private equity and broker/dealer markets. Grew client network over $5M. Averaged $80k monthly closed sales. Full sales cycle, due diligence, SaaS product implementation.
Sales Enablement Executive2018 – 2019
Barclays Payments
United Kingdom
Managed 60+ corporate merchants, £1.2Bn turnover. Product champion, financial reconciliation, data suite analysis. Contributed to £1.3M team target.

Regulatory functions & compliance oversight

SMF3 – Executive Director

Strategic planning, corporate governance, board advisory. Available for Independent Director roles and full nominee director mandates.

SMF16 – Compliance Oversight

Full compliance framework implementation, auditing, regulatory correspondence. Available as Compliance Officer and nominee compliance services.

SMF17 – MLRO

Money Laundering Reporting Officer. Financial crime systems, AML/KYC, SAR reporting. Available as Nominee MLRO for UK and international firms.

AEMI & SPI leadership

Guiding Authorised E-Money Institutions and Small Payment Institutions through licensing and operational setup.

Process expertise & international reach

Operational Setup & Vendor Integration

Origination and setup of financial firms, co-launching emerging managers, global vendor relationships.

Payment ecosystems & reconciliation

Payments landscape via Barclays Payments, £1.2Bn turnover, backoffice reconciliations, data-driven compliance.

EU board integration

German citizen enabling director roles across EU jurisdictions.

BVI, Cayman Islands & United States hedge fund competence

Proven track record in structuring and managing BVI-domiciled hedge funds and comprehensive familiarity with Cayman Islands fund governance standards. Direct responsibility for fund governance, AML/KYC frameworks, and US institutional investor compliance. Available for BVI, Cayman, and US-facing board roles, as well as full nominee director and officer services.

Contact & professional reach

📧
mensahandsons@gmail.com
📞
+44 (0) 7308 040126
Regulatory inbox & availability
For board appointments, compliance advisory, MLRO engagements, full nominee services, or AEMI/SPI licensing processes — direct correspondence. German, English, Twi fluent; conversational German proficiency.

Key functions & roles handled

  • ✓ Independent Director (SMF3) - board advisory & nominee director
  • ✓ Compliance Officer / MLRO (SMF16, SMF17) - full nominee services
  • ✓ AEMI & SPI strategic oversight
  • ✓ Fund governance & AML framework design
  • ✓ Cross-border payments compliance
  • ✓ BVI, Cayman Islands & US hedge fund structuring
UK & EU ready
FCA/PRA fit and proper standards. Eligible for equivalent EU positions. Open to nominee and non-executive mandates globally.