Group Risk Director (GRD001)

Foreground is partnering with a diversified investment holding group in Kuwait to appoint a governance-oriented and enterprise-minded Group Risk Director, based in Kuwait City. With a portfolio spanning financial services, real estate, education, and healthcare, the group seeks to institutionalize its risk management framework to better align with regulatory expectations, shareholder governance, and sustainable growth priorities.

Role Purpose

To design, implement, and oversee a comprehensive enterprise risk management (ERM) framework across all business units and subsidiaries, enabling proactive identification, assessment, and mitigation of operational, strategic, regulatory, and financial risks.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and institutionalization of the groups risk management framework, ensuring alignment with board governance structures and Kuwait Capital Markets Authority (CMA) requirements.
• Oversee enterprise risk assessment activities across all subsidiaries and asset classes, identifying emerging risks and defining acceptable thresholds of exposure.
• Establish internal policies and tools for risk identification, escalation, and mitigation, including scenario planning, stress testing, and incident response procedures.
• Act as the primary advisor to the Group CEO and Board Risk Committee, preparing quarterly risk dashboards, internal audit follow-ups, and board-level reporting.
• Collaborate closely with compliance, internal audit, and legal teams to ensure alignment on governance, financial controls, and regulatory obligations.
• Build and lead a cross-portfolio risk management team, embedding risk awareness across operational, project, and investment functions.
• Lead risk training sessions and awareness programs across the group to strengthen decision-making and accountability at all levels.
• Oversee risk management technology adoption, including risk registers, control libraries, and reporting systems.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• 15+ years of progressive experience in enterprise risk, internal controls, or audit leadership roles within diversified groups, investment firms, or regulated entities.
• Strong working knowledge of Kuwait CMA governance guidelines and GCC regulatory standards for group-level risk management.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional risk functions with exposure to varied industries and jurisdictions.
• Bachelors degree in Finance, Accounting, Risk Management, or related field; CIA, CPA, or IRM/FRM certification strongly preferred.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with fluency in English; Arabic proficiency is preferred.
• Strategic mindset with the discipline and structure to embed risk controls into high-growth and founder-led environments.