MD/ General Manager – Precious Metals Trading

Title: MD/ General Manager – Precious Metals Trading

Designated RO for SFC activities Types 2, 3 and 5 likely required

Location: HK Island

***** Sole Agency: Exclusive Mandate******

Background:

Harbridge Partners is pleased to be exclusively mandated for this senior search.

Our client is one of the worlds foremost banking, investment and technology-enabled businesses with an incredible balance sheet.

Due to business growth and target towards new products and services, the group in Asia is seeking to develop and grow its own Precious Metals and Bullion trading platforms.

As such, we are looking to hire a Greater China experienced business leader with excellent understanding (and accompanying SFC or similar licenses) to lead strategize and lead this new business division.

Resources available and capabilities of this client are unquestioned. The person suitable for this role must have worked in Asia within Precious Metals and / or Bullion or Commodities trading.

Spoken /reading/ writing Mandarin skills are absolutely necessary for this role.

Role Description:

The person will act as the General Manager/ Managing Director of the business unit.

He/ she will serve as the core strategic leader of this new business division, fully responsible for building the companys precious metals business from the ground up and scaling it into a regional/ global commercially successful operation.

This role reports directly to the Groups CEO and senior management. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in the global precious metals markets and a strong understanding of banking, finance, and the scope for digital / online platforms.

He/ She will be a visionary with the ability to seamlessly integrate traditional precious metals market experience with modern online platforms, driving the development and growth of an innovation-oriented, internationally competitive exchange business covering spot gold, gold derivatives, ETFs, and new digital gold/ previous metal products.

Compliance/ Licensing Requirements:

The person should currently be SFC licensed or hold similar licenses for other jurisdictions. The SFC Licensing Categories for Precious Metals of interest are:

1. Type 2 (Dealing in Futures Contracts): Required for firms trading, marketing, or hedging metal futures/derivatives.
2. Type 3 (Leveraged Foreign Exchange Trading): Required for leveraged trading of precious metals (e.g. LOCO, London Gold, ).
3. Type 5 (Advising on Futures Contracts): Required for providing advice on metal futures.

And understand the Hong Kong Primary Regulatory Regime (Customs & Excise) under category for physical Previous Metals Trading under category A.

Key Responsibilities

Business Strategy & Platform Development

● Lead the development of the companys overall precious metals business strategy, defining product positioning, target customer segments, and differentiated competitive advantages.

● Own the functional design and operational framework for the precious metals trading platform, driving the launch and implementation of core product lines including spot, forwards, swaps, and lending products.

● Combine the companys technology strengths and digital financial capabilities to advance product innovation, including gold price-linked products, digital gold, and precious metals wealth management solutions.

Potential Market Development & Institutional Relationships

● Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with key institutional clients, including banks, gold refineries, jewellery groups, and asset management firms.

● Lead strategic engagement with major market infrastructure institutions such as the Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE) and the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) to support platform internationalisation.

● Expand institutional client and partner networks across priority regions, including the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Regulatory Compliance & Industry Engagement

● Oversee the preparation, application, and ongoing maintenance of regulatory licenses and approvals necessary for platform operations, and maintain effective communication with financial regulators in Hong Kong and other relevant jurisdictions.

● Establish market conduct standards aligned with international best practices, drawing on frameworks such as the LBMA Global Precious Metals Code to develop a robust compliance regime.

● Represent the company at industry associations and international precious metals forums, enhancing the companys professional influence and brand presence in the sector.

Cross-functional Collaboration & Team Building

● Collaborate closely with the Groups digital banking, electronic payments, and technology teams to ensure seamless systems integration and create synergy between the precious metals business and existing business lines.

● Build and lead a specialized precious metals business team, establishing a complete front, middle, and back office infrastructure to support sustainable operations.

● Contribute to the Groups overall strategic planning by embedding the precious metals business into broader initiatives, including the Asia Pacific and Greater Bay Area and global banking,digital finance, and trading agendas.

Candidate Requirements

Education

● Bachelor's degree or above in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, Law, or a related field; Master's or PhD preferred

Experience

● Minimum of 10+ years of experience in precious metals, commodities, or financial markets, including at least 3 years in a senior management or business management role

● Substantive working background at a major precious metals exchange would be highly preferred (SGE, LBMA, CME/COMEX) or relevant financial institution (investment bank, spot trading house commodities bank)

● Proven track record of building a precious metals business lines, launching new products, or expanding into cross-border markets; experience in fintech or digital platforms is a strong advantage

Core Competencies

● Deep knowledge of precious metals markets, spanning spot, lending, forwards, swaps, and custody products

● Clear commercial insight into the convergence of digital finance, payments technology, and precious metals business

● Strong ability to build and manage institutional relationships, with an established reputation among regulators, central banks, and key market participants

● Solid understanding of Asia and Mainland China's domestic gold market policies, RMB internationalisation, and cross-border regulatory frameworks

Language Skills

● Fluency in Mandarin and English, with the ability to represent the organization in senior-level external engagements

● Cantonese proficiency is an advantage.

Application Process:

Suitable applicants must send an updated resume (English or Chinese) directly to the Retained Search Partner, Harbridge Partners, and for the attention of one of our Managing Partners, Edward Chen, ec(at)harbridgepartners(dot)com.

Enquiries can also be made directly via text or WhatsApp (and must include a LinkedIn profile URL) to +852 67401169.

Enquiries without identifying clearly the applicants full name and background suitability will not be accepted.

Harbridge Partners Limited in Hong Kong is a licensed Employment Agency in Hong Kong, Licence Number: 79129

www.harbridgepartners.com