Executive Search & Recruitment · Cyprus

Executive Search & Headhunting in Cyprus.

Partner-led executive search for C-suite, board and senior leadership across FinTech, Forex, Crypto, Payments, Tech, Financial Services and iGaming, based in Limassol, Cyprus and active across Cyprus, EMEA and APAC.

Finding the right executive leader is one of the most decisive moments in a company's trajectory. We treat it that way.

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What We Do

Executive Recruitment, Done Properly.

Emerald Zebra is a specialist executive search and recruitment firm in Cyprus. We maintain an active talent pool at this level as well as headhunt for C-level, board and senior leadership mandates for regulated and high-growth businesses, from a Group CEO, CFO or CTO to a Head of Compliance, Head of Risk or Executive Director.

The best leaders are rarely active candidates. Reaching them takes direct, research-led headhunting and 25 years of relationships and active talent pools across the FinTech, trading, payments, tech and iGaming markets in Cyprus, EMEA and APAC. Every search is partner-led from day one, run by people who understand your market, your competitors and where the right people sit.

We also place senior interim and fractional leadership, including fractional CFO and interim MLRO cover, when you need experienced capacity without a permanent hire.

How A Search Runs

Research-Led, Start To Finish.

01

Brief & Map.

We define the role, the team it leads and the success profile, then map the market to locate every credible candidate.

02

Approach.

We approach passive leaders directly and discreetly, representing your business with the care a senior hire demands.

03

Assess.

Structured assessment against the brief, capability, track record, regulatory fit and cultural alignment, before anyone reaches your shortlist.

04

Close.

We manage offer, negotiation and onboarding, and stay close through the critical first months of the appointment.

Sectors

Where We Search.

FinTechFX / CFD Brokerages Crypto & Digital AssetsPayments & PSPs Prop TradingRegTech BankingiGaming Tech & SaaS ScaleupsEMIs

FinTech C-level executive search is a core specialism, alongside leadership hiring across the regulated sectors we know well.

Regulatory Fluency

We Speak Your Framework.

CySECFCADFSA VARAVASPMiCA MASFSCFSCA

Senior hires in regulated businesses must have the right regulatory fit. We understand what each framework demands of a CEO, Executive Director, CFO, CCO, MLRO or board appointment, and we screen for it.

For Senior Candidates

Exploring Your Next Move?

Many executive mandates are placed confidentially, before they ever reach the open market. If you are a senior leader in FinTech, trading, payments, financial services or technology, submitting your profile (confidentially) puts you on our radar for the right mandate, handled with complete discretion.

Common Questions

Working With Emerald Zebra.

How does executive search differ from your recruitment service?

Executive search is for C-suite, board and senior leadership appointments that need confidentiality, market mapping, structured assessment and dedicated partner-level attention. Our specialist recruitment service covers mid-level and senior specialist roles across all functions. We will advise which approach fits your mandate.

Which locations do you cover?

We are based in Limassol and run executive search across Cyprus, with active mandates throughout EMEA, the UK and APAC. Many searches are cross-border, including relocating leaders into Cyprus and the UAE.

Do you offer interim or fractional leadership?

Yes. Alongside permanent appointments we place interim and fractional senior leaders, including fractional CFO and interim MLRO or compliance cover, when you need experienced capacity quickly.

How do you protect confidentiality?

Sensitive searches, such as replacing a sitting executive or building in stealth, are run with complete discretion. We approach the market quietly and protect both your name and the candidate's throughout.

Start The Conversation

Your Next Leader Is Out There.

Whether you are scaling a team or securing a single critical appointment, we would like to hear about it.

Arrange a Call
What We Recruit

Leadership Roles We Place.

Chief Executives.

CEO, Managing Director and Group Head appointments leading multi-jurisdictional FinTech, brokerage and payments businesses.

Finance Leadership.

Group CFO, Finance Director and Financial Controller, including interim and fractional CFO cover for regulated firms.

Technology Leadership.

CTO, CIO, CPTO and Head of Engineering for trading platforms, payments infrastructure and scaling tech businesses.

Risk & Compliance Leadership.

Chief Compliance Officer, MLRO, Head of Risk and Head of Legal across CySEC, FCA, DFSA and VARA-regulated businesses.

Commercial Leadership.

Chief Commercial Officer, Head of Sales, Head of Marketing and Country Manager appointments driving growth across EMEA and APAC.

Operations Leadership.

COO, Head of Operations, Head of Human Resources and Head of Customer Experience for brokerages, payment platforms and FinTech groups.

Recent Mandates
Where We've Delivered.
Discuss Your Mandate →
C-Suite
Group CEO
Multi-jurisdictional FX/CFD Brokerage — Cyprus & UAE
C-Suite
Chief Technology Officer
Multi-jurisdictional FX/CFD Brokerage — UAE
C-Suite
Group CFO
FinTech Group — Cyprus
Senior Leadership
Head of Compliance
CySEC-regulated Investment Firm — Limassol
Senior Leadership
Head of Marketing
FinTech Payments Platform — EMEA
Senior Leadership
Country Manager
Trading Technology Provider — Southeast Asia
Senior Leadership
Head of Operations
Multi-licensed Global Payment Platform — Cyprus
Senior Leadership
Head of Institutional Sales, EMEA
Forex & CFD Trading Liquidity Provider
FAQs

Common
Questions.

Answers to the most common questions about working with Emerald Zebra on executive search mandates.

How does Emerald Zebra approach executive search?
Every search begins with a detailed consultation to understand your organisation's strategy, culture, leadership gaps and regulatory environment. We build a targeted candidate map, drawing on our international network across FinTech, trading, payments, crypto and financial services. Searches are led personally by Donna Stephenson and Georgia Michaelides, each with 20+ year's of experience and supported by structured scorecards and compensation benchmarking, with regular progress updates against agreed milestones.
What is the difference between retained and contingent executive search?
Retained search involves a committed engagement with phased fees, dedicated research capacity, and structured milestones, best suited for C-suite, board and business-critical roles where depth, confidentiality and market mapping are essential. Contingent search is success-only with no upfront fees, best suited for senior specialist roles. We'll advise which model fits your mandate during the initial consultation.
What engagement models do you offer?
We offer retained, exclusive and contingency engagement models depending on the seniority, complexity and confidentiality of the assignment. For most C-suite and board-level searches, we recommend retained or exclusive structure to ensure dedicated research, full market coverage and candidate discretion. We'll tailor the engagement to your specific requirements.

For executive and senior leadership search, we prefer to work exclusively, and we will explain why. Confidential, research-led headhunting depends on approaching the market quietly and consistently, from one credible source. When a senior role is briefed to several agencies at once, it becomes visible across a small market, the same candidates are approached multiple times with mixed messages, and the strongest people often step back. A single, exclusive search protects your name, gives the role our full commitment, and produces a better shortlist. Where a role does not call for that approach, we will tell you honestly.
I'm a senior executive — how do I register?
Contact Donna Stephenson or Georgia Michaelides using the contact methods above. Your details will be handled with complete discretion. Executive-level mandates are by nature infrequent and highly specific — we match leaders to opportunities as they arise, often confidentially and before they reach the open market. When sending us your CV, we prefer that you also provide us with further information on the locations that you are prepared to consider, package expectations, notice period and the positions that your targeting