Director, Japan Business Development and Responsible Director
Overview
Mesh is building out its presence in Japan, and we're looking for someone to lead that build from the ground up. This is a dual mandate. Half of the job is commercial: you own Mesh's growth in one of the most important and complex markets in APAC, building relationships with exchanges, PSPs, banks and fintechs. The other half is governance: you'll serve as a director of Mesh's Japan entity, holding statutory responsibility for local representation and board-level accountability. You'll operate with real autonomy from day one. This is not a role where you wait for a playbook. You're building the playbook, the pipeline and the local presence at the same time.
What You'll Do
Own Mesh's commercial pipeline in Japan across exchanges, PSPs, banks and fintechs, from first conversation to signed contract
Build and manage relationships with the key players in Japan's crypto and payments ecosystem
Act as Mesh's primary representative in market, to partners, prospective clients and regulators
Serve as a director of Mesh's Japan entity, with statutory responsibility for local governance and board reporting
Work closely with Mesh's global business development, legal and compliance teams to keep local activity aligned with company strategy
Report regularly to senior leadership on pipeline, market development and commercial progress
Partner with Mesh's Compliance Officer and outside counsel to navigate Japan's regulatory environment as the business scales
Recruit and manage a small local team as the Japan operation grows
Who You Are
10+ years in payments, fintech or financial services, with meaningful time in crypto or digital assets
Experience serving as a company director in Japan, or strong working familiarity with Japanese corporate governance and board obligations
A real network across Japan's exchange, PSP and financial services landscape, built over years, not weeks
Business-level fluency in both Japanese and English (a native Japanese speaker is preferred, given the nuances of business communication and the complexity of local regulatory contexts)
A track record of closing complex, multi-stakeholder commercial deals
Comfort operating with significant autonomy in a fast-moving, early-stage environment
Prior engagement with Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA)
Based in Tokyo, or able to relocate
Nice to Have
Existing relationships with major Japan exchanges or fintech platforms
Experience standing up or scaling a regional operation for a global company
The estimated base salary for this position is ¥23,973,000 to ¥39,955,000. The compensation range provided may span multiple career levels and will be narrowed during the interview process based on factors including a candidate's experience, skills, qualifications, and geographic location. The base salary range listed excludes commission (if applicable), equity, and benefits. The pay range represents the minimum and maximum target for new-hire compensation. Actual compensation may vary and may be higher or lower depending on individual circumstances.