Executive Team

Ian Johnston

Chief Executive

Chief Executive, Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA)

Ian Johnston was appointed Chief Executive of the DFSA in 2022, a position he previously held from 2012 to 2018. 

From 2018 until his reappointment, Mr Johnston provided advice and consultancy to a number of regulatory bodies across the Middle East, Europe and Asia, including on projects funded by the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Originally a lawyer, Mr Johnston held a number of senior positions within the financial sector, including as CEO of one of Australia’s major trustee companies. In 1999, Mr Johnston moved into regulation joining the Australian Securities and Investments Commission as Executive Director, Financial Services Regulation, and spent several terms as an Acting Commissioner. He served as a Special Advisor with the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission from 2005.

Mr Johnston’s impact extends globally as he chaired the Joint Forum, which comprised representatives of major international regulatory standard-setters such as the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS), and the Basel Committee.

Currently, Mr Johnston serves as Vice Chair of the IOSCO’s Africa and Middle East Regional Committee and as an IOSCO Board member. His wealth of experience and commitment to regulatory excellence positions him as a distinguished figure in the global financial landscape.

Mr Johnston is a Board member of two non-profit organisations, the Fred Hollows Foundation (HK) and Opera Scholars Australia.

Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi

Chief Operating Officer

Mr Al Awadhi has more than 22 years of international and local experience in leadership, strategy and innovation across financial services, Islamic banking, real estate, and media and telecommunications. He serves as  the Chief Operating Officer  at the DFSA where he is responsible for operational excellence and for driving the development and implementation of world-class, innovative solutions and smart initiatives.  Mr Al Awadhi oversees the vetting and approval process for entities seeking authorisation to operate within the DIFC. His expertise contributes significantly to maintaining the integrity, efficiency and fairness of the licensing and authorisation process, ensuring the DFSA adheres to international industry standards.

Mr Al Awadhi represents the DFSA on strategic initiatives with Government entities and with local and regional regulators and international standard-setters. He was appointed board member of Dubai Health by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. 

He is a member of the United Arab Emirates National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Illegal Organisations (NAMLCFTC), a member of the General Council on Sustainable Development Goals 17 (SDG17), a member of Al Jalila Foundation Board of Directors, and a member of the Dubai International Communication Committee (DICC) - a Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO) initiative. He is also an International Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Assessor for Mutual Evaluation. 

He plays a leading role in building UAE National capabilities both at the DFSA and within broader society. Previously, Mr Al Awadhi headed the Marketing and Communication division at Abu Dhabi Media, Priority Banking at Emirates Islamic Bank, and was Deputy Head of Retail Banking and Deputy Chief Marketing Officer at Dubai Bank, where he also managed Royal Banking and Wealth Management, Branding, Marketing and Communications. Prior to this, he was the Global Director of Marketing and Sales at Sama Dubai - a member company of Dubai Holding - where he was responsible for over 20 international markets. 

Mr Al Awadhi is a graduate of the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development ‘Impactful Leaders’ Program. He is also an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, a member of Harvard Business School’s Global Alumni Board and a member of the Harvard Business School Middle East Alumni Committee. He has a Master of Law in Commercial Law with a double major in Arbitration & Dispute Resolution and Financial Crimes and Money Laundering, and a Bachelor degree in Applied Business Science. Mr Al Awadhi has published a book entitled ‘The Sustainability of Family Businesses in the United Arab Emirates – A Legal and Operational Perspective for Best Practice.

Justin Baldacchino

Managing Director, Supervision

Justin Baldacchino joined the DFSA in January 2020, where he is responsible for providing an effective and efficient risk-based supervision strategy consistent with the DFSA’s strategic and business objectives.

Mr Baldacchino has 25 years of experience in international finance, and brings a wealth expertise in regulatory interpretation, liaison, and implementation to the organisation. His extensive background encompasses private, commercial, corporate, institutional and investment banking, with a focus on risk, regulatory affairs, compliance, credit, operational and market risk, governance, anti-money laundering (AML), capital, liquidity, innovation, and technology.

Previously, Mr Baldacchino served as the Head of Regulatory Compliance for ANZ Bank, leading the strategic management of regulator relationships in Australia. Prior to that, he worked at JP Morgan in Hong Kong, holding various roles, including Head of Regulatory Compliance, APAC and Head of International Operational Risk, APAC, where he defined and led operational risk control, capital and regulatory governance framework for all business lines across 14 countries. Before JP Morgan, Mr Baldacchino was the Head of Compliance and Risk Governance, Asia for National Australia Bank in Hong Kong, and held several executive roles in Australia.

Mr Baldacchino is a distinguished alumnus of Melbourne Business School, holding an MBA and Post Graduate Diploma, along with a Bachelor of Economics from La Trobe University. He further augmented his expertise by completing the Global Certificate Program for Regulators of Securities Markets from Harvard Law School and the Harvard Executive Program in Regulatory Strategic Management in Boston.

Certified as an AML Specialist, Mr Baldacchino also served as an Executive Board Member for the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists in Hong Kong. Presently, he is a member of The Basel Consultative Group (BCG), fostering collaboration on banking supervisory issues globally.

Patrick Meaney

Managing Director, Enforcement

Managing Director, Enforcement, Mr Patrick Meaney joined the DFSA in January 2018 and has 30 years of experience in regulating financial markets and services.

Prior to joining the DFSA, Mr Meaney was a Manager in the Wholesale Enforcement Department of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for almost seven years focusing on misconduct on listed and OTC financial markets.

Prior to the FCA, Mr Patrick worked in senior legal, regulatory enforcement and forensic investigation roles in Australia, Hong Kong and Japan. This included serving as General Counsel and Head of Enforcement at the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority and Head of Listing Enforcement at Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited.

He is admitted to practice Law in Australia and has postgraduate qualifications in Law and Applied Finance.

Charlotte Robins

Managing Director, Policy and Legal

Charlotte Robins joined the DFSA in May 2024 as Managing Director of Policy and Legal.

She is responsible for leading the further development of the DFSA’s policy framework, managing legal risks, providing comprehensive legal advice and support across all DFSA functions, as well as drafting the administrative laws and rules that form the DFSA’s regulatory framework.

Prior to joining the DFSA, Ms Robins accumulated more than 22 years of experience as a private practice lawyer in Hong Kong. She advised a diverse range of financial institutions – including investment and private banks, fund and wealth managers, and insurance companies on financial services regulation - covering conduct and prudential requirements, strategic business development, regulatory change and risk management.

Ms Robins began her career at Clifford Chance in 2002 and became a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright in 2011. In 2016, she joined at A&O Shearman (formally Allen & Overy) as a partner.

Ms Robins qualified as a lawyer in the United Kingdom and is qualified to practice law in England and Wales, as well as in Hong Kong.

Brad Douglas

Senior Director, Head of Markets, Strategy & Risk

Brad Douglas joined the DFSA in 2010 and brings more than 25 years of experience in advising on capital market transactions and supervising financial markets. Mr Douglas drives the DFSA’s strategic planning, including its annual business planning cycle and engagement with external bodies on strategic issues. He also oversees the organisation’s risk framework, encompassing risk culture, operational risks, and supervisory risk management, as well as the DFSA’s International Relations function.

Before assuming this role, Mr Douglas served as the Director of Markets, overseeing the DFSA’s regulation of primary and secondary market operations. He played a pivotal role in expanding the DIFC bond markets and contributed significantly to DFSA regulation, including policy formulation, enforcement, decision-making and strategy. 

Prior to joining the DFSA, Mr Douglas was a Director in PwC in London and Moscow, where he developed the international capital market’s practice and led numerous large cross-border listing transactions. Additionally, he held secondment positions at the UK Listing Authority and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Muna Dandan

General Counsel and Secretary to the Board

Muna Dandan joined the DFSA in September 2015 as General Counsel and Head of Legal Affairs.

Ms Dandan is the primary legal advisor to the Board of Directors, responsible for advising the DFSA’s Board and its various committees on governance and legal issues. She also oversees the Board Secretarial function, ensuring the effective management of the affairs of the Board and its committees.

As Head of Legal Affairs for eight years, Ms Dandan headed the DFSA’s Legal Division, which is responsible for managing the DFSA’s legal risk and providing legal advice and support for all aspects of the DFSA’s functions, as well as drafting the administrative laws and rules forming the DFSA’s regulatory framework. Since December 2023, Ms Dandan has been Acting Managing Director of Policy and Legal.  

Prior to joining the DFSA, Ms Dandan spent five years as Head of Legal for the corporate and retail banking businesses of Barclays Bank PLC across the Middle East. Before that she served for several years as Senior Legal Advisor for HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, advising on all aspects of HSBC’s operations across the Middle East and North Africa, including their corporate, commercial, private wealth, retail and investment banking business lines.

Ms Dandan obtained her law degree in the United Kingdom and is qualified to practice law in England and Wales, as well as in Hong Kong. Prior to returning to her Middle Eastern roots, Ms Dandan spent over ten years working for international law firms in both London and Hong Kong with a focus on advising large financial institutions and global corporates.