The Goalkeeper. A three-part thought leadership series on fintech compliance and sustainable growth. PART 2.

This three-part blog series explores how Alunafi approaches compliance not as an obligation, but as a strategic advantage. Through the experience of Deborah Gatt, Compliance Officer and MLRO, we unpack how regulation, culture, and execution come together to enable sustainable fintech growth.

In Part 1 of this series, we explored how Alunafi approaches compliance as a growth enabler rather than a constraint, setting the foundation for everything that follows.

Building fast & together:
Why culture determines whether compliance works

Fintech startups are built under pressure. Timelines are tight, expectations are high, and resources are limited. Alunafi was no exception. But speed is meaningless without alignment.

From licensing to go-live, the company faced aggressive deadlines that left no room for silos, misalignment, or slow decision-making. Under these conditions, even the best compliance framework would have failed without the right culture to support it.

“The way we all came together doesn’t happen by chance.”

A culture of shared ownership

One of the defining characteristics of Alunafi’s operating model is the absence of rigid role boundaries.

People step beyond job descriptions ; responsibilities are shared when needed. The focus remains on collective outcomes rather than individual ownership.

This mindset proved critical during periods of pressure, including key team departures during important phases of the company’s development. Rather than slowing down, the team redistributed responsibilities and maintained continuity. From an external perspective, clients experienced stability. Internally, collaboration deepened.

Compliance as a connector, not a silo

In many organisations, compliance operates in isolation.

At Alunafi, it acts as a connector between product, operations, onboarding, and leadership. Decisions are rarely made unilaterally. Instead, they emerge from discussion, challenge, and refinement.

This approach encourages what the team refers to as “healthy conflict” — constructive disagreement that improves decision quality. By addressing concerns early and openly, the company avoids costly rework, regulatory surprises, and misaligned priorities.

Achieving the impossible timeline

After receiving its licence, Alunafi was given 12 months to finalise its setup and go live. The company achieved this in half the time.

Initial onboardings began in mid-June. Accounts were live before the end of the month.

For Deborah, this was unprecedented in her three decades of experience.

“In 30 years of experience, I’ve never seen something like that.”

This speed was not the result of shortcuts. It was the outcome of alignment — between compliance, operations, leadership, and purpose.

In Part 3, we turn to what comes next: consolidation, scale, and building for sustainable growth over the long term.