Yara Owayyed
General Counsel @YouLend
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WORK HISTORY
General Counsel @YouLend
London, GB
Capital Markets: Directed complex cross-border funding structures, including forward flow arrangements, senior facilities and securitizations.• Strategic Commercial Partnerships: Negotiated and facilitated high-value partnership agreements entirely in-house, driving YouLend’s global growth and securing collaborations with platforms like Amazon, Stripe, Mollie, eBay, Shopify and Dojo.• Geographic Expansion and Product Development: Spearheaded YouLend’s entry into new geographies, including the US, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Spain, Ireland, France, Germany and Denmark, while aligning tailored product strategies for UK, EU, and US markets. Contributed to the development of bespoke features and products and introduced merchant-friendly financing agreements in plain language, revolutionizing SME financing.• Strategic Regulatory Structuring: Successfully led authorization process for UK Payment Institution (PI) License from the FCA and PI License in Denmark. Serving as key FCA and DFSA contact (principal user), overseeing reporting requirements and maintaining strong relationship with regulator.• Crisis Management: Decisive leadership during critical incidents.• Legal Technology Implementation: Transformed team operations by introducing a centralized ticketing system, collaborative workspace, and a self-serve knowledge hub, boosting efficiency and reducing reliance on external counsel.• Team Leadership and Growth: Expanded the legal and compliance team, fostering professional development through mentorship programs, cross-department training and tailored onboarding initiatives.• Compliance: Built compliance strategies to navigate diverse regulatory landscapes, enabling seamless international operations and strengthening YouLend’s reputation as a trusted partner in the embedded finance space. Designed and implemented robust frameworks across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring adherence to anti-financial crime and regulatory requirements.
EDUCATION
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Master of Laws (LLM), Law
College of Law and Business | המרכז האקדמי למשפט ולעסקים
Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Law
Columbia Law School
Master of Laws (LL.M.), Law
ABOUT YARA OWAYYED
Trilingual Palestinian lawyer admitted to practice law in New York and Israel, with a career spanning Jerusalem, Washington DC, New York, San Francisco and London.Currently at YouLend, I lead the award-winning Legal and Compliance departments, managing complex cross-border capital markets transactions, negotiating and drafting bespoke commercial partnerships, and spearheading expansion into key markets like the US, France and Germany. I successfully led two Payment Institution (PI) License authorization processes in the UK and Denmark, act as the key FCA contact, and have driven regulatory initiatives, product development, and legal tech innovations to streamline operations and boost efficiency. By positioning Legal and Compliance as strategic enablers, I’ve contributed to YouLend’s global growth and innovation.Formerly with Allen & Overy, Latham & Watkins, and Paul Weiss, I bring a unique blend of global legal expertise and a commitment to excellence. A Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University and the first Palestinian to clerk at the High Court of Justice Department (Bagatz) in the Israeli State Attorney’s Office, I have built my career on navigating complex legal landscapes and delivering strategic solutions.
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