Hugo Leijtens

Barbara: Thank you very much, Hugo Leijtens, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Cense, for taking the time to speak with Leaders in Finance ahead of the Leaders in Finance Compliance event on September 18th this year, where you’ll also be on stage. To start, could you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit more about your role?

Hugo: Absolutely. I’m Hugo Leijtens, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Cense. I’ve been active at the intersection of finance and technology for over 25 years — and I’ve always been drawn to environments where complexity needs to be decoded to create safety and clarity. That’s exactly what we do at Cense: we build software that helps financial institutions safely navigate the world of crypto, with compliance at the core. From the start, I’ve focused on designing systems that bring transparency, control, and above all — security — to an industry undergoing rapid transformation.

Barbara: What do you enjoy most about your current role?

Hugo: What I value most is that I get to operate at the crossroads of innovation and public responsibility. At Cense, I lead the strategic direction of our product, helping institutions strengthen their defenses against financial crime — especially in the crypto space. But I also serve as an expert on criminal money flows for the RIC, where I contribute to national efforts against organized crime. That dual perspective — private and public — allows me to ensure that what we build serves both safety and progress.

Barbara: That’s really fascinating — especially since it gives you the opportunity to see both perspectives.

Hugo: It does, and it’s extremely useful. Understanding how law enforcement tackles financial crime informs how we structure our technology. It ensures that our software doesn’t just comply with the letter of regulation, but aligns with the spirit of public safety. That connection is vital — it ensures the tools we develop support a financial ecosystem that’s resilient, responsible, and secure by design.

Barbara: And what do you see as the biggest challenge right now when it comes to the compliance role in financial services?

Hugo: Without question: crypto complexity. Financial institutions are being asked to manage risk in a domain that’s still unfamiliar and rapidly evolving. Different networks, asset types, transaction models — each with unique risk profiles. The key challenge is making this understandable and manageable. Our mission is to strip away the noise and present crypto risk in a way that compliance officers can trust — clear, actionable, and aligned with their existing frameworks. That’s how we help protect both institutions and the wider financial system.

Barbara: Could you also share some concrete examples or emerging trends you’re seeing in the compliance space?

Hugo: A significant shift is the introduction of regulatory frameworks like MiCA — finally bringing structure to crypto across the EU. This marks a real step forward in ensuring crypto businesses uphold the same level of accountability as traditional finance. Another important development is the growing role of stablecoins. These are rapidly becoming the primary medium of exchange in crypto. But their simplicity is deceptive — without robust oversight, they can just as easily be used to facilitate illicit finance. So, it’s essential we bring the same risk-based scrutiny to stablecoins as we do to other financial instruments.

Barbara: At our upcoming Leaders in Finance Compliance event, we’ll also be discussing operational resilience. In general, do you see technology as a compliance opportunity or a risk?

Hugo: It’s absolutely an opportunity — but one that must be handled with care. Automation can dramatically increase compliance accuracy and speed, but only if the underlying logic is secure and auditable. That’s why at Cense, we don’t rely on opaque AI models — we use deterministic heuristics, which are transparent, explainable, and verifiable. In a high-stakes field like compliance, you must be able to justify every decision. We automate to strengthen defenses, not to bypass them.

Barbara: Exactly — that’s the key question. I could ask many more, but let me wrap up with the one we ask everyone: do you have any advice for people at the start of their careers who want to work in compliance, crypto, or related fields?

Hugo: Definitely. My advice is: understand the why. It’s not just about following rules; it’s about safeguarding systems people depend on. Even if you’re not a legal expert, immerse yourself in the regulatory landscape — AMLD, MiCA, FATF guidance — and understand the purpose behind them. Compliance is one of the most important tools we have to protect the integrity of the financial world. And in a crypto context, where trust is often fragile, clarity and security are everything. The real impact of your work isn’t just operational — it’s societal.

Barbara: Great point. We’ll leave it here for now and pick things up on 18 September at the Leaders in Finance Compliance event, where you’ll also be on stage. For now, Hugo Leijtens, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Cense — thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us.

Hugo: Thank you. Looking forward to the event.