Crypto Prime Broker GCEX Promotes Gulf Sales Executive to Head Dubai Unit

GCEX promoted Alya Marrakchi to managing director of GC Exchange FZE, its Dubai-based crypto broker-dealer, today (Monday). The Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) approved the appointment, according to the announcement.

Marrakchi joined the sales team of London-headquartered GCEX in June 2025 to build institutional relationships across the United Arab Emirates and the wider Gulf. GCEX said she grew its regional client base and pipeline over that period.

Founded in 2018, GCEX sells crypto and FX liquidity, prime brokerage and white-label technology to institutional and professional clients. The Dubai entity is the only GCEX business licensed by VARA and serves qualified and institutional investors.

The UK arm, which offers FX and CFDs, reported turnover of £2.77 million and a pre-tax loss of £545,191 for 2025, after spending on staff, compliance and marketing Marketing Marketing is defined as the business process of identifying, anticipating and satisfying customers' needs and wants.This is a crucial element of any operation or brokerage in the financial services space. Well-funded marketing campaigns are instrumental to the survival and longevity of these companies in an increasingly competitive industry.Within the forex space, marketers perform a wide range of functions to help procure, secure, or retain clients.In particular, newer forex brokers also have t Marketing is defined as the business process of identifying, anticipating and satisfying customers' needs and wants.This is a crucial element of any operation or brokerage in the financial services space. Well-funded marketing campaigns are instrumental to the survival and longevity of these companies in an increasingly competitive industry.Within the forex space, marketers perform a wide range of functions to help procure, secure, or retain clients.In particular, newer forex brokers also have t Read this Term.

From Payments Sales to the Dubai Post

Before GCEX, Marrakchi held business development roles at Hubpay, a cross-border payments company regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) in Abu Dhabi, and at Clarify B2B in London.

She started her career at RisKover, a Moody's Analytics partner focused on financial regulation and risk, where she worked on its entry into the Dubai market. She speaks English, Arabic and French, according to the release.

Lars Holst, founder and chief executive of GCEX, said the promotion gives Marrakchi "the mandate to match the impact she's already having."

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Third Senior Appointment in Dubai This Year

The move follows two other changes at the Dubai entity. In July, GCEX added Mohammed A. Mulla, who spent 16 years at Finalto, to its board. Mulla was the liquidity Liquidity The term liquidity refers to the process, speed, and ease of which a given asset or security can be converted into cash. Notably, liquidity surmises a retention in market price, with the most liquid assets representing cash.The most liquid asset of all is cash itself.· In economics, liquidity is defined by how efficiently and quickly an asset can be converted into usable cash without materially affecting its market price. · Nothing is more liquid than cash, while other assets represent The term liquidity refers to the process, speed, and ease of which a given asset or security can be converted into cash. Notably, liquidity surmises a retention in market price, with the most liquid assets representing cash.The most liquid asset of all is cash itself.· In economics, liquidity is defined by how efficiently and quickly an asset can be converted into usable cash without materially affecting its market price. · Nothing is more liquid than cash, while other assets represent Read this Term provider's founding vice president for MENA and Asia.

In January, it hired Carmen Tan from CoinW Exchange as managing director for the Middle East and North Africa, with a remit that included the same VARA-regulated entity. Monday's announcement did not mention Tan, and it is not clear whether her role has changed.

Marrakchi said the region is "one of the fastest-moving regulated digital asset markets globally" and that she plans to grow the local team.

GC Exchange FZE received a preparatory license from VARA in February 2023 and a full operating license in November that year.

GCEX is also authorized by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK and, since December 2025, holds a license under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) from Denmark's Financial Supervisory Authority.