Javier Sanz Alvarez

Founder & CEO, SubcontractorAudit

5M+

Users scaled

€100M+

M&A executed

10

Regulatory jurisdictions

200

Team built from scratch

I scale regulated platforms. Over the past decade, I built a digital broker-dealer from zero to 5 million users, culminating in an acquisition by a tier-one US investment bank. I have closed over €100M in cross-border M&A and secured capital-markets and payment licences across 10 jurisdictions on 4 continents.

That experience taught me something: the hardest part of any regulated business is not the technology — it is the compliance infrastructure. Licensing, document validation, risk management, multi-party coordination, audit trails. These are the same challenges that general contractors face every day managing subcontractor compliance.

SubcontractorAudit applies the same rigour I brought to financial regulation to the construction industry. We use AI to automate the document extraction, validation, and tracking that GC compliance teams currently do by hand — reducing a 20-hour-per-week manual process to under 4 hours, with higher accuracy and complete audit trails.

Experience

Founder & CEO

SubcontractorAudit

2026 — Present · Dubai

Building the AI-powered compliance automation platform for general contractors. COI tracking, pay app auditing, and lien waiver management — automated.

VP, Operations & Market Expansion

Alpaca ($1.2B valuation)

2024 — 2026 · Silicon Valley / Dubai

Led the full lifecycle of two cross-border acquisitions (€45M combined). Secured capital markets, crypto, and payment licences across 6 jurisdictions (VARA, CMA, MAS, AIFC, CIRO, GIFT). Expanded trading from US-only to global multi-asset across 8+ new exchanges.

President & CEO

Digital Brokerage (acquired by tier-one US investment bank)

2017 — 2024 · Madrid / London / Mexico City

Built an ESMA-regulated digital broker-dealer from concept to 5M+ users and €5B annual volume — the fastest-growing investment platform in Southern Europe. Designed and executed the strategic pivot to white-label infrastructure, signing contracts with 4 of the world's 20 largest banks by AUM. Led two landmark exit processes, including the acquisition by a tier-one US investment bank.

Head of Operations & Business Development

Emoji Company (Universal Studios)

2014 — 2017 · New York / Dubai

Created a €300M+ annual-revenue global IP-licensing operation from a standing start. Closed multi-million-dollar brand deals with Universal Studios, Sony Pictures, Durex, and Cola Cao across 30+ countries.

Private Equity Analyst

Gala Capital

2013 · Madrid

Financial modelling, due diligence, and market analysis for M&A transactions, debt restructurings, and portfolio valuations at a mid-market PE firm.

Education

Harvard University

Advanced Finance Program (A+)

Private Equity, M&A, Corporate Finance, Financial Statement Analysis

CUNEF Universidad

Bachelor in Finance, Business & Auditing

Valedictorian. Excellence Scholarship (Spanish Banking Association). 1st Place Entrepreneurship Award.

Professional Development

AI & Business Strategy (MIT Sloan)AI for Business (Wharton)Strategic Management (Wharton)Advanced Negotiation (Harvard)Digital Transformation (Yale SOM)Business Analytics (Columbia)Disruptive Strategy (HBS Online)

Let's talk

Want to discuss construction compliance automation, or explore how SubcontractorAudit can help your firm?