The Story of CLARSEN
How it started
We witnessed firsthand how regulatory processes could overwhelm even the most capable financial institutions. It became clear that with the right expertise, these processes could be simplified, accelerated, and made more effective. CLARSEN was founded to deliver that clarity and speed, backed by deep regulatory experience.
Nikoloz Kandelaki
CEO/Founder
Nikoloz brings 17+ years of finance expertise, including 7 years in leadership roles at the National Bank Georgia. He spearheaded Georgia's crypto regulations & headed the VASP compliance department. His profound supervisory insight covers Banks, PSPs, & VASPs.
Giorgi Kireulishvili
Managing Partner
Giorgi brings 10+ years finance and consulting experience including the National Bank of Georgia Fintech leadership (Central Bank Digital Currency), USAID market experience, and insights from global financial bodies. His data expertise powers Clarsen's AI agents for regulatory clarity.
Marine Tumanyan
Partner / Legal and Compliance
Marine is an Attorney at Law with 16+ years of expertise in financial regulation and banking, including over 11 years at the Central Bank of Armenia. Lead lawyer in the development of Armenia’s Law on Crypto Assets. Marine has extensive experience across both regulatory and private sector institutions.
Mariam Khutchua
Deputy CEO
Mariam brings 15+ years of experience in banking and healthcare oversight, previously heading Georgia’s Pharmaceutical Inspection Division. At Clarsen, she leads Legal, HR Outsourcing, and Marketing departments, driving strategic growth and business development.
Aleksi Korbudiani
AML/CFT Advisor
Aleksi is an AML/CFT specialist with 9+ years of regulatory and supervisory experience at the National Bank of Georgia. He has worked across financial sector policy development, risk-based supervision, and compliance oversight for Banks, non-bank institutions, PSPs, and VASPs.
Shalva Chelidze
Business Process & Solutions Advisor
Shalva is a fintech leader with a strong background in Finance and 10+ years of executive experience within regulated financial institutions. Expert in strategic management and project implementation, with a diverse professional portfolio spanning financial services, manufacturing, and consulting.
Saba Sarjveladze
Lawyer
Saba is a law graduate of the Free University of Tbilisi and the winner of the 2026 European Social Charter Moot Court. He combines strong analytical skills and legal research with practical experience in the private sector to provide effective legal support.
Nuka Elbakidze
Lawyer
Legal professional with an international academic background. Nuka holds a Master’s degree in International Law with academic experience from the University of Trieste. At Clarsen, she supports corporate affairs and regulatory compliance through strategic cross-border research and negotiations.
Tsotne Tskhadadze
Lawyer
Tsotne holds a double degree in Law, integrating European education from Italy, and has successfully passed the Georgian Bar Examination. He leverages his deep legal research skills to deliver innovative and reliable regulatory support for Clarsen’s clients.
Lika Malania
Lawyer
Lika specializes in cross-border regulation and international financial law with an LL.M. from Toulouse Capitole University. Her background includes international donor coordination at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and dispute resolution experience in Paris and Vienna.
Nana Beridze
Intern
Nana is a law student specializing in contract and corporate law with a focus on commercial transactions and intellectual property. She brings a strong interest in regulatory compliance and legal frameworks within the financial sector.
David Dzagania
Operational Risk Specialist
20+ years of experience in logistics and supply chain management, business strategy, and operations. With strong analytical skills in competitor analysis, cost optimization, business administration and operations management.
Keti Betsuashvili
HR Management Advisor
Keti is an HR professional with over 10 years of experience in recruitment, policy design, and organizational development. She focuses on strategic workforce planning and leading HR functions to drive business success.
Eka Machavariani
HR Management Advisor
Eka brings 15+ years of HR leadership across hospitality and banking sectors, including roles at Sheraton and ProCredit Bank. She specializes in organizational transformation, HR digitalization, and aligning human resources with business strategy.
Otar Kovziridze
System Administrator & IT advisor
15+ years of experience scaling and securing robust infrastructures across multiple sectors, including 3+ years at WhiteBIT. Expert in multi-national office integrations, full-stack system administration, cybersecurity, and using advanced technology to drive efficiency, data integrity, and organizational growth.
Who We Are
CLARSEN is a regulatory compliance advisory firm built on the principle that deep specialization and structural alignment with regulators lead to better outcomes for clients. Our internal organization reflects the departments and mandates of central banks and supervisory authorities. This design allows us to cultivate domain-specific expertise across the regulatory spectrum and offer clients tailored, technically sound guidance. Furthermore, our close working relationships with international standard-setting organizations provide us with unique insight into the "source code" of global regulations. This foresight allows us to anticipate changes and advise clients not just on compliance with current rules, but on alignment with the foundational principles that shape future regulatory landscapes.
Our Story
CLARSEN was founded by high-level professionals from the National Bank of Georgia, who witnessed firsthand how the complexity of regulatory processes could slow innovation and burden even the most well-resourced institutions in Georgia and beyond. Drawing on deep experience gained within supervisory authorities and the private sector, we recognized a critical need for a new approach. We set out to create a firm that brings unparalleled transparency, efficiency, and structured guidance to regulatory compliance, ensuring rigor without unnecessary burden. We understand the unique intricacies of the regulatory landscape and are committed to helping institutions here thrive compliantly. Our commitment to understanding the roots of regulation also drives us to engage directly with international standard-setting bodies. This unique perspective ensures our advice is always grounded in the latest global best practices and regulatory evolutions.
What We Do
We work at the intersection of regulation and innovation, leveraging cutting-edge AI agents trained on regulatory frameworks to empower financial institutions to grow responsibly while meeting evolving compliance demands with clarity and confidence.
We support financial sector actors through the full compliance lifecycle: from market entry and licensing to ongoing supervision, audits, expansion into new services or jurisdictions, and facilitating compliant international investment inflows.
Our approach emphasizes:
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Clarity – We break down complex requirements into actionable steps.
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Confidence – We prepare clients for regulatory engagement and scrutiny.
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Efficiency – We streamline documentation, internal processes, and communications.
Whether you’re getting your license, launching a new product, entering a new market, or adapting to new regulations, Clarsen ensures you’re ready — and ahead of the curve.
How We Work
Every engagement begins with a conversation. We take the time to understand your business model, strategic goals, and current regulatory position. From there, we help you define your compliance challenges, map out the relevant regulatory pathways, and co-design a practical roadmap tailored to your organization. To further enhance efficiency and provide immediate insights, our clients benefit from access to proprietary AI agents. These intelligent tools are trained on vast repositories of regulatory intelligence, offering a first line of support to swiftly navigate complex requirements and get instant answers to common compliance queries.
Our Values
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Integrity – We give straightforward, regulator-aligned advice — always.
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Expertise – Our consultants bring years of hands-on regulatory experience.
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Precision – We value clarity, accuracy, and attention to detail.
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Partnership – We collaborate closely with your internal teams to build lasting compliance capacity.