REAL SolUTIONS. DEAL IMPACT. ADVISORY YOU CAN TRUST.
Real Deal Advisory partners with high-growth technology and financial companies to design bank-grade compliance, privacy, and risk programs — replacing restrictive, check-the-box compliance with systems built to unlock new markets and withstand regulatory scrutiny.
Founded by Lesley O’Neill — a New York–admitted attorney and certified compliance executive with 15+ years leading bank-grade compliance, regulatory strategy, and privacy governance for tier-one technology and financial institutions — Real Deal Advisory brings the same board-level rigor used at leading global platforms directly to your team.
15+ YEARS
Real Deal Advisory builds enterprise control systems for regulated businesses, backed by 15+ years of senior compliance leadership across crypto, identity, and global financial institutions. The firm partners directly with founders, executive teams, and boards to replace reactive, check-the-box compliance with proactive infrastructure — designed not just to satisfy regulators, but to hold up under real scrutiny as companies scale into new markets.
The firm's approach spans data privacy and AI governance, RWA tokenization, enterprise cybersecurity controls, BSA/AML and market integrity frameworks, and regulatory licensing strategy — each built to integrate into how a business actually operates, rather than sitting on top of it as friction. Whether the challenge is preparing for a first regulatory exam, standing up a compliance function from scratch, or architecting governance for an entirely new asset class, Real Deal Advisory brings board-level rigor to the problem.
The result is market trust that compounds: the kind of trust that shortens due diligence timelines, satisfies institutional counterparties, and lets ambitious companies move fast without accumulating risk they'll have to pay down later.
Before founding Real Deal Advisory, its approach was forged in senior leadership roles at:
Prime Ledger
Chief Risk & Compliance Officer · Leading regulatory and risk infrastructure for digital asset advisory and lifecycle solutions for real-world assets.
Binance.US
Chief Compliance Officer · Directed regulatory strategy, BSA/AML and fraud programs, and CFTC DCM/DCO licensing initiatives.
Prove Identity
CCO & Interim General Counsel · Built global compliance and privacy programs across three M&A acquisitions and IPO readiness.
EY & Bloomberg LP
Global Privacy Counsel and cybersecurity policy framework lead across enterprise technology and data governance environments.
Current advisory roles
Real Deal Advisory’s approach is shaped by direct operating experience inside the companies it now advises.
Astralis Chain — Enterprise DEX for RWAs and IDV Services.
Flipper AI — DEX and trading aggregator leveraging AI for multi-market execution and smart routing.
Evedex — Hybrid self-custodial exchange combining centralized liquidity with decentralized risk and settlement controls.
Optoutrights.org — automated opt-out mechanisms and privacy rights tools for consumers.
Engagement
Bring your compliance strategy into focus.
Real Deal Advisory partners with leadership teams navigating consequential risk, compliance, privacy, and regulatory decisions.
If you’re interested in any of the services listed above, contact: lesley@realdealadvisory.com.