Head of Trade Products
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
Total years of experience :34 years, 8 Months
Achievements
Taking full and solo ownership of Trade Product Dept.
Successfully undertaking the functions of multiple roles (previously the number of staff in the department was 5 FTEs).
Successfully delivered the SWIFT changes in time despite the tight timeframe.
Sustain undisrupted BAU.
Being the only reference and subject matter expert for trade technicalities for business and other stakeholders.
Delivered a very successful training which lead to acquiring business from Central Bank of Iraq.
Introduced and built relationship with Multinational organizations which will result in bringing business to ADIB.
Satisfactory audit reports (Internal and Sharia).
Responsibilities:
Strategy and execution: Develop and deliver a Trade Finance Product Strategy
Trade Finance Product Development: Address any gaps in trade finance product suite by development of effective solutions and ensuring that products are aligned with WBG and GTB strategy and meet customer needs. Ensure that such products meet Sharia, legal and regulatory requirements
Monitor and track business performance, products utilization to support growth of GTB portfolio
Trade Experience: Managing the business performance of Trade products from operations view.
Engaging with operation to evaluate and enhance customer experience by streamlining the process and optimize efficiency
Responsible for ensuring compliance, operational risk, Sharia and other stakeholders agreed to the change of the process
Close coordination with stakeholders for the development of new products and solutions
Support the business and operations to streamline and reengineer processes to enhance control
Assist GTB sales team, WBG RMs, FI RMs and international Branches in identifying appropriate product structures and structuring trade facilities
Review, evaluate and manage trade finance risks, to ensure adherence to the Bank’s risk framework and wider industry regulations
Problem solving and technical expertise given to operation, Sharia and other stakeholders including international branches when needed
Sharia Trade Product expertise and stakeholder consensus: Provide critical Sharia expertise as GTB’s focal point in coordinating trade related products and projects with Sharia colleagues to facilitate market leading Sharia compliant trade products and automated, digitally enabled processes.
Build consensus in creating and maintaining detailed product programs and processes together with Sharia and other stakeholders.
Reporting to the Group and Global Head of GTB
This position after the Transformation will be the Group and Global Head of Trade:
Main Responsibilities
•Responsible for the business performance of all GTB Trade products from operations prospective.
•Managing the business analysts and IT infrastructure to ensure end to end process.
•Provide strategic direction in rolling out future trade products.
•Lead the project in compliance and banking policies, procedures and regulatory directives related to Trade Products.
•Evaluate the operational processes and drive the changes and process re-engineering to optimize efficiency within the control framework.
•Implement trade finance system and driving change management across operations.
•Responsible for all UAT and other testing during the trade system implementation.
•Responsible for ensuring compliance, operational risk, sharia and other functions have agreed to the re-engineered processes.
•Responsible for the client experience for trade and channel products.
•Ensure due diligence and understanding with Policies/Procedures of the bank, Regulatory regime, particularly international trade conventions such as UCP, URC, URR, ISP, ISPB etc., under the ambit of Islamic Financing Products.
•Responsible for ensuring all Bank policy guidelines are adhered to while execution of routine transactions.
•Ensure proper accounting treatment and booking of all assets and liabilities on the system.
•Responsible for the billing of all fees and commission as per institutional standards.
•Ownership of all overseas branch trade operations and extend strong hand holding to them in complex transactions.
•Achieve department goals and objectives as agreed and continuously monitor performance against these identified goals.
•Plan future enhancements and processes for the trade products and improving the client experience.
•Creating value on trade operations on year on year basis by bringing in efficiency and reducing human intervention.
•Represent the business at decision making forums internally and externally.
•Provide strategic directions to Trade Finance Department to achieve the planned Trade Finance business targets.
•Develop and agree on the Trade Finance business development strategy to support the overall achievement of Banks business goals.
•Ensure corporate trade transactions are processed and authorized in an efficient and accurate manner as per Bank’s policies and procedures within the stipulated TATs.(Turn Around Time).
•Ensure that MIS is in place and regulatory reporting is being performed in a timely manner.
•Ensure risk management, cost control, audit compliance (satisfactory rating), internal and external reporting obligations are met to ensure quality and to protect the interest of the Bank.
•Execute projects related to trade finance operations, ensure their timely completion, achievement of objectives and cost efficiencies.
•Ensure that all Trade Finance transactions are properly accounted in applicable systems, within pre-set standardized turnaround times for all trade finance activities and service level agreements with business units.
•Ensure that all transaction processing is in compliance with regulatory and Bank’s policies, procedures and standards with prompt intervention to resolve problems / concern areas.
•Ensure that maintenance of transaction records, documents and create archival system for easy retrieval.
•Develop and maintain relations with partner banks and Central Bank in order to facilitate and ensure smooth working support and quick resolution of issues.
• Communicating with the National Agencies and other external parties for developing and promoting the Program financing and guarantee products. • Studying and providing the technical knowledge and experience, driving the strategic promotion of the Program. • Managing and supervising the daily work of the Trade Finance Division. • Cooperating with Legal Department for establishing the Financing Agreements. • Maximizing the utilization of the established credit lines with the National Agencies. • Reviewing and approving the periodic reports. • Establishing and developing the procedures and regulations that governor the process of the financing operations. • Insuring that the policies are strictly followed throughout the process. • Developing new products. And establishing the necessary policies and procedures. • Supporting the preparation of the annual budget and establishing the sales target and forecasting figures. • Attending and representing the Program in external forums, conferences and Summits. • Coordinating and arranging with other departments to insure abiding by the established lines and limits. • Secretary of the Board. • Arranging for the required reports and agenda for the periodic Board meeting. • Member of the Credit Committee.
• Responsible for the Trade Finance Operations after sales end to end delivery including Trade Client Services, Middle and back office.
• Establishing the target operating model for the Trade Finance Operation HUB.
• Directs and manage the trade finance activities in accordance with bank goals.
• Strategic planning for the trade operations performance to support the bank vision and mission.
• Building strong relationship with business partners and engages as technical advisor in the launch and implementation of new products.
• Tailor and implement career development plan for all staff.
• Lead all direct reports to success and maximize the deliveries.
• Raising the competency of staff by arranging for a comprehensive training program.
• Insuring that the policies and procedures are updated, error and risk free and implemented in all levels.
• Lead a change management process to raise the professionalism of staff.
• From time to time responsible for influencing system changes and ensuring smooth migrations with minimal impact on workflow.
• Participate in planning and accomplishment of the globalization HUB strategic project of the bank.
• Member in different operation strategic planning and implementation steering committees.
• Managing total head count of 105 employees.
• Ensuring that internal controls are in place all the time and take necessary steps to mitigate the risks results on control weaknesses.
• Ensuring that all operations and transactions are carried out efficiently at zero error to protect the bank’s interest.
Achievements
- Successfully designed and implemented a complete reform to the Trade Finance HUB (full centralization of middle and back office in one center in Abu Dhabi), resulting to satisfactory audit report, full internal customer satisfaction and optimizing the usage of the manpower
- Catering the significant increase in business volume and new products with no increase in FTEs.
- Remarkable jumps in staff competencies, motivation and productivity, shown in highest GPS (Global People Survey) results within the organization.
- Lead and successfully implemented the Eximbills enhancement for the current trade system, resulting in automation of manual activities and reducing processing time and eliminating errors and mistakes.
- Full reform of the trade finance organization, process re-engineering, updating all processes, control and procedure to achieve the best banking practice and optimization of the operating model.
- Designed and going through the implementation stage of career development plan to UAE Nationals.
• Lead initiatives to develop new profitable trade finance products and solutions for all corporate sector business segments.
• Identify new business opportunities and work closely with Product Managers and Relationship Managers to increase the business volumes by offering solutions to the customers.
• Support the Relationship Managers in their selling effort by conducting customer joint calls to explore new avenues to sell trade products and maintain customer satisfaction.
• Coordinate to resolve complaints and solicit customer feedback on performance and implement revised procedures for customers' satisfaction.
• Provide Relationship Managers with trade finance know-how expertise and trade sales structuring solutions.
• Ensure quality products are offered and solutions are delivered to customers in line with the bank's strategy.
• Provide assistance and knowledge to the development and implementation of systems for product delivery ensuring that the quality solutions are delivered to customers according to their needs and in line with bank's strategy.
• Interact with other business units to maximize cross-selling of bank's products and follow upon the identifications of leads for other areas of the bank.
• Participate in managing, developing, expanding and improving the bank's range of trade finance products and services in keeping with overall approved strategic plan, leading procedural and policy change across the domestic/international product line.
• Develop market and promotion strategy, oversee and approve all promotional materials and communications to the public and other relevant departments in the bank.
• Maintain acceptable levels of risk and reward in keeping with bank policy.
• Ensure adherence to SLA with other stakeholders and compliance with bank's policies and procedures, local and international regulations.
Achievements
- Successfully assisted in establishing a reporting system on the MIS to capture the Trade Referrals. This system allowed Senior Management to identify the rote cause and identify the improvement areas.
- Aggressive sales strategy resulting in increasing the market share in Trade Finance by 2.5%.
- Lead and drove the trade portal project till the final stages of delivery.
I. Implementation of Disbursements under AMD's Operations
• Handling AMD Syndications with other participants, as well as managing participation of different funds managed by AMD.
• Handling all operational assignments related to Trade and Project Finance.
• Ensuring L/C's & L/G's issued by the banks and submitted to AMD are in conformity with the related financing agreements.
• Ensuring L/C's are free from technical errors and in compliance with UCP.
• Obtaining Legal Dept. clearance for the first disbursement after the effectiveness of the operations.
• Communicating with Finance Dept. and the beneficiary on L/C's and L/G's amendments.
• Processing the ongoing disbursements under the AMD's operations.
• Processing direct disbursement / reimbursement applications for the wide range of AMD operations in collaboration with Treasury, Finance and Legal Depts.
• Communicating information prepared by the Finance section on disbursements, Libor and mark-up to AMD beneficiaries.
• Responsible for all communications, problems solving and correspondences with all parties involved, in relation to operational issues.
II. Repayments and follow up
• Communicating repayment schedules on completion of disbursements to the beneficiaries.
• Preparing the appropriate sale price (principal plus profit) on operations co-financed by different financing programs and finalize settlements thereof.
• Following-up on the forthcoming dues on AMD operations.
• Invoking bank guarantee, as per the management decision.
III. Follow-up on securities under AMD operations
• Processing, liaising, and following-up matters related to securities on AMD's operations obtained from the guarantors.
• Monitoring the maturities of bank guarantees received by AMD, for the follow up purpose.
• Assuring regular payments of premiums of insurance policies issued in favour of AMD.
IV. Reports
• Monthly report on AMD's operation disbursements.
• Monthly statement on the forthcoming dues.
• Monthly report on the outstanding L/G's.
Achievements
- Designed and implemented a full operating model for monitoring, running and reporting for the Syndications and project reimbursements and repayments.
- Participated in the BRD in the blue print stage for the SAP implementations.
Egyptian American Bank is a joint stock Bank, established in 1976, Commercial Banking which offers complete banking services in local and foreign currencies.
Number of branches: 30.
Manager (Deputy Branch Manager)
Garden City Branch
Promoted to Operations Officer for The Garden City Branch (20 subordinates and cliental bases over 2000 clients), with the job description at the Nile Hilton Branch, but with a bigger scope of work and responsibilities.
Compliance Officer of the branch. Preparing required reports for transactions and reporting on suspicious activities.
Operations Officer (Deputy Branch Manager)
The Nile Hilton Branch
•Supervising operation departments - Cash, Customer Service,
Trade Finance, Settlement, Remittance, Collection, Clearing.
•Supervising proper application of the bank operation procedures and ensuring the internal control compliance.
•Promoting retail banking products: Car finance, stock market I.C., share & bonds financing, cash lending against mutual funds & I.C., cash against credit cards or T.D., Cash-plus and Check-plus product, various deposits.
•Approving daily transactions of remittances, bank drafts, opening L/C, negotiating L/C's entries and endorsement of shipping documents.
•Approving branch monthly close-out exhibits/reports issued to the Top Management.
•Checking the end-of-day prove and the start-of-day branch accounting level and position, expenses, profit and loss general ledgers, reviewing branch balance sheet.
•Reviewing new client files, borrowing client documents, C.R., following up on pending items.
•Confirming all branch FX deals with the Head Office.
•Scheduling cross training program for the branch staff.
•Acting for the Operations Officers of other EAB branches (for the leave time).
•Replacing the Branch Manager in his absence.
Arranged for all start-up materials and supplies, bank equipment, office design, set a staff chart for the opening of the new Nile Hilton Branch. Expanded a client chain of the branch and EAB in a whole.
Nominated to be an instructor of the Letter of Credit and Letter of Guarantee Course at the Egyptian American Bank
Correspondent Banking Department
•Executing C/R’s (credit risk lines) and offering tickets for banks worldwide.
•Directing import L/C’s to the correspondents worldwide, and arranging reciprocate business in exchange.
•Handling special programs (USAID, GSM, KFW, UNIDO).
•Preparing syndication agreements with banks.
•Managing forfaiting business such as discounting of promissory notes, deferred payment L/C’s, bills of exchange and drafts.
•Conducting problem-solving meetings with banks.
•Reporting to the Assistant General Manager of the Department.
Prepared a manual for the bank which sets the mechanism for handling different types of forfaiting business.
Trade Finance (10 years of experience)
Officer (Department Head)
Export/Import L/C’s, Collection and Guarantee Department, Trade Finance Center
Centralized Unit accountable for the transactions throughout all EAB branches.
•Reporting to the Operations Center Head.
•Supervising
Export L/C’s transactions
•Advising, confirmation, negotiation, examining documents, payments and reimbursements.
•Handling transferable L/Cs and discounting process.
Import L/C’s transactions
•Receiving and reviewing client applications,
•Obtaining credit and marketing approval for L/C’s opening,
•Checking software entries and authorizing swift message opening,
•Handleling Import L/C’s amendment requests,
•Negotiating Import L/C’s,
•Examining documents, and endorsement of shipping documents,
•Networking with Correspondent Banks to address arising problems,
•Safe custody of Promisory Notes and Bills of Exchange drawn under L/C’s,
•Reviewing end-of-month reports and preparing related exhibits and reports.
Initiated and developed the own-acceptance discount method for L/C’s.
Collection
•Handling all documents received from abroad,
•Avalizing drafts and Bills of Exchange upon a remitter bank request,
•Handling client documents for remittance to collecting banks,
•Tracking and following up payments.
Letters of Guarantee
•Issuing all range of Letters of Guarantee,
•Handling claims received from beneficiaries,
•Extending validity and liquidating Letters of Guarantee,
•Reviewing and approving text of Counter Guarantees received from abroad.
Assisted in implementing advanced softwares for the Export L/C’s (previously all Export L/C’s were handled manually), Trade Bills and Post Dated Checks. New systems control and secure a proper work handling, execute reports. Implementation saves business time and efforts. Allows to minimize the number of staff involved. Expedites the work flow.
Bachelor of Commerce.
Accounting