Syed Ali Raza, Business Planning and Strategy Manager

Syed Ali Raza

Business Planning and Strategy Manager

Saudi British Bank

Location
Saudi Arabia - Riyadh
Education
Diploma, IFRS
Experience
18 years, 5 Months

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Work Experience

Total years of experience :18 years, 5 Months

Business Planning and Strategy Manager at Saudi British Bank
  • Saudi Arabia - Riyadh
  • My current job since April 2020

Based on my previous experience and both banks integration requirements, GLCM Business Management department offered me a posttion as Business Planning and Strategy Manager in order to stream line the department requirements. The main activities which I am performing currently are:
• Vendor management activities for merchant acquiring and other businesses
• Preparing P&L for the deparmernt and the analysis on monthly basis
• Coordinating and preparing the budget for the department
• Preparing Profitability Analysis with variance analysis
• Reconciling the internal GL accounts on monthly basis
• Reviewing the overall MI requirements of the department
• Preparing frequent dashboards for management for reviewing financials, product and digitalisation updates, sales and client management activities
• Coordinating automation of reports in order to increase work efficiency
• Preparing regulatory reports required by Saudi Central Bank and Saudi Paymes on frequent basis
• Reporting product and digital KPIs and providing MI to track them
• Monitoring cost effieicncy on regular basis
• Reviewing Operations metrics, frameworks, KPIs and other associated data reported on periodic basis to assist senior management to derive clear insights

Operational Risk Manager Saudi British Bank (AlAwwal Bank) at Saudi British Bank
  • Saudi Arabia - Riyadh
  • September 2018 to April 2020

As a strong believer of “change is the only constant in life” I was bestowed with an opportunity in operational risk. I worked with AlAwwal Bank till the date of legal day June 15 2019, after that I became part of SABB Operational Risk team involved handling different activities for both entities which are mainly:
• Working with different business areas for potential risk/ loss avoidance as oversight manager
• Facilitating quicker identification of, recovery from events through increased awareness and strong operational risk culture
• Handling the recording of losses in ORM databse along with reconciliation of losses with financial system
• Preparing and reconciling SAMA reports for operational losses relevant to all Basel operational risk categories (Q17)
• Integrating with other assurance programs for instance, Financial Risk Assurance, Internal Audit and Compliance.
• Engaging with other risk partners in Risk Management.

Chief Accountant SADAD Payment System at DXC Technology (HP Enterprise Services)
  • Saudi Arabia - Riyadh
  • January 2010 to September 2018

I had Joined Hewlett Packard as Service Delivery Consultant to work for Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) mainly on SADAD Payment System as Chief Accountant. After the merger of CSC and HPE in April 2017 relocated to new merged entity. The roles and responsibilities included:
• Development of Costing model for the project to optimise the costs;
• Working closely with GDPS and SAMA team to develop a cost optimisation planning and studies;
• Developing the new formats for reporting which is more convenient for non-financial managers for their decision making;
• Monitoring the results of SAP FICO to address the client financial reporting requirements;
• Maintenance financial system parameters (General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Fixed Assets and Accounts Receivable);
• Timely submission of Management reports to Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA);
• Ensuring the timely settlement of Intra-bank funds after reconciling the records:
• Developing and training accounting personnel on the effective and efficient use of enterprise’s financial systems;
• Providing expertise related to financial policies and regulatory and International reporting framework (IFRS)
• Developing and review of Management and Financial reports;
• Coordinating the monthly tasks to ensure month-end close; and
• Coordination for internal and external audits driving for favourable outcomes.
• Timely delivery of Intra-bank and complying SLAs for these transfers;
• Mentoring and training accounting personnel on the efficient and effective use of the enterprise’s financial systems;
• Providing critical and timely interpretation to Management on information relative to company financial policies and procedures, regulatory, and international accounting standards;
• Preparation of Management and Financial Reports;
• Coordinating the month-end close; and
• Coordination for internal and external audits driving for favorable outcomes.
• Coordination of ERP implementation project (SAP FICO) and reconciling the results with legacy systems to ensure adequate results from new ERP

Supervising Senior at Deloitte. M. Yousuf Adil Saleem & Co.
  • Pakistan - Islamabad
  • January 2006 to December 2009

I have been part of different teams for audits and consulting services for organizations from different sectors. My major roles and responsibilities included the following:
 Planning, supervision and review of financial audits of various listed and un-listed companies and organizations. The application of IFRS and compliance with laws and regulations are the key areas to focus in the audit;
 Conducted kick off and planning meetings to obtain an initial understanding of the clients business, assessing the risk at various level, discussion and resolution of significant issues with the client and manager during the course of an audit and finalization meetings with partner and manger to complete the audit in efficient manner;
 Advising clients on various accounting and related matters and providing them assistance in the book keeping and preparation of financial statements in the light of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS);
 Leading and management of fieldwork on clients, liaising with other departments to ensure smooth delivery of the audit process;
 Communicating audit progress and findings by providing information in status meetings; highlighting unresolved issues and reviewing working papers;
 Preparation of audit reports and letter of control weakness/ deficiency and recommendations letter; and
 Performed specialised consulting assignments for Design and Implementation of Oracle Financials in NEPRA and Development of Uniform System of Accounts (Regulatory Accounts) for NEPRA licensees.

Education

Diploma, IFRS
  • at International Academy of Business and Financial Management
  • March 2016

Certified IFRS Specialist

Diploma, Cost and Management Accounting
  • at Institute of Management Accountants
  • June 2012

Management Accounting

Diploma, Accounting, Auditing, Finance
  • at Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
  • December 2011
High school or equivalent, International Trade Finance
  • at International Finance Group- World Bank Group, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Paris, Instit
  • September 2011

Certification in Finance of International Trade

Diploma, Accounting & Finance
  • at Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
  • December 2008

Advance Diploma in Accounting and Business

Diploma, Banking and Finance
  • at Institute of Bankers Pakistan
  • December 2006

ISQ Banking Diploma Stage 2

Master's degree, Economics
  • at University of the Punjab
  • August 2006
Diploma, Accounting, Finance and Auditing
  • at Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP)
  • September 2005

CA Inter

Specialties & Skills

managerial accounting
Cost Accounting
Accounting
Financial Accounting
Good knowledge audit software and audit tools like ACL, CMA and sampling tools
Extensive use of Microsoft office as tool for generating business reports, spreadsheets, budgets, ge
Enhanced Knowledge of Oracle Applications (Financials) Release 12
SAP financials
IFRS Specialist
Microsoft Dynamics AXAPTA

Languages

English
Expert
Urdu
Expert
Arabic
Beginner

Memberships

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
  • Professional membership
  • March 2012
Institute of Management Accountants
  • Professional membership
  • June 2012