Firas Mourtada, Head of Risk Control

Firas Mourtada

Head of Risk Control

Byblos Bank - Iraq

Location
Iraq - Erbil
Education
Bachelor's degree, Accounting
Experience
18 years, 10 Months

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Work Experience

Total years of experience :18 years, 10 Months

Head of Risk Control at Byblos Bank - Iraq
  • Iraq - Erbil
  • My current job since September 2018

Pilot and coordinate the development and implementation of the risk management framework at the bank. Deliver active functional support and assistance to Board of Directors in setting up the Bank's risk appetite and strategy.

Key Contributions:

- Built and managed the risk regulatory framework for Byblos Bank SAL - Iraq in span of one year.

- Initiated an adequate system of internal controls by complying bank's risk management policies and procedures to Basel Committee on Banking Supervision best practices.

- Designed and rolled out required risk metrics and reporting framework to ensure proper identification, measurement, control, and monitoring of risks facing the bank.

- Created and maintained the framework required to ensure compliance with IFRS 9 requirements; framework included required policies, data preparation, and parameters calculation.

- Championed and executed compliance with all risk related circulars and regulations of the Central Bank of Iraq.

Head of Risk Control Unit at Byblos Bank Syria
  • Syria - Damascus
  • May 2009 to August 2018

Provided strategic direction, pivotal leadership and oversight over the deployment of corporate governance and risk management frameworks. Established and streamlined risk control function at the bank as well as pioneered a risk management framework with minimum intervention from the group risk management function. Leveraged and applied tools to calculate certain risk metrics such as FX VaR for first time at Byblos Bank Group.

Key Contributions:

- Detected pricing error in FX swap contracts turning a $20K monthly cost to the bank into a $50K profit.

- Devised, formulated, and executed the bank’s action plan towards full compliance with IFRS 9.

- Prepared, analysed, and reviewed quarterly comprehensive risk reports submitted to the board of directors.

- Drastically slashed monthly reports preparation time by 60% resulting in increased data management capabilities and accuracy of Ad hoc reports requested by the board, executive management or the regulator.

- Formed and updated the bank’s Corporate Governance guidelines, while methodically producing related policies, insuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

- Drove and improved a performance self-assessment process for the board and its committees at an early stage, placing Byblos Bank Syria one of the leading banks in the country in corporate governance.

Auditor at KPMG
  • Syria - Damascus
  • January 2007 to April 2009
Credit Control Representative at MTN
  • Syria - Damascus
  • July 2003 to December 2004

Education

Bachelor's degree, Accounting
  • at Damascus University
  • January 2004

Specialties & Skills

Financial Analysis
Basel II
Financial Risk
Risk Management
Risk Control
Risk Management
Financial Analysis
Basel Accords
Process Improvement
Team Building & Leadership

Languages

English
Expert
Arabic
Native Speaker
Spanish
Beginner

Memberships

Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP)
  • Affiliate
  • December 2009
Institute of Management Accounting (IMA)
  • International member
  • December 2007
CFA Institute
  • Regular Member
  • February 2020

Training and Certifications

CMA (Certified Management Accountant) (Certificate)
Date Attended:
May 2010
Internacional Certificate in Banking Risk & Regulation (ICBRR) (Certificate)
Date Attended:
April 2013
CFA Charterholder (Certificate)
Date Attended:
February 2020

Hobbies

  • Calisthenics
  • Coffee Brewing