Head of Risk Management (CRO)
Commercial Bank of Dubai
Total years of experience :33 years, 8 Months
Head of Risk Management (CRO):
Heading Risk Management, covering Credit Risk (Wholesale, SME, Retail), Market (and Middle Office), Liquidity, Operational, IT GRC, Basel Accords, ICAAP, and Corporate Governance; and also contributing proactively through voting membership and representing Risk on Board- and CEO-level committees.
Having for 13 years dual reporting as de-facto CRO to Board’s Risk Committee and CEO, recently to group-level executive CRO.
Over the said 13 years, I have:
1. Built and obtained approvals from Board-of-Directors and CEO and implemented end-to-end risk frameworks, appetites, limits, & tolerances
2. Proactively contributed and reduced NPL levels and provision charges, and maximized shareholders’ returns and Bank’s non-interest income.
▪ Also, built and have been managing bank-wide Enterprise Risk Management Group, covering:
1. Credit Risk: Appraisal/Admin/Control/Collection/Recovery (all portfolios, Conventional/Islamic: Wholesale/Corporate, SME, Retail/Consumer)
2. Market Risk and its Middle Office (all Treasury & Investment Portfolios),
3. Liquidity Risk and its Control and Triggers (including Emergency Funding)
4. Operational Risk (RCSA’s, Loss Reporting, ORAPs, Disaster Recover/Business Continuity, and Awareness)
5. IT Security, GRC, and Fraud (GRC stands for Governance, Risk, and Compliance)
6. Basel II Implementation (planning and execution) and IRB preparations
7. Corporate Governance (spear-headed application and won “Best Bank in UAE” in 2012)
8. Board Risk Committee Reporting (via comprehensive, summarized Heatmaps/Dashboards for all portfolios)
▪Some of my key deliverables were:
1. Building, from grounds up, an end-to-end Enterprise Risk Management function (covering all risks)
2. Setting Risk Appetite, Risk Governance, Oversight, and Reporting and achieving BOD approval.
3. Driving and completing strategic bankwide initiatives including credit centralization, relationship segmentation, full automation, digitization.
4. Ongoing assessment and management of Capital Adequacy, Capital Injection (EMTN and AT1), and Basel Requirements (II and III)
5. Embedding Economic Capital, Stress Testing, Scenario Analysis and Modelling for all risks
6. ICAAP Development, Management, and Reporting, making ICAAP and Capital Consumption a BAU concern for the bank.
7. Building complete Risk Reporting (including summarized Board’s Risk Committee reports)
8. Developing an End-to-end Risk Policy Manuals/Policies for Credit, Market, and Operational. Credit covers Provisioning, Rating Grading, Write-Offs/-Backs, Collection & Recovery, Counter-party Risk Rating, Country Risk, Concentrations, and Industry Risk Ratings (RACs).
9. Succession planning, and completely developing a risk management team that has become amongst the best.
10. Reducing Problem Loans and OLEMs, embedding Special Concern management concept, and introducing Risk-based Pricing making CBD 2nd most profitable bank throughout my 13 years.
▪ Representing Risk Management on all CEO- and BOD-level committees, including:
Board’s Risk Committee (also managing BRC Secretariat), Corporate/Commercial Credit Committee (level 1, highest authorities), Consumer & Retail Credit Committee (Vice Chairman for 1 term), Business Banking & SME Credit Committee, Operational Risk Committee (current Chairman), ALCO Committee, Emergency Funding Subcommittee (3-member team, with CEO and CFO), IT Risk Committee (Chairman for 1 term), Risk Management Committee, and Corporate Governance Committee (spear-heading implementations and applications)
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
- Significant reduction in NPL Level
- Substantial increase in Recoveries
- Highest Manager’s Objective Achievement in 2003-2015
- Preparing the Bank for Basel II and III
- Automation of the entire credit cycle
Setup a new Corporate Banking Unit, dedicated to the service of free zone and multinational corporations.
Promoted new relationships and managed existing accounts to achieve business growth
Advised prime, high networth clients on financial issues, including: Personal Asset Allocation, Project Finance, Economic Feasibility, Deal Structure, Cash Management, Offshore Investment, Forex, Options and Derivatives. Subsequently, advised clients on suitable bank products/services to accommodate their needs.
Researched the market to identify opportunities/trends, and developed marketing plans
Prepared detailed proposals based on bank policy and customer requirements, and obtained approvals thereto.
Reviewed account performance, profitability, and compliance with policies/procedures, taking into consideration bank/client interest.
Also, I gave lecture at bank’s Training Centre to employees and finance students from local universities (sophomores and juniors) on corporate banking, credit, and economic cycles
Managed largest corporate portfolio (AED 4.2 billion in assets, and AED 6 billion in Liabilities) comprised mainly of high networth individuals and reputable groups of companies. Achieved the highest business growth every year (e.g. 55% increase in 2000, which happened to be sluggish for most account managers).
Promoted new and maintained existing relationships, and ensured steady business flow
Acted as financial advisor to clients on joint ventures, deal structure and investment
Reviewed corporate and high networth individual’s accounts searching for better opportunities to secure the receipt of the targeted share of client business.
Handled negotiation with customers in financing proposals, reviewed economic feasibility, prepared financial analysis and provided the credit committee with recommendation
Followed up with bank departments to provide efficient service, and instruct changes, whenever necessary.
Conducted visits to clients to attend to pending issues, and promoted additional products.
Initiated the attendance to IT and AML risk management, including the creation of Risk Management plans, AML procedures, and KYC standards.
Managed corporate & private banking accounts, mainly those of high net worth individuals.
Advised customers on optimal asset-allocation and diversification.
Handled the credit portfolio of Private Banking customers, prepared credit recommendations & financial analysis, and administered the performance of facilities.
Periodically initiated marketing plans to attract business.
Assisted senior management in the update of products and review of department policies/procedures.
Prepared computer modules for portfolios in respect of utilization, exposure and risk management.
Co-drafted, with VP-Credit, bank’s credit manual.
Designed and implemented, jointly with credit, an Internal Risk Rating (Grading) System.
University VALEDICTORIAN (3.93/4 GPA). Concentration in Corporate Finance, Equity Valuation & Asset Allocation. CFA-Candidate by way of AIMR Scholarship Covered thoroughly Corporate Banking, Financial Analysis, Budgeting and Business Policy, Project Management, International Business and Law, Investment Analysis, Quantitative Analysis, International Markets, Managerial, Cost and Government Accounting, and Risk management.
2-year study in Management, Economics, Cost and Governmental Accounting
Attended many training courses/workshops on various subjects including: Basel II Accord, Credit/Market/Operational Risks, RiskMetrics, VaR / CVaR / OVaR, Derivatives, SWAPs, Financial Planning & Business Strategy (New York Banking Institute), Bank Secrecy Act (U.S. Secret Service Training on BSA & Counterfeiting), E-banking & E-commerce (Hewlett-Packard ME e-Commerce Conference), Compliance and IT. Also, frequent Speaker at local, regional and international risk management forums, and a regular guest on TV and newspapers, on topics pertaining to risk management, Basel II, local/regional banking industry, and stock markets
4-year study in Business Administration, Accounting, Macro/Micro-Economics, and Management