Head Internal Audit & Risk
GSS Group
Total years of experience :16 years, 6 Months
Conduct an independent review of client’s internal audit function; a requirement under standards from the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). - including Operational, Contractual, Financial Audits & VAT compliance.
Support ADNOC suppliers to get (In Country Valuation) ICV certificate and maintain the records properly.
Support different clients to plan, formulate and develop internal audit functions for the first time and assisted companies with re-establishing their existing functions that have slipped to a level of ineffectiveness.
Working with different organization for co-sourcing arrangement to provide organizations with all of the technical and expert resources they require on-demand, without the need to hire full-time staff.
Conduct trainings/seminars and awareness sessions on Compliance, Internal Audit, Corporate Governance, Controls, Fraud & Risk Management based different clients requirements.
Assess financial operations (using IFRS, IAS) and make best-practices recommendations to management to add value.
Identify areas of risks and work closely with clients to identify and implement solutions which result in cost savings and operational improvements.
Review of business policies & procedure for identification of control gaps and work to fill the control gaps.
Communicate the results, findings and recommendations with risk exposure of audit projects/areas/section/process via written reports and face-to-face presentations on a timely basis to the client.
Working with clients management to analysis of identified risks related to different industries including financial, telecom, projects, technical update the records in Risk Register and ERM platform.
Planning, designing and implementing an overall risk management process framework for different clients and organization which includes an analysis of the financial impact on the company when risks occur.
Awareness Road Shows related to different type of risk.
Support different clients to identify and train Risk Champions across each client section to build a risk culture at all levels of the organization.
Ensuring sound internal and financial control environment, compliance with all external, internal, group and legal 3Ps, analyzing and concluding on effectiveness and efficiency of control environment.
Planning, designing and implementing an overall risk management process for the organization and strong knowledge in ERM, ISO 31000, COSO, Risk Management frameworks.
Coordinate with Group Risk Management team for analysis, mitigation and updating of all identified risk in Risk Register.
Member of Etisalat Information Security Steering Committee (ISSC)
Develop, execute and supervise risk based annual audit plan for all division of technology, telecom platform network, corporate governance, contract compliance and business continuity - including review of all files, reports and working papers.
Coordinate with Audit Committee and different HODs to discuss the control gaps and identify actions needed for improvement, optimization.
Work with Directors, GMs, and SVPs to discuss the needs for proposed audits and for better implementation of Audit plan.
Ensure that operational activities are carried out in compliance with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and International Standards of quality management system ISO9001, ISO14000 ISO18001 & ISO31000 etc.
Gathering the management requirements for the audit plan through the different meetings with the management, consultation with Regulatory and Compliance requirements.
Investigating financial crime, employee wrongdoing, internal and external fraud, anti-bribery, politically exposed persons, whistle blowing & corporate ethics.
Performing QHSE & Technical audits and review the work performed to ensure the adequacy of audit scope.
Communicating the results, findings and recommendations of audit projects/areas/section/process via written reports and face-to-face presentations on a timely basis to the management.
Conducting any fraud investigations assignment or any special audit assignments relating to technical areas.
Assisting in reviewing and evaluating the Etisalat’s standards, policies/processes/procedures, identifies potential problem.
Supervising, coaching and developing individual team members in assignments.
My overall responsibilities as Internal Audit Expert include the following:
Internal Audit & Controls
Established new Internal Audit Division, review Policies, Procedure & compliance management, discuss control issues and weaknesses, established best practice reporting relationship and quality assurance program.
Coordinate with Chief Executives Officer, Audit Committee and Board of Directors regarding the results of internal audits.
Ensuring sound internal and financial control environment, compliance with all external, internal, group and legal 3Ps, analyzing and concluding on effectiveness and efficiency of control environment
Conducting audits of policy and compliance to standards, including liaison with external auditors.
Conduct and supervise risk based annual internal audit plans, corporate governance, contract compliance and business continuity - including review of all files, reports and working papers.
Ensure completion of audit assignments to provide independent, objective assurance to the management.
Work with Directors, HOD’s and Managers to discuss the needs for proposed audits and for better implementation of Audit plan.
Enterprise Risk Management
Planning, designing and implementing an overall risk management process for the organization.
Assist GM-Business Risk Management on strategies to improve operations, efficiency, and effectiveness and minimize the all types of risk.
Providing support, education and training to staff to build risk awareness within the organization
Established MTNA Risk & Control Champions ‘RCCs’ representatives from all division of MTNA to identify, evaluate, mitigate and monitor the company’s different type of risk i.e. Strategic, Operational, HR, Legal, Financial and put them all on MTNA risk management register
Effective implementation of Related Party Transactions (RPT), Whistle Blower, Fraud Management and Risk Management Policies.
Fraud Management
Investigating financial crime, employee wrongdoing, internal and external fraud, anti-bribery, politically exposed persons, whistle blowing, anti-money laundering, sanctions
Managed the investigations team, identify training needs of team members and conduct investigations to maximize recovery opportunities and minimize costs.
Created and promoted a culture of transparency and whistle-blowing while collaborating with internal units (compliance, risk, legal)
Finalized the various group special assignments on fraud related activities and assist Directors to identify control weakness in the Organization.
Achievements
Established Internal Audit Department, Internal Controls, Fraud Management, Risk Management and mainly implemented Insurance Management Policy which lead financial benefit to MTNA up to 5 Million USD.
MTN 3Ps engagement - Scope of work includes business process re-engineering which consists of identification & validation of as is processes, identification of control gaps, and documentation of processes and facilitate the implementation of new processes. Processes & procedures are documented for finance, revenue assurance, treasury, budgeting, supply chain, reporting, business risk management, capital project management, network, sales & distribution and marketing departments.
Significant audits and assignments conducted in UAE during the above-mentioned period have listed below:
Veolia Water Solutions
Middle East Specialized Cables (MESC)
Al Hokair Fashion Retail
Unicharm Gulf Hygienic Industries Limited.
World Trade Center Saudi Holding
800 Properties UAE
Ernst & Young - Doha, Qatar
Seconded to Ernst & Young, Doha office, and performed audit of following clients as an audit senior in
audit and Tax Consulting group of Ernst & Young.
- Davis Langdon - Qatar Branch
- FCB Cement Company - Qatar Branch
- Jan De Nul Dredging Ltd - Qatar Branch
- Daewoo Engineering Company (Q-CHEM Project)
- International Recycling Industries Co. WLL.
- Punjlloyd Ltd. (Qatar Branch)
Being as an audit senior for last one and a half year, involved in the planning, review and finalization of audits of different entities (refer below for more details on clientele).
Planning included asking for right team, allocate work to team members, setting up/rolling forward engagements in Vector & E -Audit, holding meetings with client management, understanding key business processes and risks, determining the right mix of audit approach (to cover professional risk and to avoid over auditing) and extent of sample size (by using sampling tools of Ernst & Young) for further audit procedures.
During finalization, assisted the client in drafting the disclosures of financial statements or preparation, as the need may arise, review of working papers of team and preparation of critical matters memorandum along with final deliverable for review of manager and partner.
Lead the team of 5 to 15 members and achieved deadlines. Learned the important skills of team management and valuing client relation.
Some of my major assignments as team lead includes:
National Bank of Pakistan (Annual Audit)
- Responsible to manage a team of 15 individuals with overall responsibility of planning, resource management, field work and preparing deliverables.
Revenue assurance assignment of Etisalat Afghanistan
- Including evaluating the overall process of revenue assurance, identifying gaps, bench marking against standard industry practices and recommending appropriate changes.
Standard Chartered Bank (Annual Audit)
- Performed assurance engagement as per the requirements of International Standard on Auditing (ISA’s) and ensure compliance with Prudence Regulations issued by State Bank.
Capacity assessments of UN implementing partners to identify capacity constraints/gaps and to suggest the way forward.
Internal Audit Assignment of MTN & Safi Airways
- Scope of work includes evaluating the effectiveness of current controls, identifying weaknesses and recommending on compliance with best practices.
National Institute of Banking and Finance (NIBAF) (Annual Audit)
- Involved in preparation of financial statements under the framework of International Financial Reporting Standards.
Pakistan State Oil (Annual Audit)
- Lead audit team for the year 2009. This engagement was later selected during Internal Office Review of Ernst & Young International and was ranked as satisfactory by international evaluators.
- Land Mark Resources (Annual Audit) - Was involved in consolidation of subsidiaries and group reporting.
- Habib sugar Mills Limited Annual Audit - Was involved in consolidation of subsidiaries and group reporting
Member of Association of Certified Chartered Accountants ACCA (UK)
