Senior Manager - Advisory Services - Financial Services Industry Focus
Ernst & Young
Total years of experience :23 years, 9 Months
March 2011 - to date Ernst & Young Abu Dhabi
Senior Manager - Advisory Services - Financial Services Industry Focus
Managing the establishment of the governance structure for a major Islamic Financial Services Group. This covered review of the organization structure, committee charters, policies and procedures and job descriptions and setting KPIs.
Managing the establishment of the corporate governance structure for one of the governmental banks in the UAE.
Managing a project for setting up the governance structure for a major public transport company in Kuwait. The project entailed review and update of procedure manuals, job descriptions, committee charters and the organization structure.
Managing risk assessment and internal audit assignments for a major air cargo company in the UAE. Covered Commercial, MRO and Operations audits.
Managing risk assessment and internal audit assignments for companies in the Financial Services Industry, mainly investments and insurance companies.
Managing Risk Management and Internal Controls work streams for a SAMA (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency) review of one of the banks in KSA (covering Internal Audit, AML, Compliance, Risk Management functions).
Managing the FATCA impact assessment project for one of the main Islamic banks in the UAE.
Managing the PMO for the FATCA implementation project of one of the main banks in the UAE. The project covered major transformation to operations and systems of the bank’s impacted Business Units (core and support functions).
Working as part of a large team for 6 months, at a major global bank, that was the subject of sanctions investigations by OFAC and other US regulators. The work involved investigating client accounts, in particular SMEs, looking at client on-boarding, KYC, and reviewing transaction data. The project involved working closely with the bank’s external lawyers, with the primary focus on Iranian clients and transactions originating in Iran.
Managing a portfolio of clients in Kuwait, for governmental and non-governmental entities, covering the following industries: public transport, financial services.
Focusing on business development, preparing proposals for potential clients, setting the fees and managing subsequent negotiations.
As part of the pursuit process, preparing the budget for the work to be done, including the hours required to complete the work, and any additional expenses to be incurred, to arrive at the fees. On a periodic basis, reviewing work in progress against set budget, to identify any variances, for timely corrective action.
Presenting details and summary of risk management and internal audit findings to the clients’ board of directors/audit committee and senior management.
Managing multiple teams, working on different clients (around 9 members at the same time).
Presenting Internal Audit-related material to educational institutions in the UAE, as part of the informative campaign by the IIA - UAE chapter.
November 2009 - February 2011 PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Kuwait
Senior Manager - Risk Assurance Services (RAS)
* Jointly heading Risk Assurance Services for the Kuwait office, including administrative and training related matters.
* Focusing on business development, including introducing the firm and its services to potential clients in the Kuwait and GCC markets, developing, presenting and defending proposals, setting the fees and managing subsequent negotiations.
* Providing internal audit and other related services to key clients in the oil and gas, retail and financial services industries.
* Leading and managing Internal Controls Review engagements for some of the major conventional and Islamic banks and investment companies in Kuwait, to check compliance with the requirements of the Central Bank of Kuwait.
July 2002 - October 2009 Ernst & Young Kuwait
Manager - Advisory / Business Risk Services (BRS)
* Planning the scope of audits and preparing audit programs for the team to apply in performing the fieldwork.
* Reviewing and issuing formal written reports, based on the examination of the adequacy and effectiveness of the systems of internal control and recommending corrective actions to improve the client's operations and setting applicable action plans.
* Presenting details and summary audit findings to the auditee's board of directors / audit committee and senior management.
* Assisting in the development of policies, procedures and job descriptions for major investment companies in Kuwait, including detailed understanding of the client's as-is operations, in comparison to the recommended to-be processes for all the company operations, such as investment, financial, administrative, and human resources.
* Performing special assignments and projects, such as a fraud investigation for a major financial institution, in Kuwait.
* Preparing and reviewing prospectuses for companies aiming to get enlisted on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE), before they are presented to the KSE.
* Providing accounting and bookkeeping services for clients based outside of, but with operations in Kuwait.
* Managing the provision of payroll services to international and regional companies operating in Kuwait.
* Performing special studies to identify means for cost reduction in operations, for the main public transport company in Kuwait.
* Performing an operational audit of the dry-docking operations of the only Company in Kuwait involved in the ownership and management of tankers engaged in the transport of crude oil, refined petroleum products and liquefied petroleum gases (LPG)
* Presenting training courses, to external entities, on effective internal audit in banks and financial institutions.
* Performing various audits in the following fields: Human Resources, Administration, Accounting, Direct Investments, Corporate Finance, Islamic Financing / Banking Products, Venture Capital, Credit Facilities, Assets Management, Fund and Portfolio Management, International Investments, Settlements Operations, Financing, Money Markets and Foreign Exchange Operations, Anti-Money Laundering, Retail and Wholesale Trading, Real Estate and Legal Operations.
* Working on various clients in the following industries: Finance and Investments, Banking, Financing, Oil and Gas Services, Real Estate, Contracting, Public Transport, Retail and Wholesale Trading, Services.
Professional Qualifications and Memberships
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) - August 2006 New Hampshire, USA
* Certified from the State of New Hampshire
Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) - June 2006
* Certified from the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
Member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
Certification in Risk Management Assurance (CRMA) - August 2013
* Certified from the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)
August 2000 - July 2002 Andersen Kuwait
Auditor - Business Process Risk Consulting (BPRC)
* Conducting internal audits for clients in the financial services, real estate, and transport industries.
* Determining the auditing procedures to be used, including sampling techniques and the use of electronic data processing tools.
* Identifying the key control points of the operations / systems to be audited.
* Obtaining, testing / analyzing, and appraising evidential matter to form an objective opinion on the adequacy, efficiency and effectiveness of the assessed system or operations.
* Following up to assess the adequacy of the corrective actions taken by the client to improve deficient conditions previously identified.