Senior Manager
Commercial Bank of Kuwait
Total years of experience :36 years, 11 Months
Supervising, organizing and controlling activities of Central Operations to ensure continuity in providing proper operational support to Business groups & customers in accordance with bank’s policies/procedure.
Adapting, implementing and ensuring smooth functioning of systems / software with a view to ensure maximum efficiency in various banking back office operations.
Devising and implementing policies/procedures for the all round development of the bank as well as reducing overall costs to the bank through various means and centralization.
Attending to various department concerns & complaints and undertaking steps for effectively resolving them.
Setting up performance objectives of the department, updating the results to the management and take measures to achieve the goals.
Representing the bank in Kuwait Banking Association’s Operations Managers committee.
Last Assigned Position: Manager - Central Processing Unit
Responsibilities:
Overall Management and supervision of the centralized operational works such as Clearing, Salaries processing, CIF update, Bulk cheques deposits, CRS D/D sales settlement, maintenance of correspondent Banks authorized signature books, Capture of customer signatures in the system, Standing orders, Settlement of KNET / GCCNet, ATM card transactions, FBP settlement, T/C Sales settlement, Centralized voucher checking Unit, Microfilm Unit etc. Also CPU was functioning as a Liaison office to the overdraft approvals between branches and the RMs.
Other assignments handled throughout 31 years career with Gulf Bank:
• User Project Manager (UPM) for successful implementation of ‘Switchwear’, software from Consolidated Systems of Florida, USA for ATM & POS. Identified process improvements and participated in GAP analysis documentation (2000).
• Organized CIF Unit for Customer Information File update project by utilizing the power of information rich ‘BANCS’ system (1999 - 2000)
• Represented the Consumer Banking Group for successful implementation of retail core banking system, ‘BANCS’ of FNS group, Australia. Analysed and defined business system requirements across all retail banking areas, liaised with vendors/developers, sorted out interfacing problems with the front-end system (Beam), conducted tests to eradicate system bugs, provided User training and worked at the help desk to solve problems and queries during conversion period. Enhanced the system further by providing creative suggestions for modifications to ensure smooth and successful retail banking business (1997 - 1998).
• Worked as Branch Manager and Assistant Branch Manager of different Branches. (1993 - 1997)
• Worked as Team leader, in coordination with Internal Audit department, for finding and rectifying referred and un-posted customer transactions of invasion/liberation period, resulted in recovering millions of KD, which were classified for write-off by the management. (1991 - 1992)
• Conducted pre-audit branches inspection during 1992 to bring the branches to correct operational procedure and adherence.
• Initiated and implemented Central Processing Unit concept (Central Operation) in 1990 which resulted in head count cut as well added security.
• Worked as Asst. Manager to Foreign Drafts & Remittance department and later worked as Supervisor/Asst. Manager/Retrieval Br. Manager of several branches. (1987 - 1989)
• Organized and run Special Foreign Exchange Service Branch in 1985 (First Computerized Bank’s exchange house in Kuwait) for exclusive quick remittance, forex deals, Draft issuance, Travellers cheque, and Telex remittances.
• Worked in Letter of Credits, Remittance and experienced in balancing of General Ledgers, suspense accounts and preparation of monthly & periodical returns of branches. (1978 - 1984)
Being a Science graduate with Botany as main subject and Chemistry & Zoology as subsidiaries, circumstances changed my carrier to banking. I have been trained (in-house) at Gulf Bank and became an efficient Branch staff within a short period of time.