Zulfiqar Ali Abbasi, Senior Credit Risk

Zulfiqar Ali Abbasi

Senior Credit Risk

Mashreq Bank

Location
United Arab Emirates - Dubai
Education
Bachelor's degree, Science
Experience
15 years, 7 Months

Share My Profile

Block User


Work Experience

Total years of experience :15 years, 7 Months

Senior Credit Risk at Mashreq Bank
  • United Arab Emirates - Dubai
  • My current job since May 2015

Credit Analysis: • Analyze and process credit proposals and applications of Bank’s retail Lending Products also including Al Islami products for approval or escalation to Credit Supervisors within the stipulated TAT. • To ensure smooth implementation of the front end automation of credit process solution across all lending products with significant gains in customer experience and productivity. • Regulating all approvals within the Credit Policy and Product parameters. • Ensuring consistent application of credit policy, quality of underwriting decisions and of documents held as collateral. • Responsible for the supervisory credit review function as and when required for RBG Products through implementation of standard operating procedures and policies as per Product Program Guidelines. • Responsible as a reliable back up in the absence of team leader/Asst Manager. • Responsible in the development of the new staff into the team and also periodically assist in the training of the new staff in the team • Analyzing for approval or escalation to higher authority: eligibility as per policy, bank statement, past data check. • Select, review through application system for cases and supplementary document attached with the facility proposal or application. • Measuring, evaluate and providing suggestion to improve the team’s productivity. This will be done by maintaining key performance indicators and daily productivity MIS. • Exception identification for eligibility, pricing, CPV, information capture on the system and collateral compliance. • Communicating major deficiencies and policy violations to Team Leader/Asst Manager for follow-up. • Categorizing cases as ‘Declined’, ‘Rejected’, or ‘for Deviation Approval’ if above checks fail. • To ensure daily productivity targets are met. • To ensure quality service to internal / external customers by adhering to the committed turnaround time Training & Testing • Actively involved in the process of training and testing implemented by the quality unit. • Help in the on job training of the new staff in the team • A key team player and should at all times keep the motivation levels up within the team. Credit Policy / Product Manual & Operational Issues • Identifying anomalies in Credit Policy and Product Manual. • Recommending additions and modifications to Credit Policy and Product Manual. • Recommending improvements in operational procedures and risk areas from time to time.

Supervisor Fraud Control & Investigations at Mashreq Bank
  • United Arab Emirates - Dubai
  • October 2008 to April 2015

Job Responsibility: In Vigilance • Preparation of monthly reports / fraud monthly deck to be shared with management committees. • Report fraud timely to management & central bank. • Receive and record all complaints, undertaking initial investigation and escalate to senior management where appropriate. • Maintain a regulatory compliance check list. • Provide training and advice to employees on compliance issues. • Investigations related to possible non-compliance or to ensure compliance is taking place. They can also be the main source of contact with outside audit companies. • Review and provide clearance on referrals sent to FRMU on account of name matching against the applicable watch lists. • Researches, implements, and manages to check UAE and financial regulations and laws which include regulations such as Anti-Money Laundering rules, as well as the Bank Secrecy and Fair Credit Acts to ensure a bank's policies and procedures comply with the rules associated with mortgage lending, deposits, and consumer lending. • Responsible for checking KYC documents for the customer lending & verifying the identity of clients. • Monitor and manage the anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing functions of the Branch including reviewing AML & Watch list alerts, investigating STRs and training of staff on AML regulation. • Coordinate with FNI & Compliance units in case of any anomalies or suspecting of high fraud exposure, involvement of third parties. • Responsible for maintaining and updating the Fraud cases MIS and getting it uploaded on e-name checker whenever applicable. • Conduct Fraud Awareness Trainings for Merchants as well as Branch Staff. • Train front end staff training in application monitoring. • Prepare Investigation reports clearly documenting various findings and financial impact of the fraud and identify/recommend process improvements. • Recommend measures to reduce the risk associated with doing business, thus preventing financial/fraud losses, which subsequently impact the overall performance of the business. • Save the business from risk and exposure to losses, more specifically against application fraud. • Initiate proactive measures to curb fraud and identify rising trends to execute timely corrective action. • Interact with different units within RBG as per defined SLA’s and to educate them about fraud awareness. • Create systematic process for tracking & assess risk trends and their impact on retail business. • Monitor MIS & internal/external suspected transactions reports. • Monitor, review and analyze staff performance and provide guidance and motivation to staff. • Identify technology solutions for problems within the unit and conduct User Acceptance Testing of system enhancement. • Develop fraud loss plan in line with current fraud assessment for all retail products. • Provide regular feedback for emerging fraud trends and risks through close relations with the local fraud forum & banks security departments. • Establish mitigating controls for all retail products in curbing fraudulent activities. • Suggest process improvements based on investigations & review of procedures on a timely basis and close any gaps that may lead to potential fraud. • Suggest policy changes and process improvements based on trends identified and close any gaps that may lead to potential fraud. • Review non-starters for all retail products to identify any process gaps. • Review profile mismatches to identify fraudulent applications. • Investigate and review any discrepancies highlighted by the vigilance analyst for all retail products applications. • Interrogate sales staff if required. In Detection (Issuing/Acquiring) • Investigating any discrepancies highlighted by the fraud analysts. • Developing an action plan for maintaining a high recovery percentage for transaction fraud through proactive investigation processes and aggressive chargeback procedures. • Developing an action plan for maintaining the acquiring basis points lower than the region and country • Implementing the action plan by co ordination with CAB unit and merchant trainings. • Suggesting process improvements based on investigations & review of procedures on a timely basis t identify and close any gaps that may lead to potential fraud • Ensure associations risk management regulations are followed and implemented. • Co operating with legal authorities/Central Bank for case investigations in case fraudsters are apprehended. • Identify technology solutions for problems within the unit and conduct user acceptance testing (UAT) of system enhancements. • Visits to merchants/businesses to ascertain their activity through mystery shopping • Training to all corresponding units on fraud trends • Ensuring that fraud disputes are closed within the TAT of 120 by either recovery or write off. • Handle customer related complaints/issues with a balance between risk and business. • Create and implement process for tracking risk trends and their impact on retail business. • Ensure that no procedural delay occurs in the unit activities. • Coordinating with associations in resolving fraud related issues. • Monitor, review and analyze staff performance and provide guidance and motivation to the staff. • The nature of the job depends externally on the merchant activities, Market trend; Issuer Banks reported fraud, and VI/MC international rules and regulation. Internally depends on the acquiring business unit and the technological support systems. • Identify technology solutions for problems within the unit and conduct user acceptance testing (UAT) of system enhancements • Handle any other additional / temporary responsibilities as assigned by Team Leader Investigations.

Education

Bachelor's degree, Science
  • at Karachi university
  • November 2009

Specialties & Skills

Leadership
Problem Solving
Energetics
Time Management
Fraud Investigations
• Excellent command over MS Office packages i.e. MS Word, MS Excel, MS Power Point, MS Outlook Express & Internet & e-mails. • Command over banking applications. • Having a responsible attitude remaining calm under pressure superb decision making skills. • Able to build a positive report with staff. • Superb people management skills carrying out risk assessments. • Able to introduce new processes to a team & organization. • Setting goals & objectives for individuals & team.

Languages

English
Expert
Arabic
Intermediate
Urdu
Native Speaker
Filipino
Beginner
Gujarati
Intermediate
Punjabi
Expert
Hindi
Expert