FCC Manager, Financial Crime Surveillance Operations (FCSO) with SCB UAE having oversight on managing FCC hub / Global Shared services centre in India. Work closely with Regional Financial Crime Compliance head (RFCC), Financial Crime Compliance head (FCC), Regional Financial Crime Intelligence Operation head, Business/Segment Heads, CB/WB CDD Advisor, Regional Sanction Advisor in supporting AML/Sanctions functions.To assist management in ensuring that the Business in UAE (Hub) and operates in accordance with all legal and regulatory requirements and all Group standards relating to anti money laundering and sanctions, so as to protect and enhance the reputation of the Bank with its regulators and avoid significant financial loss or reputational damage; and handle the suspicious or unusual customer activities escalated by the AML TS & CS Units in Chennai or reported by staff in-country.Responsible for the investigation, assessment, analysis, and disposition of transaction monitoring cases from both automated systems and manual referrals. Lead and coordinate the engagement with the FCC Teams, providing case advice, Request for Information (RFI) tracking and escalation, and assessment of complex queries. Review unusual transactions escalated from the FCC Teams and Business units, prepare SAR Reports and submit to CMLCO for Regulatory Reporting.Managed a team of 10, lead and guide in conducting Enhanced transaction monitoring for complex clients, Management of a repository of Watch List, Monitoring of Media news, handling of special projects, Reputational risk analysis, look back analysis, creation of Sanctions enhancement watch list and supporting Group Sanction advisor, WB & CB FCC Group Heads in sanction related initiatives

I am responsible for the investigation, assessment, analysis and disposition of transaction monitoring cases from both automated systems and manual referrals. I lead and coordinate the engagement with the FCSU, providing case advice, Request for Information (RFI) tracking and escalation, and assessment of complex queries. Review unusual transactions escalated from the Hub and Business units to determine if SAR’s warranted and prepare SAR Reports and submit to CMLCO for Regulatory Reporting. I assisted management to strengthen the UAE FCC Controls Environment worked on the FCC Audit findings and helped management to improve the FCC Controls environment to better identify and assess risk. Performed regular branch visits in UAE and conducted trainings on the red flags to the branch staffs. Conducted regular training sessions to FCSU team on recent AML Typologies, case studies, risk rating classifications and CDD systems. Maintain and continue to develop good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including within Financial Crime Compliance and across the Business Segments, Functions, Auditors, Regulators and Monitors.

I recently completed a Five-month Short-Term Assignment (STA) in Kenya. This involved a leadership role, integrating quickly with the Kenya FCC team to gain knowledge of a new market and AML framework. I provided my industry expertise and shared best practice with the team to help increase knowledge and awareness. I led on the relationship and engagement with FCSU and assisted the country to identify more efficient and effective ways of managing inbound cases. My work led to the Kenyan FCC team clearing backlogs prior to target completion dates, to the personal appreciation of the Head of FCC Kenya and the Regional Head of FCC, MENAP.

From January 2016 to September 2016, I worked as a CDD specialist in Retail Operations. This role involved assessment of risk events following changes in client’s profiles, including Dynamic Risk Reviews for client’s subject to a recent SAR, Periodic Risk Reviews for EDD clients and Annual Reviews for MEDD clients. I have also supported various AML CDD remediation programs such Project Opus ( Sanctions related project), CMR remediation, Risk Markers clean-ups. These projects were executed within the agreed timeline and accuracy. I handled Global Name Screening alerts for the Retail segment and referred internal reports to FCC team for further investigation. For client’s subject to SARs, I managed the off-boarding process to mitigate SCB’s risk exposure.

From October 2014 to December 2015, I worked as a List Management Analyst in the Heightened Monitoring Project. This role involved managing the Heightened Monitoring source list, including maintaining the addition and removal of names to the heightened monitoring list from various sources within the bank. I conducted reconciliation of the Internal Watchlist against heightened monitoring customers. Allocate cases to the investigators and monitor the closure/SAR status. Prepare MI on weekly basis report it to the management on the current outstanding. Managed Managed the RFI Desk. Filed Suspicious Activity Reports with Central Bank and tracking Central Bank feedback to ensure appropriate actions were taken. Addition/ removal of customers in AE – Local list. Tracked account closures with business operations. Managed US Intel Exchange deck, prepared themes on UAE FCC SAR’s and shared the intel to US through share point. Prepared MI on team’s productivity for Project working group. Supported project delivery manager on the adhoc requests from the monitors.

From October 2013 to September 2014, I worked as a Team Leader in the Global Name Screening (‘GNS’) team. Responsible for managing the daily alerts triggered on clients and potential clients across multiple segments and jurisdictions, I managed a team of 15 and acted as the single point of contact for UAE and Middle East countries. I prepared MI deck to support the Unit Head manage service delivery meetings with various in-country FCC teams. I managed and drove improvement across the team’s productivity and performed quality control checks on alerts closed by investigators. I provided training and acted as a trusted advisor for any issues or queries identified across the unit. I oversaw the timely execution of work, ensuring there were no deadline breaches during my tenure. Worked in Name screening - Auto closure process and proactively provided suggestions to reduce false positives. From May 2010 to September 2013, I worked as an Analyst in the Name screening team. Responsible for investigations on identifying if alerts generated against clients were potential matches and discounting false positives. Liaising with country FCC teams to highlight potential matches and clients of significant risk.