John Watkins Email and Phone Number

Fraud Strategy and Operations for Digital Banking Unit

Developed cloud-based identity and authentication Software-as-a-Service offering, targeting identity and application fraud with enhanced contextual at a, real time machine learning and expert rule base.

Drove transformation from siloed Risk and Fraud risk management processes to integrated end-to-end detection capabilities addressing fraud, credit risk and synthetic fraud resulting in $40M annual loss reduction. Successfully led Synchrony Fraud Strategy team thru IPO and separation from General Electric which created a top-ten credit card issuer, servicing over 60 million customers. Drove innovation through the implementation of state of the art tools and analytics, delivering machine learning and AI capabilities to fight fraud and reduce customer friction.Managed 30% reduction in average fraud loss during an escalating fraud landscape that included multiple large-scale data compromises to key US retailers leveraging advanced analytics and machine learning.

Developed and led Channel Sales Analytics team, providing support for both re-approved and direct credit card sales throughout 5,700 banking centers, call centers, and relationship channels. Developed and implemented innovative strategies optimizing pre-approval processes to drive sales of 3.2MM credit cards annually.Delivered transformation of debit card authorizations platform resulting in incremental $4.5B purchase volume in 2005, driving $48.3MM in incremental revenue and 260bp increase in authorization rate.Led strategy and analytics team for Consumer Risk Operations Fraud. Managed authorizations strategy for fraud prevention, including real-time strategies at POS for high-risk transactions. Increased approval rate 50bp by implementation of new authorization strategies resulting in incremental $6MM in incremental interchange.

Responsible for direction of 90 employees including 7 direct reports. Operations include 24-7 callcenter providing inbound and outbound fraud prevention and investigation for $5.9B credit cardportfolio.Reduced % fraud to sales from 40bp to 8.5bp and average balance by 30%.Responsible for analysis, design and implementation of fraud prevention andauthorization procedures including HNC beta-site for Falcon Expert, Debit, Select and Model 2000.