Stuart Cook Email & Phone Number

Edinburgh

Support General Counsel (GC) with all aspects of the Risk Management Framework (RMF)Through: Collection and analysis of Policy Risk, Controls, QRM's and KPI's and reporting to support the RMF governance and reporting.Represent GC on relevant cross business forums. Oversight and/or delivery of internal reporting to agreed timescales. Supporting GC responses for control testing, compliance assurance reviews and internal audits. Identify and resolve (and escalate where appropriate) risks and issues in a coordinated manner.Have a strong working relationship with Line 2 colleagues.

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Responsibilities:Being responsible for delivering timely, insightful, and clear risk reporting to key stakeholders which drives action, ownership and accountability for risk across the business. In particular, reporting assists the CROs in delivering the Risk Function’s views to committees and boards.Validating and analysing inputs from areas including Finance, Actuarial, Risk, Change Management and Proposition. Technical analysis of the data will identify key messages for management which must be clearly articulated to achieve proportionate impact). Providing support, consultancy and oversight on risk management practice in implementing, embedding and supporting the Group's Risk Management Framework (RMF) within the business.

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Adapting own style and approach in order to influence outcomes and to ensure effective relationships maintained and developed whilst challenging the status quo at all levels. Influencing is key. Building strong relationships with all parties involved with the Corporate Action process, other stakeholders and colleagues when typically there is no direct line management responsibility.Ability to manage multiple activities at one time.Understand the impact on all relevant parties (external and internal) and proactively plan, and implement, the communication approach required for every Corporate Action (CA) or fund/lifestyle change project in accordance with agreed timescales.Produce and input into any documentation, including plans, actions, decisions, risks and issues in line with the end to end process to ensure a successful outcome on each occasion.Identify, actively manage and influence stakeholders throughout the CA process to ensure that all carry out their respective tasks and that each are kept informed of progress at all relevant stages.Work within the defined governance framework to ensure risks and issues associated with the process are appropriately recorded and monitored.Manage all customer activities in relation to fund closures. In particular, the provision of customer data, the planning and processing of fund switches and confirmation that each relevant fund is ready for full closure in Abrdn.Apply knowledge of our legacy products and systems to establish effective business relationships with appropriate internal colleagues which, in turn, will add value to each respective area.Act as a liaison between Investment Solutions and Customer Operations on a wide range of fund related matters e.g. fund change projects, box management processes etc.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Support the end to end proposition framework that incorporates all relevant components of business wide policies and frameworks and the alignment of customer expectations to likely outcomes. Through: Collection and analysis of KPI's and reporting to support the governance framework.QA output from other proposition teams and wide business areas. Support the operation of Conduct Risk and other relevant forums. Oversight and/or delivery of internal and external reporting to agreed timescales. Supporting the proposition responses to compliance assurance reviews and internal audits. Supporting proposition engagement with external bodies. Develop the process and controls within proposition and influence the implementation across teams. Identify and resolve (and escalate where appropriate) risks and issues in a coordinated manner.Support proposition responses to consultation papers.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

In this role, I am responsible for: Investment Proposition Governance Policy Framework This consists of an end-to-end fund lifecycle, with principles, policies and processes for each stage. I am responsible for raising issues, escalating and resolution management. Stakeholder Management Managing and influencing key stakeholders developing cross-functional relationships with all teams within Investment Solutions, Standard Life Investments, Actuarial, UK Operational Risk, Regulatory Affairs and other Proposition/Marketing teams. ForumsManage the administration of the Investment Solutions Forum (ISF) including all Agenda's, Minutes, Action Plans, Risk Trackers and Scorecards. I also report/escalate conclusions and recommendations on actions from the ISF to other Senior Stakeholders.

Edinburgh

During this time I took some personal time off as well as looking for my next employment opportunity.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

In this Senior Management role, I was responsible for: Project Manager/Project Participant I was responsible for either management of projects or participating as a team member. I engaged and influenced stakeholders, through both formal and informal channels, developing a close working relationship with all business owners. I ensured that any fund launch projects were adequately resourced & successful delivery to time, scope and budget, ensuring these were successfully completed. I led, managed and motivated project, business and third-party resource deployed on investment-owned and related projects.Risk ManagementI had responsibility for the management of risks, issues and breaches ensuring these were resolved or escalated as appropriate including dependencies where appropriate – both in terms of Project and BAU issues. I had ownership of the control framework to manage the launch, change and closure of funds in line with the investment proposition across channels (insured range, platform, strategic relationships).I had responsibility for ensuring operational controls & processes met both TCF, Customer Conduct, Regulatory Risk and Sox principles. I led Investment Risk Self-Assessments and effectively managed operational risk within the Investment team. Stakeholder Management I was responsible for managing the relationship with suppliers ensuring that SLA’s were met. I developed cross-functional relationships with Investment Admin (Platform), Box Management (Insured) and the Investment Proposition Design teams. Senior Management CommitteesI contributed to the strategy and technical direction of the area through the following committees: Investment Decision Group (Chair/Secretary), Fund Prioritisation Group (Chair)

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

The first 6 months of this Senior Management role was working in a project capacity. This involved the transfer of the AEGON Retirement Choices Platform from a TPA back in-house to AEGON. This also involved the full relocation of the function from Bath to Edinburgh. A full Investment Admin Team was created - responsible for recruitment, process documents and agreeing training schedules with the TPA for handover. I had the role as Project Manager for the first six months of relocation.Once the team relocated I was responsible for all aspects of the area: Operational Management, People Management, Change Management, Risk Management and Budget Control.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

In this Senior Management role, I had responsibility for 60 staff within the department - 5 Operations Managers (all aspects of performance management including training and development) across the Edinburgh and Lytham sites. In addition, management of the internal PMO team with Analysts representing the department on various cross organisational projects. In addition:• Risk – development, review and compliance with the departments Risk Policy/KRI’s. • Regulatory – responsible for completion and sign off - including FSA/Sox Testing/Audits. • Budgetary – responsible for circa £1million budget and ensuring no overspend.• Change Management – responsible for project management/participation and ensuring SME resources supplied.• Lean Six Sigma – responsible for ensuring that the methodology and principles of LSS were embedded and applied to all processes and procedures to eliminate non-value add work. This included training staff to the various belt levels.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

I had responsibility for reporting of all risk activities and issues throughout Finance to the Risk Committee. I attended the quarterly meetings with senior management across Finance to discuss current risks and actions in progress. I also attended the quarterly Operational Risk Committee meeting to report progress in respect of Finance activities.I reviewed and maintained the organisations risk database on behalf of Finance. I escalating any reported incidents, breaches or loss events on an ad hoc basis. I was responsible for of all Sox related activity and liaising with External Auditors during six monthly testing. I was responsible for Business Continuity Plans for Financial Accounting and Controls.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

In this role, I managed Senior/Business Analysts. My team had responsibility for systems, projects, procedures and training. Managed, appraised, developed and motivated a team of 10 experienced Senior/Business Analysts.I managed project activity being undertaken by the Business Analysts – both on large cross organisational project and locally initiated projects. I ensured all system issues and problems were reported to IT division and made resources available from the department to resolve these. I was responsible for all Risk and Regulatory activity within the department, including all Sox Procedures, and ensuring audits were completed on a quarterly basis. In addition, I was responsible for all department training, skill levels and procedures.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

In this role, I managed, appraised, developed and motivated a team of 10 administrators from school leavers through to experienced members of staff, I was responsible for all team SLA's, KPI's and KRI's reporting to these through to the head of department each month.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

I was responsible for the training/development of people, procedures, skill levels and quality assurance. I also ran daily 'question time' sessions to give assistance with any queries that arose, I also represented the department on any cross-organisational projects, whether they were system, regulatory or product-related.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

I had various administration roles with Scottish Provident, RBS and AEGON. I dealt with assignments to endowment policies and worked on an IFA helpdesk. I was a foreign exchange administrator and a commissions/agency administrator.

Mba, Master Of Business Administration

Cmi, Executive Diploma In Management

Hnd, Information & Office Management