If you are interested in this candidate, please contact Charlie Watson via email cwatson@cerfinancial.co.uk or call on 0207 626 6065.

00152113

PROFILE:

ICA certified in Financial Crime Risk in Global Banking and Markets and a member of the ICA society. Dynamic and tenacious professional with proven expertise in managing compliance of risk rating scenarios covering the enterprise’s AML risks with governing regulations, internal policies, and procedures. Experienced in reviewing the effectiveness of the internal controls, global quality assurance framework, client risk rating, and related methodologies to evaluate, identify, and escalate issues and recognise AML risk indicators. Advised on complex business issues, serving as primary KYC/CDD/AML subject matter expert, providing knowledge and expertise to colleagues, clients, and prospects. Talent for delivering training, coaching, and mentorship to develop a high performing team executing strategy, working closely with Senior Managers and managing a set of diverse stakeholders.

SKILLS:

• Regulatory Compliance Management
• KYC/AML Procedures Implementation
• AML Risk Management
• Escalations and Sanction Review
• Data Integrity Maintenance
• Quality Assurance
• Continuous Improvement
• Teamwork and Capability Building
• KYC Documentation Review
• Enhanced/Customer Due Diligence
• Client Onboarding and Exist
• Transactions Monitoring
• Root Cause Analysis
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Strategy and Implementation
• People Leadership and Development

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

• KVK, Kadaster, Norkom, Worldcheck, Lexis Nexis, Dow Jones, Factiva, Capital IQBankers Almanac, Bloomberg, and Thomson Reuters, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Access, and Outlook.

CAREER HISTORY:

March 2023 – December 2024

Banking

FCO Quality Control and Assurance

Responsible to establish a proactive framework to prevent, detect, investigate and report bank-wide financial crime risk events. Responsible for the Financial Crime Operations (FCO) team in implementing and executing a 'hands-on' sustainable QC and QA process across the Bank's UK Transaction Monitoring department. Responsible for supporting the implementation of a sustainable testing strategy within the FCO team, to evaluate the quality and accuracy of AML Alert and Case reviews which have been carried out by FCO investigators.

Key Achievements:

• Performed a critical function that involves an internal checker role, to ensure high quality standards are maintained in strict adherence with Deutsche Bank's global and regional procedures for carrying out Anti- Money Laundering investigations.
• Reviewed UK AML alert and cases for full adherence with the minimum standards set out in regional key operating procedures, and any applicable global requirements.
• Assisted in identifying problem areas and risks associated with processes and make recommendations to improve the quality of AML alert and case investigations; serve as a key support resource for delivering effective feedback and guidance to AML investigators.
• Lead the development team in creating training program for new starters.
• Developed QC test script that incorporated a high-quality standard and adhered with Deutsche Bank's global and regional procedures.
• Enhanced the QC procedures in reviewing SARs report completed.
• Operated in a team environment and have regular interactions with FCO, Business Line AFC, and the independent AFC Quality Assurance (QA) team.
• Ensured each QC and QA review is completed timely and within quality expectations, including review conclusions that are clear, complete, and supported by the information in the file.
• Recognized, documented, and assessed key risks, control environments, and applicable regulations and escalate critical issues to the Quality Control team head.
• Acted as the trusted and respected independent control function that aims to protect the bank from financial crime risk.

October 2021 - November 2023

Oil Industry (working on behalf of Tier 1 Financial Institutions)

KYC DD Specialist

Responsible for the enforcement of KYC/AML procedures on clients following the UK and EU laws and regulation, along with quality assurance on CDD files completed by the first line of the defence team.

Key Achievements:

• Completed periodic reviews and updated existing counterparties in line with policies and procedures.
• Completed KYC/AML reviews for Tier 1 Financial Institutions (Wholesale, Commercial/Corporate, Investment Banking) and large Commodities or Trading Houses (Oil, Energy.
• Completed periodic and trigger reviews for clients based in high-risk jurisdictions and the associated risks.
• Completed and reviewed risks of dealing with Politically Exposed Persons; and corporate structures and complex entity structures including SPVs, Trusts, Oil and gas, Funds including identification of Ultimate Beneficial Owners.
• Trained new colleagues in relation the completing their daily task and platform to refer to for guidance.
• Liaising with businesses/clients to obtain documentation relating to AML/KYC periodic checks and onboarding purposes.
• Assist the business in getting our companies registered to trade with potential new partners.
• Maintained and updated the internal systems with key client data and information.
• Liaising with the MLRO to enhance the AML/KYC procedures and process. Part of the team that developed and updated processes and procedures to keep up to date with legal and industry requirements.
• Assisted in conducting gap analysis understand and identify AML/KYC risks and requirements in the current procedure/process.

June 2019 - March 2023

Financial Services

QC/QA - KYC SPECIAL OPERATIONS

Responsible for the enforcement of KYC/AML procedures on clients following the UK and EU laws and regulation, along with quality assurance on CDD files completed by the first line of the defence team.

Key Achievements:

• Oversaw the reliability and integrity of data, the validity of conclusions, and the appropriateness of assumptions made by Analyst and QC.
• Conducted root cause analysis and suggested actions to address identified deficiencies.
• Led the implementation of a global QA framework and governance approach consistently while evaluating and controlling AML risks by understanding clients’ business and monitoring client transactions and issues in line with procedures and regulations.
• Provided 2LOD advise and process improvement in relation to regulatory and legislative requirements.
• Counselled the business, for clients classed as complex cases on KYC related issues, regarding regulatory compliance knowledge particularly within financial crime (AML, Sanctions, ABC and Anti-Tax Evasion assurance, Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, Bribery & Corruption, Fraud, and Market Abuse).
• Determined ownership and control to investigate the possibility of PEPs regarding risk management.
• Established framework and guides for quality check and for Analyst to follow procedure guide.
• Collaborated effectively with client’s concerning policy updates and client resolution governance meeting report.
• Reviewed several types of entities: including gambling/betting entities, SOVs, Mutuals, Trust, CIO/SIO etc.
• Provided 2LOD advise in relation to sanctions and adverse media.
• Provided M.I reporting to the key stakeholders.
• Monitored and maintained project delivery as per agreed SLA.
• Managing a team of associates responsible for undertaking special approval/escalation reviews process.

March 2019 - May 2019

Financial & Professional Services

PEPs - EDD Consultant (AML/KYC)

Headed formulation of oversight functions including continuous improvement of quality assurance and presence of up-to-date KYC procedures. Advised the business over sanctions globally and anti-money laundering.

Key Achievements:

• Accelerated the introduction of policies, governance, and control functions for high-risk clients in an investment firm.
• Guided the delivery of the project setup to conduct a GAP Analysis against the AML and sanctions policy and supported business areas to make changes to the line of business procedure guides if any deficiencies identified.
• Recognised AML risks associated with the client and assessed overall risk through collating and reviewing KYC documentation following regulatory and bank’s anti-money laundering (AML) policy requirements.
• Organised knowledge sharing and training sessions as well as meetings and work reviews, facilitating other team members.
• Engaged effectively with key stakeholders (QA, QC, head of compliance) to ensure satisfactory resolution of key issues, together with understanding and escalation of respective responsibilities where needed.
• Produced screening procedures and methodology for PEP clients for an investment firm.
• Mapped current processes and offered recommendations for improvement.
• Provided sanction advise in relation to PEP and client with adverse media or sanctions.

February 2018 - December 2018

Banking

SENIOR KYC/ AML ANALYST

Supervised maintenance of information to process each case and management of all confidential client information in conjunction with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), examining and analysing client KYC and CDD. Instructed business on retaining clients based on the level of AML risks. Reviewed sanction alerts periodically.

Key Achievements:

• Performed enhanced due diligence for sanctions, PEPs, SCCs along with high-risk organisations, jurisdictions, and individual, controlling and inspecting sanction hits.
• Utilised various systems including Norkom, Lexis Nexis, Worldcheck, Dow Jones, and Factiva tools for screening checks, pointing out negative news hits, sanctions, and PEP exposure for customers or any connected parties of the customer.
• Evaluated client documentation and monitored transactions to find out unusual or suspicious activities and red flags.
• Arranged regular training with quality control to ensure consistency and efficiency in building a client file.
• Presented risk mitigation reports to stakeholders and senior management highlighting and discussing financial crime risk posed by HSBC commercial banking customers.
• Ensured accurate and high standard file builds in coordination with auditors, internal compliance team, and quality assurance.
• Created KYC due diligence profiles on a wide range of entity types (Trusts, LLC's, Partnerships, and Corporations).
• Scrutinised new/prospective clients including enhanced due diligence synthesized finding and assessed risk levels.
• Carried out research and validation over parties involved in suspicious transactions against the various database, LexisNexis, OFAC, World-check, and internet searches.
• Developed Risk Assessment report for several entities and communicated effectively with key stakeholders to mitigate any financial crime risk.

2017 - 2018

Financial Services

Financial Crime / PPI

2015 - 2016

Engineering Consultant

Financial Crime Compliance Executive

2013 - 2014

Engineering Consultant

Financial Crime Compliance Executive

References Available Upon Request

If you are interested in this candidate, please contact Charlie Watson via email cwatson@cerfinancial.co.uk or call on 0207 626 6065.

To view other CV's please click here.