Yawar Gardezi
Melbourne,Australia
Summary
Seasoned professional with extensive experience in developing and implementing risk and compliance frameworks for major financial institutions, including NAB and Al Rajhi Bank. Expertise in risk identification, control testing, and compliance program rollout, with a proven track record of presenting detailed reports to senior management. Strong ability to collaborate across disciplines and drive continuous improvement, ensuring alignment with organizational and regulatory standards. Detail-oriented and goal-focused, committed to enhancing operational performance and fostering strategic compliance initiatives.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
Consultant
Independent Consultant
11.2019 - Current
- Consulting and Advisory Services – Collaborating with various consulting businesses to provide professional expertise and assist in the completion of a variety of projects.
- Risk and Controls Assessment – Analysing and assessing risk and control environment, with a focus on operational improvement and financial exposure mitigation ensuring compliance with requirements in ISO 31000 Risk Management and APRA’s CPS 230 - Operational Risk Management Prudential Standard.
- Business Process Review – Reviewing pre-existing core processes and controls and assisted with the determining the criteria to be used for classification of both business operations and service providers as per the regulatory standards. Assist with/undertook the classification of those business operations to determine if critical or not.
- Business Transformation and Performance Management – Providing Consulting and Advisory Services to clients, assisted them in restructuring and transforming their business. Develop KPIs for Balance Scorecards and Service Level Agreements SLA’s with key business partners. Problem-solving of complex issues into simple and easy to implement steps with set of controls. Developed and implemented quality assurance framework.
- Internal Controls Definition – Developing and redefining internal controls, covering governance requirements, implementing new controls, and revisiting delegations/ authorities. Documenting operational risk processes for critical operations.
- Training – Developing training material and implementing a training plan to improve controls awareness essential for sustaining, redefining, and improving customer experience.
- Stakeholder Management – Conducted workshops and presented to all levels of management the benefits of bringing automation, manage service the end-to-end process and going lean by redefined the existing processes.
Head of Operational Excellence, Governance and Control
Al-Rajhi Bank
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
01.2019 - 10.2019
- Company Overview: A major financial institution in Saudi Arabia.
- Managing and executing Operations Excellence strategy across the bank. The position held the accountability for Risk, Audit and Compliance Governance for Shared Services including Information Technology, Product Controls, Acquisition and onboarding of the Manage Services providers, Change Management and Innovative Solutions implementation, Process Re-engineering and Control environment improvement.
- A major financial institution in Saudi Arabia.
- Business Support function – Role Modelling excellence by working collaboratively with business stakeholders to reduced overdue Audit, Risk and compliance findings to zero across the shared services. Maintained and updated Risk and Compliance registers.
- Robotics (RPA) Transformation – Lead the strategy development of AI based robotics implementation across the Bank. Automation of 10 new processes across Compliance, Anti-Money Laundering, Sanctions Screening and Treasury Nostro Management.
- Manage Service – Engaged service providers to undertake Corporate Operations, Treasury Operations, Payments Operations, Cards Operations, e-Commerce and Point of Sale Operations, Reconciliation of All Suspense and Nostro Accounts, ATM’s Monitoring and reconciliations per the defined performance metrics and service level agreements.
- Continuous Improvements – Implemented and redefined controls to address process gaps in Car Lease Operations, Real Estate and Call Centre. Worked with process owners to plug revenue losses. Reduced losses by more SAR 5 million. Defined and implemented new exception monitoring reports using data, insights & analytics to identify any revenue losses across the Banking Operations.
- Documentation – Defined documentation requirements for the service providers to ensure systems, people and processes are managed in line with the regulatory framework and there are robust preventative and/or detective controls to manage risks in line with the risk management framework.
Head of Business Operations and Support
Al-Rajhi Bank
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
11.2016 - 12.2018
- Company Overview: A major financial institution in Saudi Arabia.
- Running and managing day to day affairs of back-office operations. The position holds accountability for: Retail Banking Operations, Corporate Banking and Trade Operations, Treasury and Payments Operations, Cards and Merchant Operations, and Cash Services.
- A major financial institution in Saudi Arabia.
- Over-all improved efficiency of the bank with ATM availability improved from 95% to 98%, Improved STP local payment from 89% to 92% and Improved processing of Retail Approval within TAT from 49% to 85%.
- Network expansion ATM/ CDM distribution increasing from 4300 to 5006 at the end of 2018. POS new installations increased from 35,500 in 2016 to 83,955 in 2018. Customer self-service Kiosk increased from 100 in 2016 to 230 at the end of 2018. Develop application for monitoring of the service provider activities.
- Consolidation of Operations – Consolidation of Credit Cards and Merchant Operations, Treasury and Payments Operations and ATM and CDM Operations. Consolidated customers claim unit to expedite the claim process.
- Robotics (RPA) Transformation – 32 processes across Retail (Consumer Loans) Underwriting, Corporate Operations, Payments and Cards Operations are being undertaken by Robots on real time basis.
- Cost Reduction – Aforementioned initiatives reduced head count from 532 in 2016 to 345 in by the end of 2018. Reduced Average cash balance holding from SAR 10 billion monthly average in 2016 to SAR 8 billion monthly average in 2018.
- Operational Efficiency – Developed a Dashboard to monitoring the ongoing activities, ATM’s Support Model revamped, Monitor and tracking the sales funnel to ensure timely approval of consumer loan portfolio and providing feedback to Retail team for sales growth.
- Female Workforce – Increase the number of female work force and transferred the following business processes to female workforce: Consumer underwriting/ loan approvals, SAMA Requests, Sanctions Screening.
Head of Enterprise Risk and Resilience
Al-Rajhi Bank
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
10.2013 - 10.2016
- Company Overview: A major financial institution in Saudi Arabia.
- Second Line of Defence role. The position held accountability for the development and Implementation Operational Risk, Internal Controls, Anti-Fraud, Reputational Risk, Emerging Risk, IT Risk, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery.
- A major financial institution in Saudi Arabia.
- Polices and Frameworks – Developed Risk frameworks, policies and associated processes for Internal Control, New Product Development, Reputational Risk, IT Risk and Anti-Fraud.
- Proactive Risk Management with implementation of system for Operational Risk, Business Resilience and Fraud Monitoring for products and services excluding credit cards.
- Embedding of Risk Frameworks – Facilitated risk workshop, conducted Crisis Management Exercise and Training, Internal Control self-testing regime implemented, Risk Capability Assessment undertaken, Emerging Risk forum instituted.
- Risk Culture – Various training, awareness programs and events conducted to build risk knowledge and embed risk culture across the organisation. The target audiences were all level of management including CEO and Direct Reports, and Board of Directors. Maintained and updated Risk Appetite Statements and supporting measurement.
- Risk Mitigation – Supported ongoing development of mitigation strategies. Obtained Bank BBB insurance to cover the operational losses, public liability, professional indemnity, cyber security.
- Quality Assurance – Developed a program for control testing to support a culture of continuous improvement. Provided reports to Board, Risk Management Committee and Senior Management on level of compliance.
Head of Operational Risk
Al-Rajhi Bank
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
10.2008 - 09.2013
- Company Overview: A major financial institution in Saudi Arabia.
- The position held accountability for developing and defining operational risk requirements per the Basel II standards across the group.
- A major financial institution in Saudi Arabia.
- Risk and Control Self-Assessment – Risk Assessments (RCSA) at across various levels, Branch Control Self-Assessment, Outsourcing Risk Assessment and IT Change Risk Assessments requirements were embedded.
- Risk Monitoring – Key Risk Indicators were defined aligned these with the Risk Appetite Branch Control Self-Assessment, Key Risk Indicators, Outsourcing Risk Assessment and IT Change Risk Assessments.
- Operational Losses - Established protocols and mechanism for Incident reporting, root cause analysis, Operational losses reporting and approval.
- Governance and Stakeholder Management – Established Group Operational Risk Committee (GORC). Risk Partner program implemented.
Senior Manager, Operational Risk & Compliance
National Australia Bank (NAB)
Melbourne, Australia
03.2005 - 10.2008
- Company Overview: A major financial institution in Australia.
- Following roles were held while working in NAB Group Operational Risk Function.
- A major financial institution in Australia.
- Developed and implemented program for RCSA across the various business groups.
- Developed – Risk and Compliance Framework, Operational Risk and Compliance Dashboard, Group Model Risk Policy, Compliance Program and Capability Assessment model for risk staff.
- Controls – Implementation of Group Risk Change Policy, Use & Experience Assessment and Scenario Analysis.
- Reporting – Risk Committees, Annual Risk Report and other Basel II Reporting.
- Business Support – Participated in the International Expansion Program, Project managed the Accreditation of NAB Operational Risk program with APRA.
Manager, Marketing Measurement
National Australia Bank (NAB)
Melbourne, Australia
03.2004 - 02.2005
- Company Overview: A major financial institution in Australia.
- Developed – Marketing Planning Calendar and Marketing ROI Dashboard.
- A major financial institution in Australia.
- Reporting – Monthly reporting pack for CEO.
Senior Finance Analyst, Profitability & Costing
National Australia Bank (NAB)
Melbourne, Australia
05.2001 - 03.2004
- Company Overview: A major financial institution in Australia.
- Worked in NAB Finance Function.
- A major financial institution in Australia.
Management Trainee
Bank Al Habib Ltd
Multan, Pakistan
03.1995 - 06.1998
- Company Overview: An innovative bank in Pakistan.
- I started my banking career with Bank Al Habib Ltd, Pakistan as Management Trainee. Post completion of training program, I worked as Credit Officer for the next 3 years in Multan Main Branch. During this period, I was promoted twice and was recognized for support I provided to improve the credit assessment quality and health of the corporate portfolio.
- An innovative bank in Pakistan.
Lecturer in Physics
Government of Punjab
Sargodha, Pakistan
11.1993 - 03.1995
- Upon completion of my masters got a job as Lecturer in Physics in Government College, 90 SB Sargodha, Pakistan on contract basis teaching Year 11 and 12 classes.
Education
CPA -
Australia
Australia01.2008
Graduate Diploma in Accounting -
Monash University
Melbourne, Australia01.2001
MBA-Master of Business Administration -
Victoria University
Melbourne, Australia01.1999
M. Sc. - Physics
B. Z. University
Multan, Pakistan01.1992
B Sc. - Physics and Mathematics
B. Z. University
Multan, Pakistan01.1990
Skills
- Critical analysis
- Compliance management
- Data analytics
- Internal controls
- Risk assessment
- Solution development
- Team collaboration
- Market insights
- Organizational resilience
- Strategic alliances
- Change leadership
- Staff management
- Leadership skills
- Effective communication
- Detail orientation
- Compliance expertise
- Problem solving
Affiliations
- Agriculture and mango farming
Accomplishments
- Highest performance rating in the last 5 annual appraisals
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Consultant
Independent Consultant
11.2019 - Current
Head of Operational Excellence, Governance and Control
Al-Rajhi Bank
01.2019 - 10.2019
Head of Business Operations and Support
Al-Rajhi Bank
11.2016 - 12.2018
Head of Enterprise Risk and Resilience
Al-Rajhi Bank
10.2013 - 10.2016
Head of Operational Risk
Al-Rajhi Bank
10.2008 - 09.2013
Senior Manager, Operational Risk & Compliance
National Australia Bank (NAB)
03.2005 - 10.2008
Manager, Marketing Measurement
National Australia Bank (NAB)
03.2004 - 02.2005
Senior Finance Analyst, Profitability & Costing
National Australia Bank (NAB)
05.2001 - 03.2004
Management Trainee
Bank Al Habib Ltd
03.1995 - 06.1998
Lecturer in Physics
Government of Punjab
11.1993 - 03.1995
CPA -
Australia
Graduate Diploma in Accounting -
Monash University
MBA-Master of Business Administration -
Victoria University
M. Sc. - Physics
B. Z. University
B Sc. - Physics and Mathematics
B. Z. University