Ireland
A Credit Risk and Collections professional, APA qualified and CF1 approved with 25+ years experience in leadership, decision making and strategic roles with a range of Financial Institutions in the SME/Commercial and Retail Personal markets. Expertise in Regulatory Codes, Compliance, Conduct Risk and Customer treatment, in both the Irish and UK Banking markets. A highly self-motivated energetic, innovative, analytical and decisive individual. An excellent communicator with demonstrated strong influencing, collaborative, relationship building and strategic thinking skills in a wide range of People, Customer, cross Divisional Stakeholder and Change Management senior roles. Recognised as a key "Go To" person to solution process design issues and satisfy all Stakeholders where conflicting demands have challenged others. Interested in applying experience and passion to new opportunities (short or long term) in Ireland, the UK and/or further afield.
In this role I chair an independent Committee which decisions Staff cases falling outside Credit Policy where Forbearance (Standard or Advanced) is proposed including either a potential compromise and/or legal action. Committee decisions have supported the Bank in the enhancement and refinement of Forbearance policies whilst also providing ongoing independent assurance to the Board on the application of Customer Treatment Solutions in a fair and consistent manner.
In this fixed term contract role I was a Senior Manager with responsibility for: + Leading a Team of 45 (6 Managers and 39 Underwriters) making decisions on the Banks Retail Secured (Mortgages), Unsecured and Arrears portfolios. + Working closely with the Credit Risk Secured & Unsecured Portfolio Managers to identify and deliver initiatives to improve the Customer journey / experience. + Engaging with key non Credit Risk stakeholders i.e. Distribution, Operations, Finance and Regulatory Risk in the enhancement of the Banks Product offerings and their delivery to Customers. + Ensuring appropriate Customer outcomes were achieved through the application of Customer Treatment Strategies on Forbearance cases. + Reviewing / challenging delivery on Outsourced activities against agreed KPIs. + Developing a Strategic Business plan to underpin transformation of the Team and the services provided to the Business.
In this role: + I led a review which materially re-engineered all Credit Risk aspects of managing Commercial customers and transformed the process for managing the high volume sub €2M portfolio (both Performing and non Performing). + Negotiated, agreed and implemented a range of streamlining initiatives within the Credit management of relationships. + Prepared business case and secured Customer agreement to implement revised AML procedures on the Commercial portfolio, materially reducing repetitive non value added tasks.
I was appointed to this role to lead a Team of 24 Relationship Managers with a remit to pro-actively manage a large Commercial portfolio of primarily financially distressed Customers. In this role: + I developed a unique Divisional brand, with the Team, which saw agreed principles put in place in respect of managing our People, the Team and our Customers. + Delivered top quartile performance in key metrics including Arrears Management, Balance Sheet reduction, Cash Collections and Exits for Lloyds Banking Group “LBG”. + Reshaped the Team and put in place enhanced communication and performance management tools. Materially improved the Divisional engagement index. Positioned Galway to be selected as a Regional base for a second Wholesale Commercial Contract. + Gained the confidence and support of the LBG Credit Risk Team through mentoring and developing Colleagues to ensure Credit reports were aligned to LBG Credit Risk appetite, providing focussed briefings of key risks to maximise effectiveness and leading to successful outcomes. + Developed strong working relationships with Third Party Professionals, where appropriate. In addition to the above I also led and/or contributed to the following initiatives on behalf of the wider Wholesale business: + The handling of Commercial Complaints in line with LBG / CPC requirements. + Negotiation and implementation of agreed Customer experience initiatives and measurable metrics, with LBG Group, in the process driving material changes in Customer management across the business. + Design, delivery and successful implementation of a strategic coaching initiative for Management and Colleagues which delivered superior business improvement across the business. I was nominated and appointed as one of two Chairs of an Independent Staff Business Credit Committee “ISBCC” established by Certus on the request of the AIB Group Executive Board in June 2013.
In addition to a reduced Retail & Intermediary Credit role I took on responsibility for all Credit risk aspects of the BOSI Commercial "good book" Portfolio. In this role: + I recruited, led and mentored a new Team of Underwriters to review the entire Portfolio over a 6 month period. + Designed a bespoke Credit Template which was rolled out to all Relationship Managers to facilitate the front end completion of Reviews / Credit Applications. + Designed a Credit assessment Template which was used by the Underwriting team to facilitate the back end completion of Reviews / Credit Applications. + Liaised with LBG Credit in a review of Credit policy, appetite and its appropriateness in the run up to closure of the BOSI business. I also chaired and/or participated in the BOSI Credit Committee which decisioned large credits within the Committees delegation. This Committee also reviewed credits ahead of submission to BOS Credit Risk, where outside BOSI delegation.
Having been recruited initially to focus on all Credit risk aspects of the launch of the new Retail Halifax network my role subsequently expanded to include the risk management of the BOSI Homeloans (Mortgages) and Asset Finance businesses. In this role: + I led the development and implementation of the Credit risk framework to support the launch of the Halifax network. This included the design of appropriate Credit risk policies, risk appetite and supporting procedures and securing the approval of the Halifax Retail Team, BOSI management and HBOS Group Credit Risk to these. + Recruited, mentored and developed a Team of 15 Underwriters to underwrite Retail Mortgage, Personal Loan, Credit Card and Current Account proposals. + Post Halifax launch I took on responsibility for the Credit risk framework, including appetite, policies and procedures for the BOSI Homeloans and Asset Finance businesses and the Collections & Recoveries Teams for all Retail & Intermediary “R&I” units. + Led and co-ordinated the build of a risk infrastructure including Application & Behavioural Scorecards, Basel models, Fraud Application strategies, Decision engines and automated Collections solutions. Engaged with third party suppliers as appropriate. + Represented Credit at the monthly R&I Senior Management leadership meetings. Ensuring Credit was recognised as a key Stakeholder / Business partner in ongoing development of the business. + Chaired monthly R&I Credit Risk Committee meetings and quarterly Provision Forums. + Attended BOSI Credit Risk Committee on behalf of Retail Credit Team.
The Central Lending Unit "CLU" was set up in 2001 as a new centralised Credit function to support the Ulster Bank Retail and Commercial network which itself had also been reconfigured to target Customers in these key market segments. I led this Team, which comprised c50 Colleagues, and spread across the following functions - Sanctioning, Control, Securities and Recoveries/Collections from the Units establishment through till 2005. Key achievements in this role included setting up of the Unit, recruiting mentoring and developing the Team, supporting the Bank in developing business within both market segments (Retail Mortgages, Unsecured lending, Commercial Mortgages), doing so within agreed risk appetite parameters while firmly establishing the Credit Risk Team as a key strategic business partner.