Executive Director, Corporate Banking - Dubai & NE

Role Overview

Executive Director, Corporate Banking – Dubai & NE at First Abu Dhabi Bank. The role is based in Dubai and covers the North East region, responsible for growing and managing large account portfolios and sensitive client relationships within the corporate banking segment.

Company Overview

First Abu Dhabi Bank is the largest bank in the UAE and one of the world's largest and safest financial institutions. FAB offers a comprehensive range of personal and private banking services, including credit cards, Islamic banking, investments, loans, and mortgages. The organization is committed to excellence and innovation, providing top-tier financial solutions to clients globally. FAB's culture is performance-based, emphasizing customer focus, employee empowerment, and career development with structured progression for talent across the region.

Role Purpose

To grow and manage large account portfolios and sensitive client relationships for the assigned corporate banking segment. The role improves service quality levels, supervises team day-to-day activities and client interactions, and ensures team objectives and revenue targets are met while maintaining client satisfaction and portfolio credit quality.

Key Responsibilities

Client and Market Analysis

• Conduct financial analysis on clients and their respective geographies, industries, and markets to identify potential opportunities and risks.

Business Origination

• Originate new business opportunities with target clients across banking products in line with relevant policies.
• Obtain support from relevant stakeholders and governance forums to close deals, including credit, products, and Global Transaction Banking.
• Develop Term Sheets, Information Memorandums, and Mandate Letters.
• Examine and resolve credit, market, and operational risk aspects of transactions in collaboration with products and enablement units.
• Leverage FAB's network expansion through cross-border deals.
• Anchor Strategic Alliances with UAE's Top Developers and Authorities.
• Expand product penetration through sector-focused solutions.
• Ensure high returns with satisfactory yields.
• Maintain credit quality of client relationships within the portfolio to an acceptable level set by the Bank's management.
• Pitch, review, negotiate, and conclude deals.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key decision makers in other banks to originate business.
• Stay up to date with latest market, competitor, regulatory, and industry developments and amend account plans accordingly.
• Handle sophisticated transactions and engage assigned team members.
• Recommend policy amendments as required to match latest business trends.

Client Relationship Management

• Achieve assigned financial and non-financial objectives by meeting all borrowing and non-borrowing needs of customers within target segments, including borrowers, transactors, and depositors.
• Prepare and maintain Account Plans for all clients with support from relevant partners, including products, international banking, employee banking, and Asset Management.
• Support the conduct of annual and periodic credit facility reviews in the existing portfolio in a timely manner.
• Recommend appropriate credit facilities in line with the Bank's credit policy to maximize earnings while containing risks to an acceptable level and identifying candidates for downgrades or upgrades.
• Develop, implement, and maintain complete control aspects including documentation, periodical client visits, call reports, stock inspections, and formal credit checks or informal market feedback to monitor the assigned portfolio effectively.
• Organize client meetings with relevant partners and senior leadership to deepen FAB relationship within the portfolio.
• Identify and develop cross-selling opportunities and increase cross-sell ratio and returns with clients.
• Support clients on their day-to-day banking requirements with team support as applicable.
• Ensure customer satisfaction remains high and meets the targeted Net Promoter Score.
• Keep abreast of market trends and manage a disciplined marketing process by identifying steps and strategies necessary to effectively initiate relationships with prospects.
• Onboard new clients as required.

Collaboration

• Align with Corporate team and other partners to identify and convert opportunities.
• Collaborate with other business divisions to drive cross-business unit collaboration.
• Develop proposition strategy, competition analysis, focused group approach, service delivery model, customer experience, internal and external campaigns, and alignment with other Products and proposition including Risk policies, Payment and Cash Management, Trade products, and collaboration with Retail Banking including Private Banking.
• Align with International Banking to support clients in FAB network locations.
• Support Unit, Divisional, and Bank-wide initiatives as required or assigned.

Operational

• Follow all relevant policies, processes, standard operating procedures, and instructions to ensure work is carried out in a controlled and consistent manner.
• Conduct periodic reviews of risks including credit, operational, and compliance risks within the portfolio on a regular basis.
• Drive day-to-day administrative and transactional activities for the team such as client calls, documentation follow-up, pipeline updates, and other activities to ensure continuity of work and delivery of effective, high-quality output.
• Ensure internal processes for existing portfolio and new-to-bank clients are in line with the Bank's policies and procedures.
• Manage and follow up on Know Your Customer and compliance requirements to ensure consistency with the Bank's KYC and Anti-Money Laundering policies and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure all credit reviews are submitted on time and agreed conditions are met.
• Ensure all client files and documents are maintained.
• Maintain a satisfactory audit on the portfolio.
• Adhere to process Key Performance Indicators, Operational Risk Management, Business Continuity Plan, and Internal Audit requirements.
• Prepare timely and accurate statements and reports to meet the unit's requirements, policies, and standards.

Leadership

• Act as role model for the entire Corporate Banking group and team.
• Lead, mentor, motivate, develop, and coach team members to ensure career growth and short and long-term successors.
• Establish high-performance culture and ensure high engagement levels.
• Encourage ownership through rightful assignments to team members.
• Achieve individual and team financial performance targets.
• Attend appropriate on and off-the-job training programs and ensure development and skill upgradation of team members.
• Involve in team member new hirings.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Finance or related discipline.
• 12+ years of experience in Banking with at least 8+ years in a senior role involving team management.
• Deep knowledge of Wholesale Banking or Investment Banking.
• Understanding of FAB's product offering and business strategy.
• Master's degree in Business Administration is preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Ability to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders to drive business.
• Strong relationship management skills both internally and externally.
• Sound communication skills, written and verbal.
• Ability to analyse and research information.
• Deep financial and credit analysis ability with an aptitude to identify opportunities and close business deals.
• Data analysis and financial modelling skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and adjust quickly to changing priorities.
• Proficient in MS Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Additional Information

FAB offers unique career choices, opportunities to innovate and craft solutions for the future, and a performance-based culture. The organization provides a range of learning and development initiatives to support all employees through training and skill development. FAB has structured plans for recruitment and career progression of Emirati talent to enable them to make a mark in the financial and banking sector regionally and globally.