VP, Credit Management

Role Overview

Vice President, Credit Management at First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), based in the United Arab Emirates. This senior-level role prepares, reviews, and provides credit recommendations for private banking portfolios while ensuring compliance with all credit policies and guidelines.

Role Purpose

Prepare, review, and provide appropriate recommendations for credit facilities within the private banking credit portfolio while ensuring compliance with all credit policies and guidelines. The role involves high-value transactions where facility structuring is key for complex, bespoke offerings to High Net Worth and Ultra High Net Worth clients.

Key Responsibilities

Credit Underwriting & Analysis

• Provide credit underwriting support for assigned portfolios for facilities in UAE and KSA.
• Conduct robust credit analysis by ensuring that appropriate Target Market Risk Acceptance Criteria and PBW GCP guidelines are followed as part of the approval process.
• Participate in and represent credit in the due diligence process for prospective deals in collaboration with Coverage and Product teams.
• Ensure that emerging risk factors are identified and suitably addressed with appropriate mitigants.
• Look into and beyond Personal Net Worth Statements and financials to understand the business proposition.

Facility Structuring & Client Solutions

• Engage with relationship managers in structuring and proposing solutions that meet both client needs and Bank requirements in a swift and expeditious manner.
• Actively participate in client relationships through client visits and conference calls as part of transaction origination and structuring.
• Advise Relationship Managers on risk factors associated with complex transactions and clauses imperative in mitigating these risks.
• Structure loan facilities for High Net Worth and Ultra High Net Worth clients around loan size, collateral type, tenor, and the financial strength of the borrower.
• Offer credit facilities under various lending structures including Lombard facilities, Commercial and Residential Real Estate financing, and Insurance Financing.

Credit Proposal & Documentation

• Prepare comprehensive credit proposals clearly outlining key risks, mitigations, and recommendations for presentation to the Approving Authority for prospective and existing clients under assigned portfolio.
• Ensure timely availability of required information to approving authority for credit decision-making.
• Coordinate with internal counterparties (CAD, Legal, etc.) to provide guidance on risk assessment, risk rating, and documentation.
• Assist in obtaining necessary approvals for assigned portfolios in international locations of private banking.

Portfolio Monitoring & Risk Management

• Monitor accounts regularly and follow up with Business Units on terms and conditions to ensure compliance with approval conditions.
• Review exception and portfolio reports as applicable and keep abreast of clients' account conduct, financial standing, and latest developments occurring in their respective segment and market.
• Provide appropriate recommendations regarding change in risk appetite, ratings, and classification.
• Monitor early warning indicators to identify potential problem accounts and liaise with Business Units for ensuring suitable action plans are in place to rectify situations at an early stage.
• Manage problem credits closely and recommend appropriate strategies and remedial action plans.
• Identify defaulters and recommend immediate remedial arrangements for maintaining a quality credit portfolio.
• Oversee the mark-to-market revaluation process and take ownership of liaising with respective RMs to rectify any margin call situations.

Data & Risk Systems Management

• Obtain accurate and current information and update Risk systems (Risk rating models, collateral management system, etc.) to allow for accurate identification of risk profiles and ratings in all asset categories.
• Ensure accuracy of data being presented to various stakeholders including senior management.
• Coordinate with Relationship Managers well in advance of due dates of annual reviews to obtain necessary information from the borrower to facilitate comprehensive review of credit facilities.
• Ensure credit processing and approval turnaround times are met as per agreed SLAs.

Strategic Policy & Governance

• Recommend amendments to the Bank's credit policy, procedures, Risk Rating models, credit memorandums, and risk criteria based on lending experience and market expediencies.
• Ensure alignment with overall Bank risk strategy and policy.
• Provide ongoing feedback and expert inputs into deal structure based on Bank Risk Appetite for products, industry, sector, geography, and counterparty.
• Demonstrate deep knowledge of products, industry, markets, and financial statements in order to work across all product groups and respond in a timely manner.

Audit & Compliance

• Ensure satisfactory rating in audits through proactive actions and ensure all recommendations are implemented.

Team Development

• Contribute to enhancement of knowledge and expertise of other team members by participating in training and development initiatives.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum 5 years relevant experience in the banking sector with at least 4–5 years in Credit function.
• Desirable: Chartered Accountant, Masters in Business Administration (MBA), or any other relevant finance degree, professional certification charter (CFA/FRM, etc.), or diploma.

Skills & Competencies

• Thorough understanding of risks associated with complex facility structures.
• Good understanding of documentation and legal requirements for different types of credit facilities.
• Good understanding of various credit products such as Lombard lending, Real Estate financing, FX, and Derivatives.
• Understanding of various investment products such as bonds, sukuks, stocks, mutual funds, and structured notes.
• Good understanding of legal and regulatory framework.
• Strong structuring skills.
• Strong initiative and interactive approach to problem-solving while displaying flexibility and negotiation skills.
• Solution-oriented mindset with out-of-the-box thinking while maintaining high standards of credit.
• Strong partnership capability with business units.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Strong communication skills – written and spoken.