ASHISH SHARMA

Driving firmwide regulatory transformation initiatives across KYC, client lifecycle management, and financial crime risk, with accountability for large-scale remediation programs, data governance, and operational model enhancement within Group Operations.

KEY CONTRIBUTIONS & ACHIEVEMENTS:

Led the closure of key compliance remediation initiatives across Contact Details & Security Alerts, and W 8BEN/FATCA compliance, achieving ~100% resolution of control gaps and strengthening regulatory alignment and data integrity.

Achieved 100% closure of critical NFRIs across AML and Compliance, demonstrating robust design and operating effectiveness, with sustained control maturity validated by internal and external auditors.

Post Credit Suisse and UBS Bank merger which happened in the year 2023, I was given the responsibility to Lead the Integration and Migration Readiness Function to migrate the Client KYC data from Credit Suisse legacy systems to UBS Target system for Singapore and Hongkong by the year end 2024.

Thereafter continue to stabilise the Wealth Mgt Operations and Lead the Post Migration Program to ensure the identified Gaps during the migration are remediated by the year end 2025 and comply with UBS Bank policy and processes and adhering regulatory compliance standards.

As Programme Manager leading multiple program streams within the Integration & Migration Office, including client data remediation, data readiness, process simplification, policy gap identification, client consent frameworks, and go-live strategy, enabling successful bank-wide platform.

Partnered with the APAC Chief Operating Officer (COO) to deliver seamless integration and migration outcomes, aligning execution with broader commercial and strategic objectives

Built and led a cross-functional team of ~200 FTEs across Singapore, Hong Kong, and Pune, driving execution of integration and migration strategy at scale.

• Regional Head of Front Services onboarding and lifecycle management for Asia, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, and India
• Participate in regional strategic initiatives as part of the APAC Wealth Management (WM) Leadership team
• Manage budget and achieve target savings per mandates
• Lead and manage a team of VPs across regional locations to enhance WM business processes
• Promote and facilitate the bank's vision for digitalization and process automation to reduce manual work
• Utilize critical thinking to analyze problems, evaluate solutions, and make informed decisions
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships
• Develop SLAs and performance standards for support functions in overseas locations to ensure quality service delivery
• Drive improvements to reduce client complaints and enhance the front office experience
• Key Contributions & Achievements:
• Implemented robotics programs within the core Client Lifecycle Management & Controls processing functions, resulting in a 12-headcount saving in 2021 and 2022, and an 11% reduction in spend on remediation activities
• Offshored the Client Lifecycle Management & Controls processing functions for Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia to India, achieving an overall headcount cost reduction of approximately 28% between 2021 and 2022
• Implemented Management Information reports using Power BI, providing transparency to the group and senior management for informed risk-based decisions and regulatory compliance
• Cleared 15,000 outstanding aged workflows within lifecycle management
• Expanded the scope of Client Lifecycle Management services to include Client Data Management, Data Governance, Form Governance, Front Advisory, and Sourcing Client Documentation directly from clients and service providers, enhancing front office services and setting industry standards
• Implemented controls governance around Documentation/KYC processing to address and mitigate risks, resulting in no major incidents since 2022
• Established onshore and offshore Wealth Management client lifecycle support functions across Asia, improving front and client experiences and supporting business growth strategies
• Facilitated internal mobility programs for high-performing staff, enabling 9 key performers to transition into Front Office Assistant Relationship Manager and Compliance roles, reducing attrition and retaining talent.

• Led the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) 239 Risk Data Aggregation & Reporting (RDAR) Project for APAC
• Accountable for ensuring APAC Division and APAC Legal Entities achieved material compliance with BCBS239 Principles and Compliance Statements, supporting the BCBS Global Program Manager and Global Risk Oversight Manager
• Formalized working groups and established a governance model for APAC, providing regular updates to senior stakeholders (CROs, Directors, MDs, and Risk Functional leads) on the BCBS RDAR Project
• Reviewed data limitations in Management Reports with Senior Stakeholders and the Chief Data Officer, creating remediation plans
• Responsible for securing artefacts for end-of-year RDAR compliance audits and regulatory submissions
• Key Contributions & Achievements:
• Successfully ensured APAC Division complied with BCBS 239 regulatory timelines and transitioned the project into successful BAU (Business as Usual) operations
• Supported CRO and Risk Managers in addressing BCBS239 gaps and assisted them in Year-End attestation for FINMA/KPMG Audit review
• Remediated 8 regulatory audit issues for the APAC Division, focusing on credit risk, cross-product risk, and internal controls
• Instrumental in providing training to Senior Management, Risk Management Committees, and the Board of Directors on the RDAR program, ensuring their understanding of their responsibilities.

• Reviewed requirements from Corporate Credit Managers and collaborated with Risk Project teams to propose business solutions
• Accountable for delivering the Credit Risk Change Book of Work across Corporate Banking
• Involved in the GAP analysis and scoring for the replacement of the Credit Origination system with a new Vendor system for Credit Limit Monitoring Assessment
• Key Contributions & Achievements:
• Assisted the Chief Risk Officer (CRO) in successfully delivering a challenging project to digitize the Business Credit Application (BCA) process for Transaction Banking
• This initiative aimed to increase business growth while implementing robust risk controls.

• Managed global stakeholders' requirements (Traders, Risk Managers, RMs, Legal & Compliance) and coordinated with offshore development teams to deliver solutions
• Accountable for onboarding Global Credit Risk and Collateral Management systems and processes into the APAC region, streamlining manual limit monitoring on counterparty exposure
• Served as the Change Lead for BAU projects on Traded Credit Risk Management
• Led the Entity Migration project (ABN AMRO Bank to RBS Bank) for the Collateral Margin Project in South East Asia
• Analyzed ISDA/CSA executed with counterparties and negotiated with Legal and RMs to secure client consent based on Novation Strategies
• Key Contributions & Achievements:
• Played a key role in transforming the Singapore Credit Risk BAU team into a global team, enabling them to deliver global regulatory projects and transition projects from RBS London to RBS Singapore.

Implementation of Corporate Loan Origination and limit Monitoring System in ASIA.

Implementation of TCB and T24 Core banking in Asia and USA