Paul Louis | LinkedIn
Paul Louis
Business Manager (Ops Control), Pacific Financial Derivatives
Auckland, New Zealand | Financial Services
Summary
Current: Pacific Financial Derivatives
Previous: Pacific Financial Derivatives, WSBC Bank, ING Vysya Bank is now Kotak Mahindra Bank
Education: University of Kerala
Over 25 years' experience working within banking/financial industry and has had multiple senior roles in banks (including overseas) where I have undertaken compliance roles. My employment includes 5 years as Project Officer with 2 reputable NGOs, 20 years' experience in various capacities with the group companies of ING, dedicated 2 year compliance role in an International Bank in the Cook Islands and 7 years in a NZ licensed Derivatives Issuer. My employments have equipped me with the knowledge and skills needed for a compliance role operating in highly regulated environments and more than capable of understanding and working within the requirements of any jurisdictional regime. Have in-depth subject knowledge, excellent skill sets and over a decade of significant experience in: (a)Regulatory Compliance and assurance, (b) AML/CF, KYC/CDD, Sanctions and Financial Crime & (c) Multiple specialised areas viz., Foreign Exchange, Trade Finance, Treasury, Global Payment & Settlement Systems – SWIFT operations, Global Client Services, Financial Markets, OTC Regulations, Trade Credit Management & Administration, Counter-party due diligence, Financial Crime and Sanctions.
Experience
Business Manager (Ops. Control), Pacific Financial Derivatives
June 2015 – Present (1 year 6 months) | Auckland, New Zealand
• Ongoing oversight and Enhanced Customer Due Diligence on hedging counterparty banks, brokers, affiliate/referral partners, introducing brokers, service providers and outsourcing agents. Ongoing Customer Due Diligence and client on boarding complying AML/CFT obligations.
• Review of operational controls, monitor and analyse credit and market risks.
• In-depth market research - competitor research and analysis.
• Review of pricing strategies for direct, indirect and affiliate businesses.
• Liaise with IT team on new applications & trading systems.
• Oversee promotional strategies.
• Review of operational controls, monitor and analyse credit and market risks.
• In-depth market research - competitor research and analysis.
• Review of pricing strategies for direct, indirect and affiliate businesses.
• Liaise with IT team on new applications & trading systems.
• Oversee promotional strategies.
Compliance & AML/CFT Manager, Pacific Financial Derivatives
January 2009 – May 2015 (6 years 5 months) | Auckland, New Zealand
• Regulatory compliance and market risk oversight of a NZ Derivatives Issuer licensed pursuant to the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 & the Financial Markets Conduct Regulations 2014.
• Regulatory compliance and market risk oversight of a NZ Authorised Futures Dealer accredited pursuant to the Securities Markets Act 1988.
• Regulatory compliance and market risk oversight of a New Zealand Exchange (NZX) Futures & Options (F&O) Participant Firm pursuant to the Securities Markets Act 198, Futures Industry (Clients Funds) Regulations 1990, other Markets Regulations and Rules.
• Regulatory compliance to other jurisdictional regulations as applicable to F&O Participant Firm, Futures Dealer, Futures Commission Merchants, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, UAE Securities and Commodities Authority and Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange.
• Developing, implementing, multiple financial management analytical reports covering markets, credit and counterparty risk,
• Successfully eliminating manual deal booking, implementing real time market risks management monitoring tools e.g., Value at Risk, Month of Date PL/Risk Tolerance limit & Risk Liquidation Limits, linking of Value at Risk to Net Tangible Asset calculation methods etc.,
• Successfully transitioning the company in 2011 from a New Zealand Exchange Futures & Options Participant Firm to a New Zealand Financial Markets Authority Accredited Authorised Futures Dealer.
• Successfully transitioning the company in 2015 from an Authorised Futures Dealer to a NZ Financial Markets Authority licensed Derivatives Issuer.
• Significant hand-on-experience in the area of customer resolution processes, handling trading specific enquiries, OTC regulatory etc.
• Immense knowledge on privacy legislations the need for maintaining the confidentiality of customers,
• Huge experience in formulating policies and reviewing systems, processes for ensuring efficiency.
• Regulatory compliance and market risk oversight of a NZ Authorised Futures Dealer accredited pursuant to the Securities Markets Act 1988.
• Regulatory compliance and market risk oversight of a New Zealand Exchange (NZX) Futures & Options (F&O) Participant Firm pursuant to the Securities Markets Act 198, Futures Industry (Clients Funds) Regulations 1990, other Markets Regulations and Rules.
• Regulatory compliance to other jurisdictional regulations as applicable to F&O Participant Firm, Futures Dealer, Futures Commission Merchants, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, UAE Securities and Commodities Authority and Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange.
• Developing, implementing, multiple financial management analytical reports covering markets, credit and counterparty risk,
• Successfully eliminating manual deal booking, implementing real time market risks management monitoring tools e.g., Value at Risk, Month of Date PL/Risk Tolerance limit & Risk Liquidation Limits, linking of Value at Risk to Net Tangible Asset calculation methods etc.,
• Successfully transitioning the company in 2011 from a New Zealand Exchange Futures & Options Participant Firm to a New Zealand Financial Markets Authority Accredited Authorised Futures Dealer.
• Successfully transitioning the company in 2015 from an Authorised Futures Dealer to a NZ Financial Markets Authority licensed Derivatives Issuer.
• Significant hand-on-experience in the area of customer resolution processes, handling trading specific enquiries, OTC regulatory etc.
• Immense knowledge on privacy legislations the need for maintaining the confidentiality of customers,
• Huge experience in formulating policies and reviewing systems, processes for ensuring efficiency.
Compliance Officer & Money Laundering Reporting Officer, WSBC Bank
January 2007 – November 2008 (1 year 11 months) | Rarotonga
• Developed policies and procedures and administered all aspects of the Bank’s Regulatory compliance management programme as an International Bank pursuant to the Banking Act 2003, the Prudential Statements (PS), Financial Transaction and Reporting Act 2004 (FTRA).
• Planned, organized and controlled day to day operational compliance activities. Conducted periodical reviews of the effectiveness of the procedures and adequacy of policy guidelines and made appropriate recommendations to Senior Management on emerging issues and control measures to mitigate risks.
• Headed the CDD desk of the bank as its Money Laundering Reporting Officer and sharpened my skill sets and oversight capability over the team discharging clients’ on-boarding of individuals, Trusts, Partnerships and Companies mostly with very complex organisational structures from heightened jurisdictions requiring ECDD.
• Gained significant experience to administer onsite and offsite audits and inspections by the local regulator and the Financial Intelligence Unit which broadened my skill sets and exposure in multiple areas including regulatory compliance and operational risk controls.
• Held direct oversight on Daily Transactions Monitoring, Suspicious Transactions Reporting based on typology, Client Data Maintenance, Client Data Remediation and engaged very closely with the FIUs in the Cook Islands.
• Undertook ECDD on correspondent banks, IBs and outsourcing agents of the Bank and approved the arrangements.
• Gained significant working knowledge on Sanctions regimes.
• Ensured effective implementation of Credit Policy & Margin Trading policy as a member of the Executive Credit Committee.
• Daily liaised with the regulators following the ongoing legal challenge for reason since 2003/4 the bank was placed under investigations and served notice for revocation of licence on alleged fit and proper concerns on the owners of the Bank and the ongoing legal challenge.
• Planned, organized and controlled day to day operational compliance activities. Conducted periodical reviews of the effectiveness of the procedures and adequacy of policy guidelines and made appropriate recommendations to Senior Management on emerging issues and control measures to mitigate risks.
• Headed the CDD desk of the bank as its Money Laundering Reporting Officer and sharpened my skill sets and oversight capability over the team discharging clients’ on-boarding of individuals, Trusts, Partnerships and Companies mostly with very complex organisational structures from heightened jurisdictions requiring ECDD.
• Gained significant experience to administer onsite and offsite audits and inspections by the local regulator and the Financial Intelligence Unit which broadened my skill sets and exposure in multiple areas including regulatory compliance and operational risk controls.
• Held direct oversight on Daily Transactions Monitoring, Suspicious Transactions Reporting based on typology, Client Data Maintenance, Client Data Remediation and engaged very closely with the FIUs in the Cook Islands.
• Undertook ECDD on correspondent banks, IBs and outsourcing agents of the Bank and approved the arrangements.
• Gained significant working knowledge on Sanctions regimes.
• Ensured effective implementation of Credit Policy & Margin Trading policy as a member of the Executive Credit Committee.
• Daily liaised with the regulators following the ongoing legal challenge for reason since 2003/4 the bank was placed under investigations and served notice for revocation of licence on alleged fit and proper concerns on the owners of the Bank and the ongoing legal challenge.
Senior Banker, ING Vysya Bank is now Kotak Mahindra Bank
May 2002 – December 2006 (4 years 8 months) | India
(a) As Manager – Regional (Non-Resident Services).
• Administered 22 branch units and professionally trained staff on KYC/CDD to meet standards for on boarding of clients in a Central Operations Environment following ING Group’s Standard Operating Procedure.
• Administered regulatory compliance to the guidelines of the Foreign Exchange Department of Reserve Bank of India.
• Formulated business strategies and meeting month to month global business targets.
• Specialised wealth management services to high net worth/private clients
• Conducted in-depth market and competitor research for international business and prepared pricing strategy.
• Researched potential new markets, competitors and reviewed marketing opportunities.
(b) As Branch Head in multiple branches
• Supervised multiple core banking functions, succeeded in achieving business targets and led the teams for best outcomes.
• Specialised in credit submission, lending principles, credit assessment, credit management and administration - pre-sanction and post sanction credit controls, legal, documentary and recovery procedures.
• Specialized in asset management services - insurance, securities, bonds, mutual funds and private wealth products.
• Administered compliance to regulatory guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India as applicable for branch operations.
• Implemented competency in managing branch operations, monitored both asset and liability products and security documentation.
• Developed and conceptualized financial policies, systems & procedures for exercising optimum, improved and enhanced internal controls.
• Developed systems for offering constructive feedback to the front line to mitigate risks as well as to enhance the quality of customer service, handling of customer queries and delivering overall customer satisfaction.
• Administered 22 branch units and professionally trained staff on KYC/CDD to meet standards for on boarding of clients in a Central Operations Environment following ING Group’s Standard Operating Procedure.
• Administered regulatory compliance to the guidelines of the Foreign Exchange Department of Reserve Bank of India.
• Formulated business strategies and meeting month to month global business targets.
• Specialised wealth management services to high net worth/private clients
• Conducted in-depth market and competitor research for international business and prepared pricing strategy.
• Researched potential new markets, competitors and reviewed marketing opportunities.
(b) As Branch Head in multiple branches
• Supervised multiple core banking functions, succeeded in achieving business targets and led the teams for best outcomes.
• Specialised in credit submission, lending principles, credit assessment, credit management and administration - pre-sanction and post sanction credit controls, legal, documentary and recovery procedures.
• Specialized in asset management services - insurance, securities, bonds, mutual funds and private wealth products.
• Administered compliance to regulatory guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India as applicable for branch operations.
• Implemented competency in managing branch operations, monitored both asset and liability products and security documentation.
• Developed and conceptualized financial policies, systems & procedures for exercising optimum, improved and enhanced internal controls.
• Developed systems for offering constructive feedback to the front line to mitigate risks as well as to enhance the quality of customer service, handling of customer queries and delivering overall customer satisfaction.
Manager (Trade Finance & Credit) + Global Client Services, ING Vysya Bank is now Kotak Mahindra Bank
May 1987 – March 2002 (14 years 11 months) | Kochi, India
• Gained in-depth knowledge in international trade, global payments systems and in conducting due diligence on correspondent banks, global trade creditors, debtors and trade intermediaries.
• Gained significant working knowledge on Sanctions regimes encompassing OFAC, High Risk and Non-Cooperative Jurisdictions, Financial Action Task Office Country Assessments, Corruption Perception Index.
• Specialised in International banking, global trade finance & Foreign exchange business, treasury, markets and margin trading.
• Monitored trade finance operational risks, trade credit management and trade credit risks.
• Ensured regulatory compliance to Foreign Exchange Department of Reserve Bank of India, Foreign Exchange Dealers Association of India and Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India.
• Gained significant working knowledge on Sanctions regimes encompassing OFAC, High Risk and Non-Cooperative Jurisdictions, Financial Action Task Office Country Assessments, Corruption Perception Index.
• Specialised in International banking, global trade finance & Foreign exchange business, treasury, markets and margin trading.
• Monitored trade finance operational risks, trade credit management and trade credit risks.
• Ensured regulatory compliance to Foreign Exchange Department of Reserve Bank of India, Foreign Exchange Dealers Association of India and Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India.
Skills
| 16 | Banking |
| 15 | Foreign Exchange |
| 14 | Financial Markets |
| 8 | Securities |
| 8 | Derivatives |
| 6 | Asset Management |
| 6 | AML |
| 5 | Options |
| 5 | Currency |
| 4 | KYC |
Education
University of Kerala
1980 – 1982
University of Kerala
1977 – 1980
University of Kerala
1975 – 1976
Recommendations
Senior Banker, ING Vysya Bank is now Kotak Mahindra Bank
PF is intelligent and committed. He exhibited high standard of professionalism. Our association was mutually beneficial.
April 26, 2016, Thomas managed Paul at ING Vysya Bank is now Kotak Mahindra Bank
Paul Louis was very committed to his job, customer friendly, employee friendly. In fact a good friend to rely upon for anything personal or official.
January 28, 2013, Jose worked directly with Paul at ING Vysya Bank is now Kotak Mahindra Bank
