Ganesh Iyer
Abu Dhabi
Summary
A+ Certified MasterCard Digital Payment Specialist with a robust background in Card Life Cycle Management, Merchant Acquiring, ATM & CDM Management, and Bancassurance Operations. Proven track record of navigating demanding situations, delivering tangible results, and driving innovation. Adept at leveraging a broad spectrum of digital banking technologies to facilitate a smoother, risk-mitigated journey toward a bank's success. Actively pursuing a challenging and dynamically evolving role to catalyze a bank's growth.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
6
6
Certification
Work History
Card Operations Manager
Al Hilal Bank (Erst While Union National Bank)
10.2011 - Current
- Directed end‑to‑end Card Operations across UAE, Egypt, and Kuwait, covering issuance, settlements, chargebacks, and risk governance, ensuring full compliance with Visa, Mastercard, and Central Bank regulations.
- Reengineered core operational workflows, improving reconciliation efficiency by 35% and reducing exception‑handling time across T24, Aurora, and HPS platforms.
- Executed credit underwriting and decisioning for credit card applications in alignment with bank credit policies and operational standards.
- Developed and implemented standard operating procedures (SOPs) & policies for card management processes.
- Oversaw the complete card lifecycle , including issuance, activation, maintenance, and support functions.
- Conducted periodic operational reviews, analyzed MIS reports, finalized merchant agreements, and managed customer and merchant onboarding and settlements.
- Managed a network of 120+ ATMs across the UAE, achieving 99.6% uptime through proactive vendor coordination and predictive cash‑replenishment strategies.
- Managed, reviewed and reconciled Card and ATM Sundry GL's , ensuring accurate and timely reporting to the Finance Division.
- Mitigated operational risks by enforcing strict adherence to Visa/Mastercard rules, Central Bank mandates, and internal operational procedures.
- Led the Dispute Management and chargeback function, handling Visa, Mastercard, and Central Bank dispute filings in line with VIOR/MC guidelines.
- Performed data‑driven analysis using MIS, BRIO, Hyperion and RCSA , supporting risk assessment and operational performance improvement.
- Identified and monitored Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to detect negative trends and strengthen control frameworks.
- Collaborated with cross‑functional teams, branches, and vendors to resolve service issues and ensure seamless operational support for internal and external stakeholders.
- Supported IT, Procurement, and Retail Business teams in vendor management and new product launches .
- Implemented process enhancements to reduce turnaround time (TAT) and streamline procedures, boosting operational efficiency and service quality.
- Ensured smooth day‑to‑day operations by identifying improvement opportunities and working with process experts to drive continuous optimization.
- Partnered with the Risk Management team to identify process‑level risks and implement effective internal controls.
- Developed and periodically reviewed MIS dashboards to track staff productivity and optimize resource and capacity planning.
- Resolved customer issues promptly, ensuring high service satisfaction and maintaining strong customer relationships.
- Managed team workload distribution and ensured consistent delivery of high‑quality operational output .
Team Leader
ADCB
04.2007 - 09.2011
- Oversaw the performance and supervision of repayment, settlement, and sundry account reconciliations within Card Operations, ensuring accuracy and timely closure.
- Monitored and supervised ATM/CDM reconciliation activities , including Transguard and Group 4 sundry accounts, ensuring full compliance with operational and audit standards.
- Resolved customer disputes by ensuring timely investigation, documentation, and closure , maintaining high service quality and regulatory adherence.
- Ensured timely monthly and quarterly reporting to the Central Bank, Visa, Mastercard, and the Finance Department, maintaining 100% compliance with regulatory timelines.
- Reviewed and redesigned process notes and SOPs on a periodic basis, ensuring updates were effectively communicated across the team and published on the bank's intranet.
- Managed back‑end operational activities for marketing‑driven promotions such as Smart Cash, Balance Transfer, and Life Assurance programs , supporting revenue growth initiatives.
- Served as the Business Continuity Plan (BCP) Coordinator for Card Operations, ensuring readiness, documentation, and adherence to continuity protocols.
Credit Risk Manager
HSBC
08.2003 - 12.2006
- emonstrated strong expertise in Credit Risk Operations , ensuring sound decision‑making and adherence to internal credit policies and regulatory guidelines.
- Managed offline credit card authorizations , assessing risk parameters and ensuring secure and timely approval decisions.
- Executed credit‑limit enhancement reviews and conducted continuous fraud monitoring , strengthening early‑warning controls and minimizing exposure.
- Handled client and HNW customer relationship management , providing tailored support and maintaining high service standards.
- Monitored payments for delinquent customers , implementing proactive strategies to reduce credit losses, minimize write‑offs, and improve portfolio quality.
- Initiated legal escalation for skip and defaulter customers by coordinating with the Legal Department to support recovery actions.
- Played a key role in managing fraud‑related cases , including Code 10 authorizations and referral investigations, ensuring swift action and loss prevention.
Education
Post-Graduation Diploma - Business Administration (Finance)
Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies
Pune01.2007
Bachelor in Commerce - Accounting And Finance
Mumbai University
Mumbai06-2000
Skills
Card Operations Management
Variance Analysis & Reporting
Cross-functional Coordination
Payment Network Liaison
Fraud Investigation/Monitoring
Process Optimization
Card Life Cycle Management
Performance Metrics & Reporting
System migration & Updates
Operational Risk Management
Accomplishments
- Delivered USD 4M+ in cost savings through large‑scale process re‑engineering and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Recovered AED 2.5M+ via Arbitration by successfully resolving complex fraud and lost‑card dispute cases.
- Led the end‑to‑end migration from T24 to Temenos , ensuring zero operational disruption across 75 GL accounts and full adherence to Finance SLAs.
- Directed the implementation of the Card Domestic Scheme (CDS) at Al Hilal Digital Bank in 2023, enabling compliant and efficient domestic card processing.
- Planned and executed the migration of 75 Card Center GL accounts from Accurate Recon to Aurora Recon in 2023, enhancing reconciliation accuracy and reporting efficiency.
- Collaborated with Digital squads and IT PMO to deliver major digital initiatives, including:
Temenos Core Banking launch (2022)
Mobile Banking App (2023)
Virtual Cards (2023)
Card Services enhancements (2023–24) - Contributed to the successful launch of the Al Hilal Digital Mastercard Debit Card and Multi‑ICA setup in 2022.
- Achieved a 40% reduction in card fulfillment TAT by automating data input workflows and optimizing vendor coordination.
- Led the re‑carding and credit card migration program for Al Hilal Bank customers in 2022, ensuring seamless customer transition.
- Managed major card process migrations for RBS–ADCB (2010–2011) and UNB–ADCB (2019–2020) , ensuring operational continuity and compliance.
- Supported the rollout of Closed Loop Cards for Sheikh Khalifa University (2018) and prepaid cards for the UAE Ministry of Finance (2019).
- Played a key role in Temenos T24 Core Banking migrations (R8 & R15) and CRM Siebel implementations for Card Operations (2017, 2021).
- Established Merchant E‑Commerce Acquiring Operations and a dedicated Merchant Service Desk in 2016, strengthening acquiring capabilities.
- Led the implementation of a Bancassurance onboarding and premium‑tracking system in 2016, improving operational transparency and efficiency.
- Directed the vendor migration for ATM services from Group 4 to Transguard in 2008, enhancing service reliability and cost efficiency.
- Achieved 50% reduction in ATM replenishment costs by introducing an alternate‑day replenishment model, earning global recognition from RBS HQ (Netherlands) .
- Received the IVY League Award (2009) for developing a macro‑based automation tool that reduced incentive‑calculation TAT by 56 man‑hours across business channels.
- Led the offshore migration of operations processes to Aces, Gurgaon (2008), gaining extensive experience in offshore transition management.
- Earned Silver Tier Certification at HSBC (2006) for achieving the highest collections on write‑off cases.
Certification
- MasterCard Digital Payment Specialist, 01/01/23
- Certified Scrum Master, 01/01/20
- Operations Advanced (EIBFS), 01/01/18
- Wealth Management (EIBFS), 01/01/18
- Operational Risk Management (EIBFS), 01/01/13
- Visa International - Dispute Management, 01/01/12
Languages
English
Marathi
Hindi
Tamil
Malayalam
Timeline
Card Operations Manager
Al Hilal Bank (Erst While Union National Bank)
10.2011 - Current
Team Leader
ADCB
04.2007 - 09.2011
Credit Risk Manager
HSBC
08.2003 - 12.2006
Post-Graduation Diploma - Business Administration (Finance)
Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies
Bachelor in Commerce - Accounting And Finance
Mumbai University