PRADEEP P
Dubai
Summary
− Proven ability to balance business growth with prudent risk management by structuring complex credit facilities, strengthening underwriting frameworks, and safeguarding asset quality through portfolio management.
− Strategic decision-maker with extensive experience leading high-performing credit teams, driving policy transformation, enhancing credit governance, and embedding robust risk assessment practices that improve operational efficiency and regulatory compliance.
− Recognized for delivering data-driven credit decisions through advanced financial analysis, cash flow assessment, valuation review, and early warning monitoring, enabling proactive risk mitigation and portfolio performance.
− Collaborative banking leader skilled in partnering with business, product, coverage, audit, and risk functions to evaluate complex transactions, optimize credit processes, strengthen stakeholder confidence, and support long-term portfolio profitability and resilience.
− People leader with expertise in building, mentoring, and leading high-performing cross-functional teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous learning, and sustained business excellence.
− Well-versed in Islamic banking principles with strong understanding of Sharia-compliant financing structures, including Murabaha, Ijarah, Musharaka, and Istisna'a. Experienced in evaluating Islamic credit proposals, ensuring adherence to Sharia guidelines, and structuring facilities aligned with Islamic banking governance, risk frameworks, and regulatory expectations.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
3
3
Languages
Work History
VP & Head of Credit Management-Commercial Real Estate Finance
First Abu Dhabi Bank
Dubai
02.2023 - Current
- Directing credit risk oversight for a commercial real estate portfolio, managing high-value exposures while ensuring portfolio quality and alignment with the bank's risk appetite.
- Leading and mentoring Credit Managers and Credit Officers in structuring robust credit facilities, ensuring sound deal architecture and consistent credit decision-making across the portfolio.
- Driving end-to-end due diligence for complex transactions in collaboration with Coverage and Product teams, proactively identifying emerging risks and strengthening credit proposals.
- Managing internal and external audit observations by implementing corrective actions, while recommending enhancements to credit policies, risk rating models, procedures, and underwriting frameworks.
- Partnering with the Learning & Development function to deliver targeted training initiatives, enhancing team capabilities, technical expertise, and underwriting effectiveness.
- Strengthening client relationships through transaction discussions and portfolio monitoring, while tracking early warning indicators and coordinating with Business Units to implement timely risk mitigation and corrective actions.
- Leading banking institution in the UAE.
Credit Manager
First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC
United Arab Emirates
10.2016 - 06.2022
- Assessed commercial lending opportunities by evaluating borrower creditworthiness, analyzing financial statements, cash flows, budgets, projections, and collateral to support prudent credit decisions.
- Determined lending limits through property and technical evaluation reviews, FTV assessment, rental stress analysis, and repayment capacity evaluation, while preparing credit memorandums with exposure recommendations for Credit Committee approval.
- Strengthened portfolio governance by monitoring account irregularities and unauthorized excesses, ensuring regulatory compliance, and maintaining adherence to local banking regulations through accurate reporting and proactive risk oversight.
- Leading banking institution in the UAE.
Credit Risk Officer
United Arab Bank
Sharjah
06.2015 - 01.2016
- Evaluated creditworthiness through comprehensive risk assessment, financial statement analysis, and documentation review, while preparing working capital proposals and presenting credit recommendations to Credit Committees for approval.
- Strengthened portfolio quality by monitoring account performance, facilitating recovery of overdue accounts, provisioning doubtful assets, and recommending loan/trade finance restructuring based on customers' repayment capacity and management guidelines.
Credit Analyst- Business Banking
RAKBANK
Dubai
01.2011 - 12.2015
Relationship Officer-Business Banking
Emirates NBD
Dubai
01.2009 - 12.2010
Relationship Officer-Business Banking
Barclays
Dubai
01.2007 - 12.2009
Credit Analyst- Mortgages
Ocwen Financial
Bangalore
01.2006 - 12.2007
Education
Master of Business Administration - undefined
University of Calicut
01.2005
Bachelor of Commerce - Business/Commerce
University of Calicut
01.2002
Skills
- Strategic Planning & Leadership
- Commercial Real Estate Credit Management
- Credit Risk Assessment & Underwriting
- AI-Powered Credit Risk Assessment
- Portfolio Risk Management & Credit Governance
- Credit Facility Structuring & Loan Origination
- Financial Statement & Cash Flow Analysis
- Credit Policy, Risk Rating & Regulatory Compliance
- Internal and External Audit Management
- Non-Performing Asset (NPA/NPL) Management & Remediation
- Collateral Valuation, LTV & Exposure Management
- Leadership, Credit Committee & Stakeholder Management
- Team Building and People Management
Accomplishments
- Implemented AI-enabled credit automation and decisioning engines to streamline end-to-end credit workflows, improve underwriting quality, accelerate turnaround times, and enhance the customer onboarding experience.
- Managed an AED 15 Billion+ lending portfolio while consistently maintaining Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratios below 70%, ensuring prudent credit risk management and portfolio quality.
- Strengthened portfolio performance by driving Non-Performing Loan (NPL) reduction initiatives, improving asset quality while ensuring adherence to regulatory and internal credit policies.
- Optimized operational efficiency by reducing credit turnaround time (TAT) and minimizing audit observations through process enhancements, strengthened governance, and robust compliance controls.
- Improved portfolio quality by driving focused remedial strategies to contain NPLs, while providing leadership to cross-functional teams in strengthening credit governance, operational efficiency, and overall business performance.
- Successfully managed a commercial real estate portfolio valued consistently maintaining strong portfolio performance through effective credit risk management.
- Improved underwriting efficiency by streamlining credit processes and strengthening team capabilities through targeted training and knowledge development initiatives.
- Prepared and evaluated complex loan proposals up to AED 250 million, delivering comprehensive risk assessments to support informed credit approval decisions.
Languages
English
Hindi
Malayalam
Timeline
VP & Head of Credit Management-Commercial Real Estate Finance
First Abu Dhabi Bank
02.2023 - Current
Credit Manager
First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC
10.2016 - 06.2022
Credit Risk Officer
United Arab Bank
06.2015 - 01.2016
Credit Analyst- Business Banking
RAKBANK
01.2011 - 12.2015
Relationship Officer-Business Banking
Emirates NBD
01.2009 - 12.2010
Relationship Officer-Business Banking
Barclays
01.2007 - 12.2009
Credit Analyst- Mortgages
Ocwen Financial
01.2006 - 12.2007
Master of Business Administration - undefined
University of Calicut
Bachelor of Commerce - Business/Commerce
University of Calicut