Wesam Al Ammari
Risk, Credit & Collections Expert: Head of Collections International Markets
Dubai
Summary
Accomplished Risk and Collections Strategist with 19 years of experience managing Collections and Recovery portfolios across SME, Corporate, Real Estate (RE), Corporate Real Estate (CRE), Personal Finance, Auto Finance, and Credit Cards in local banking and international automotive markets. Expertise in designing and implementing Policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) tailored to diverse regulatory landscapes and operational complexities across multi-regional portfolios.
A results-oriented leader with a strong grasp of collections dynamics, risk remediation, and operational efficiency, consistently driving measurable improvements in portfolio health and recovery outcomes across international markets, Renowned for strategic vision, technical proficiency, and motivational leadership, fostering high-performing teams and embedding a culture of accountability, compliance, and continuous improvement.
Skilled in policy development, risk mitigation, and cross-functional collaboration, aligning global objectives with structured, compliant, and scalable frameworks while addressing market-specific challenges. Proficient in stakeholder engagement and delivering data-driven insights to support informed executive decision-making across international business units.
Passionate about risk assessment, strategic planning, and transformational change management, with a focus on sustainable growth and long-term operational resilience.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
9
9
years of post-secondary education
8
8
Certifications
2
2
Languages
Work History
Head of Collections - International Markets
Al Futtaim Group, Finance
02.2023 - Current
- Policy & SOP Development: Spearheaded the design and implementation of robust collections policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) across international markets, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, regulatory compliance, and the diverse dynamics of B2B and B2C portfolios.
- Process Optimization: Streamlined collections workflows by developing structured SOPs tailored to the distinct requirements of B2B contractual agreements and B2C payment structures, enhancing operational efficiency and improving team productivity.
- Risk Mitigation: Formulated risk assessment frameworks within collection policies to proactively identify and address potential financial risks associated with large-scale B2B contracts and recurring B2C payment cycles.
- Compliance Governance: Ensured strict adherence to local and international compliance standards by embedding regulatory requirements into collections SOPs and ongoing monitoring processes across B2B and B2C accounts.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborated with legal, finance, and compliance teams to craft holistic collection strategies and policies that address the contractual complexities of B2B agreements and the volume-driven nature of B2C portfolios.
- Training & Implementation: Led policy rollout initiatives by conducting training sessions, workshops, and knowledge-sharing forums to ensure consistent adoption across B2B and B2C collection teams.
- Performance Monitoring: Developed KPIs and tracking mechanisms embedded within SOPs to measure the effectiveness of collection strategies and policy adherence across both B2B high-value contracts and B2C mass accounts.
- Continuous Improvement: Established feedback loops to regularly review and update policies and SOPs, adapting to evolving market conditions and addressing the unique challenges posed by B2B account complexities and B2C customer behaviors.
- Financial Target Leadership: Directed teams towards achieving critical financial targets, including cash collections, resolution rates, provision management, and Expected Credit Loss (ECL) optimization, with distinct strategies for B2B contractual settlements and B2C payment recovery cycles.
- Collections Efficiency: Implemented performance-driven strategies to enhance collections efficiency across B2B portfolios with extended credit terms and B2C portfolios with recurring payment structures, ensuring timely recovery and reduced delinquency rates.
- Target Alignment: Aligned team objectives with organizational financial goals, fostering accountability and a results-oriented culture tailored to the specific demands of B2B client relationships and B2C customer engagement.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Leveraged data analytics and reporting tools to monitor performance against financial targets, enabling informed decision-making and timely interventions across B2B and B2C segments.
- Oversee the collection efforts and delinquency controls of the company, ensuring money owed is billed and received correctly and promptly.
- Lead collections and credit teams in 5 Countries/regions composed of managers, supervisors and collectors, team size of of 21.
- Influenced key decision-making and established trust with stakeholders.
- Sourcing/correcting advanced strategic and tactical problems impacting Collections and Credit management.
Assistant Vice President, Collections
First Abu Dhabi Bank
02.2020 - 01.2023
- Strategic Leadership Across a Multi-Component Portfolio of both Conventional and Shariah Compliant products: Led and managed collections performance for a diverse portfolio encompassing SME & Corporate Lending, Real Estate (RE), Corporate Real Estate (CRE), Personal Finance, Auto Finance, and Credit Cards, ensuring tailored strategies were deployed to address the unique dynamics and risks of each segment, Portfolio sizes varied up to AED 2.5Bn
- Designing & Implementing Collections Strategies: Developed and executed robust collections strategies and action plans, integrating data-driven insights and market best practices to maximize recovery rates, reduce delinquencies, and enhance overall portfolio performance across multiple product lines.
- Team Leadership & Development: Oversaw, coached, and motivated high-performing collections and recovery teams, fostering a results-oriented culture, providing ongoing training, and ensuring team alignment with organizational objectives across all portfolio segments.
- Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) & IIS Management: Managed Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) and Interest in Suspense (IIS) pools effectively, deploying proactive strategies for asset resolution, loss mitigation, and portfolio risk reduction across corporate, SME, and retail segments.
- Restructuring & Settlement Decision-Making: Evaluated and approved proposals for restructuring, rescheduling, settlements, and write-offs, balancing risk appetite with business objectives and ensuring alignment with regulatory guidelines and financial goals.
- Stakeholder Reporting & Insights: Delivered insightful, high-quality reporting to the Head of Collections, Islamic Banking CEO, and other key stakeholders, offering actionable insights and performance analytics to support strategic decision-making and remedial actions.
- Customized Recovery Strategies: Devised tailored recovery strategies for high-value corporate accounts, SME exposures, and retail credit facilities, considering the unique cash flow patterns, asset types, and market positions of each segment.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborated with credit risk, compliance, legal, and business teams to ensure synchronized efforts in managing delinquencies, optimizing recovery efforts, and maintaining portfolio health across all product categories.
- Performance Monitoring & KPIs: Implemented Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and performance tracking tools to measure team effectiveness, productivity, and adherence to collection policies across SME, Corporate, CRE, RE, and retail segments.
- Regulatory Compliance & Governance: Ensured adherence to regulatory frameworks and internal governance policies, maintaining transparency and accountability in collections operations across diverse portfolio components.
- Operational Excellence: Streamlined collections operations by introducing process improvements and automation tools, enhancing operational efficiency across multiple financial product categories.
- Customer-Centric Collections Approach: Balanced firm recovery actions with a customer-centric approach, preserving long-term client relationships while ensuring timely resolution of overdue accounts.
Collections Manager
National Bank of Abu Dhabi & First Abu Dhabi Bank
11.2014 - 01.2020
- Lead and supervised activities to drive productivity and efficiency.
- Reformed collections procedure manual in coordination with stakeholder in response to aroused challenges
- Designed Restructuring Process that assured enhanced work loud handling for both collections and credit department.
- Fostered positive employee relationships through effective communication, training, and career development coaching.
Credit Analyst
Citibank NA
09.2012 - 10.2014
- Performed credit reviews and analysis on individual customers to form decisions based financial conditions and credit worthiness
- Ensured judicious usage of delegated discretionary decision-making and approval of deviations product policy and credit parameters.
Legal Officer
Citibank NA
06.2008 - 08.2012
- Oversaw daily operations of legal affairs in collections department.
- Represented Citibank bank in litigation and in front of law firms, Police stations, Public prosecution and courts
Business Banking Recovery Officer
Citibank NA
03.2009 - 07.2010
- Conducted reviews and evaluations of Nonperforming Asset in business banking portfolio.
- Negotiated with the customers to explore the possibilities of a relaxed settlement of liabilities towards mutual interest prior to initiation of legal action. Ensured appropriate legal action and application of the same.
Collection Officer and Legal coordinator
Citibank NA
02.2006 - 05.2008
- Monitored accounts for compliance with established payment plans and flagged those in violation.
- Delivered exceptional customer service on all calls while maintaining calm and professional demeanour in challenging circumstances.
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration - Quality Management
Hamdan Bin Muhammad University
Dubai 09.2021 - 06.2027
High School Diploma -
Al Safa High School
Dubai 09.2002 - 06.2005
Skills
- Strategic Planning & Execution
- Collections and Remedial Policy Design & Implementation
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) Formulation
- Regulatory Compliance Integration into Policies
- Risk Management Framework Development
- Cross-Functional Collaboration (Legal, Risk, Compliance, Operations, Business development)
- Performance Metrics & KPI Integration in SOPs
- Process Optimization
- Change Management
- Stakeholder Alignment & Communication on Policy Objectives
- Data-Driven Decision-Making
- Governance and Control Framework Design
- Continuous Improvement in Policies & Procedures
- Portfolio-Specific Policy Adaptation (SME, Corporate, RE, CRE, Personal Finance, Auto Finance, Credit Cards)
- Training & Development on Policy Adherence
- Audit Readiness & Policy Compliance Oversight
- Financial Remediation
- Pre-Delinquency Strategies
- NPL Restructuring
- Fraud Identification
- Budgeting and finance
- Motivational team leadership
- Conflict resolution
- Cost management
Accomplishments
- Planned, Led and Delivered a Strategic Overhaul of Collections Operations (Q2 2024): Designed and executed a modernized collections and remediation framework over a 12-month period, introducing data-driven strategies, refined SOPs, and enhanced compliance protocols. The initiative significantly improved cash flow predictability, delinquency resolution rates, and operational transparency, setting a benchmark for best practices in collections management.
- 28% in overall performance of PIL team in 2018 (Qs 3&4 against Qs 1&2) corresponding to Productivity enhancement strategic plan
- 50% Regularization of Pre-NPL (PDNIs) with project success rate of 100% in 2017
- Designed Collections SOPs in 2017 that covered all collections fields including teams of PIL, STL, TWC, Cards, Mortgages , Auto Loans, Paralegal, MI, and Operations.
- Designed Restructuring process process manual in 2016 that stepped up restructuring process and remarkably reduced TAT.
- Key representative of collections department in collections system integration as part of NBAD and FGB Merger.
- NPL and Provisions reductions plan in 2017, scored a 48% reductions in Provisions.
Certification
Generative AI for Business Leaders: Linkedin
Timeline
Generative AI for Business Leaders: Linkedin
09-2024
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) (with Honors):IBM
05-2024
Head of Collections - International Markets
Al Futtaim Group, Finance
02.2023 - Current
Innovation through Design: Coursera
10-2021
Bachelor of Business Administration - Quality Management
Hamdan Bin Muhammad University
09.2021 - 06.2027
Agile Principles and Methodologies: Skillsoft
07-2021
Tackling a Perfect Storm: COVID-19's Economic Impacts and Crafting an Effective Policy Response -Harvard Business School 2021
06-2021
Systematic Approach to Policy Design - Harvard Business School 2021
06-2021
Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles - four weeks course - Harvard Business School 2021
06-2021
Becoming a resilient leader - Harvard Business school 2021
05-2021
Assistant Vice President, Collections
First Abu Dhabi Bank
02.2020 - 01.2023
Collections Manager
National Bank of Abu Dhabi & First Abu Dhabi Bank
11.2014 - 01.2020
Credit Analyst
Citibank NA
09.2012 - 10.2014
Business Banking Recovery Officer
Citibank NA
03.2009 - 07.2010
Legal Officer
Citibank NA
06.2008 - 08.2012
Collection Officer and Legal coordinator
Citibank NA
02.2006 - 05.2008
High School Diploma -
Al Safa High School
09.2002 - 06.2005
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