Wesam Al Ammari
Risk, Credit & Collections Expert: Head of Collections International Markets
Dubai
Summary
Senior Credit & Collections Leader with 19+ years of experience managing large-scale portfolios
across banking and automotive finance sectors in the GCC and international markets. Proven track
record in optimizing recovery performance, reducing NPLs, and strengthening ECL outcomes across
portfolios exceeding AED 5Bn.
Expert in designing and implementing end-to-end collections and credit remediation frameworks,
aligning regulatory compliance with commercial performance. Known for driving transformation,
improving cash flow predictability, and leading high-performing multi-country teams.
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
2023.02 - 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
2020.02 - 2023.01
- 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
2014.11 - 2020.01
- 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
2012.09 - 2014.10
- 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
2008.06 - 2012.08
- 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
2009.03 - 2010.07
- 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
2006.02 - 2008.05
- 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 2021.09 - 2027.06
High School Diploma -
Al Safa High School
Dubai 2002.09 - 2005.06
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
- Led and delivered a comprehensive transformation of collections
operations and frameworks (Q2 2024), designing and implementing a
modern, data-driven collections and remediation framework over a 12-
month period. This included the introduction of enhanced SOPs,
strengthened compliance protocols, and advanced performance
tracking, resulting in improved cash flow predictability, higher delinquency
resolution rates, and increased operational transparency—establishing a
new benchmark for collections excellence.
•
Led collections and recovery strategy across international markets,
improving portfolio performance and recovery efficiency across B2B and
B2C segments.
•
• -22% NPA in GCC portfolio and -17% Provision.
Strengthened governance and compliance integration, ensuring audit
readiness and regulatory adherence across all markets.
•
Feb 2020 - Managed large-scale portfolios up to AED 5Bn, improving recovery rates
and reducing delinquency across multiple product lines.
•
Led NPL resolution strategies, including restructuring, settlements, and writeoffs
aligned with risk appetite and regulatory frameworks.
•Delivered actionable insights to senior leadership, supporting strategic
decision-making and portfolio optimization
•
Improved operational efficiency through process enhancements and
performance tracking frameworks
Certification
Generative AI for Business Leaders: Linkedin
Timeline
Generative AI for Business Leaders: Linkedin
2024-09
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) (with Honors):IBM
2024-05
Head of Collections - International Markets
Al Futtaim Group, Finance
2023.02 - Current
Innovation through Design: Coursera
2021-10
Bachelor of Business Administration - Quality Management
Hamdan Bin Muhammad University
2021.09 - 2027.06
Agile Principles and Methodologies: Skillsoft
2021-07
Tackling a Perfect Storm: COVID-19's Economic Impacts and Crafting an Effective Policy Response -Harvard Business School 2021
2021-06
Systematic Approach to Policy Design - Harvard Business School 2021
2021-06
Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles - four weeks course - Harvard Business School 2021
2021-06
Becoming a resilient leader - Harvard Business school 2021
2021-05
Assistant Vice President, Collections
First Abu Dhabi Bank
2020.02 - 2023.01
Collections Manager
National Bank of Abu Dhabi & First Abu Dhabi Bank
2014.11 - 2020.01
Credit Analyst
Citibank NA
2012.09 - 2014.10
Business Banking Recovery Officer
Citibank NA
2009.03 - 2010.07
Legal Officer
Citibank NA
2008.06 - 2012.08
Collection Officer and Legal coordinator
Citibank NA
2006.02 - 2008.05
High School Diploma -
Al Safa High School
2002.09 - 2005.06