Chief Credit Officer

Strategic Leadership and Digital Credit Transformation

• Define and lead the bank’s digital credit risk strategy, focusing on scalable, automated, and data-driven underwriting systems.
• Design and refine digital underwriting frameworks and scoring models across products, embedding them into end-to-end digital journeys.
• Implement rule-based decision engines and AI-driven risk assessments to support real-time approvals and risk-based pricing.
• Collaborate with IT and product teams to build API-based ecosystems that integrate credit bureaus, identity verification services, bank statement readers, and alternate data sources.
• Establish credit risk architecture for mobile apps, digital onboarding, and straight-through processing platforms.

Credit Policy, Governance, and Regulatory Compliance

• Develop and maintain robust credit policies, product-specific underwriting criteria, and risk frameworks aligned with Central Bank and internal governance standards.
• Monitor credit performance by segment (personal loans, credit cards, SME), ensuring adherence to limits, exposure, and thresholds.
• Serve as the main point of contact for regulatory bodies during credit audits and inspections.
• Ensure KYC, AML, and FATCA-related risks are controlled during the credit origination and review stages.

Credit Operations and Underwriting Oversight

• Oversee the performance and structure of underwriting teams including Team Leader Underwriters and Underwriters.
• Drive productivity through digitized workflows, performance dashboards, and process automation.
• Approve complex and exception-based cases that fall outside automated decision criteria.
• Optimize operating models to manage both high-volume retail products and higher-risk SME accounts.

Portfolio Management and Risk Monitoring

• Lead ongoing monitoring and review of portfolio performance using data analytics, portfolio segmentation, and scorecard tracking.
• Conduct risk reviews and trend analysis to identify early warning signals and take preventive action.
• Design and execute stress tests and simulations for adverse macroeconomic scenarios or sectoral shocks.
• Maintain dynamic risk appetite statements and exposure limits based on internal and external triggers.

Innovation, Product Risk & Credit Enablement

• Collaborate with the Product and Growth teams to ensure credit products are risk-aligned from the design stage.
• Support digital product launches by predefining acceptable credit parameters, pricing bands, and automated decision rules.
• Continuously evaluate market trends, competitor offerings, and alternative lending innovations to improve the bank’s credit risk posture.
• Work closely with fintech partners, credit bureaus, and third-party vendors to build credit intelligence capabilities.

Credit Review and Obligors Oversight

• Annual individual obligor reviews (Wholesale) and portfolio reviews (Retail).
• Trigger events for risk rating updates and policy amendments.
• Clear documentation for credit decisions and delegation matrix for approvals.

Exception Management

• Requirement to justify exceptions or deviations in writing.
• Process for referring exceptions to CRO for review while maintaining CCO’s decision-making autonomy.
• Collaboration with CRO when a proposal breaches risk appetite.

Regulatory Oversight

• Clear expectation of compliance with UAE Central Bank regulations, Basel norms, and audit readiness.
• Role in regulatory inspections, audits, and supporting full transparency.

Team Development and Leadership

• Lead and mentor the credit underwriting leadership team to foster high performance, accountability, and knowledge growth.
• Identify training needs related to digital credit analytics, fraud detection, and behavioral underwriting.
• Build a talent pipeline that combines traditional underwriting expertise with data analytics and digital fluency.

Encourage a culture of agility, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration

Role Specifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Risk Management, Economics, or a related field (Mandatory)
• MBA or Master’s in Risk Management or Financial Engineering preferred
• Professional certifications such as FRM, CFA, or equivalent are highly desirable
• In depth knowledge in Basel standards and internal credit review frameworks.