Benjamin Sarpong

Experience

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  Barclays

  Apr 1997 - Mar 1999

  Payment Operations Officer

  Worked in an operations environment working predominantly in a Payments operational environment, issuing International Money Orders and working in Treasury Ops.• Inward Payments-Processing Inbound multicurrency instructions crediting our client’s accounts,Dealing and resolving customer enquiriesICMS-Outbound Payments-Processing outbound instructions on behalf of corporate clients.• IMO-International Money Orders-Processing sterling and currency cheques on behalf personal and corporate clients.• Inter Accounts-Processing vast payment instructions for our Internal Customers.• Treasury Fixed Deposits-Processing and preparing Sterling Fixed Deposits upon maturity. Show less

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  Standard Chartered Bank

  Apr 1999 - Dec 2007

  Payments/Accounts Officer-Cash Management Operations

  Primarily worked in an operations environment, working in various areas which increased my base knowledge within the operations sector.• OFAC Analyst-Analysing and Processing sanction hits on SCB in house payments system. Duties included escalating potential matches in accordance to procedures plus reviewing reports with aim to reduce false positives.• Payment Operations- Processing Inbound/Outbound Transactions on SCB Internal payment system plus customer transactions sent manually as well as verifying payments instructions inputted by co-workers.(Operational Duties included the following)Processing Standing Orders-new accounts and amendments to existing clients.Processing Claim backs and Exotic Currencies,Bacs recalls, Cheque Collections,Non STP claims from External Banks-Liaise with external banks on Non STP claim requestsNostro reconciliations, Releasing and verifying payments instructions inputted by co-workers.Updation of daily Stats for user and providing monthly updates on their Input/error percentages.• End of day reconciliation-ensuring all payments have been actioned and resolve any system issues• Chaps return nominee-dealt with of chaps return requests, chaps queries, chaps recalls• Monthly Stats review-Providing STP verification on internal accounts and providing trend analysis to senior management to advise on increase/decrease of branch activity.• Providing overdraft facility to our corporate clients. Show less

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  Bank of America Merrill Lynch

  Jan 2008 - Sept 2016

  • Analysing and processing Sanction alerts escalated for 2nd/3rd Level review from Sanctions Ops Team.• Provide guidance and approvals on complex transactions involving Comprehensive and List based Entities on payment, trade and security products.• Liaise with Internal/External business partners on sanction related matters providing advice on key regulatory advancements and law enforcements.• Provide improvements and suggestions to improve Global business strategy and workflow and to provide up to date sanction advice to external groups in relation to currents events.• Create and manage virtual files related to investigations in the case management system.• Assist manager in the implementation and execution of money laundering or economic sanctions risk management practices as well as developing a positive and trusting relationship with key business leaders and their teams.• Work on sanction related projects providing to provide guidance and ensuring updation of the Business Requirement Documentation Show less • Co supervising a team of 8 officers with 4 Direct reports• Provide sanction screening of all inbound/outbound payment traffic in the EMEA Region including Global Foreign Exchange products, SDS (Trade) transactions and security products.• Manage Team Priorities and workloads ensuring all payments are processed within our deadlines.• Advise rules team of generic keywords in transactions to reduce false positives and improve our Payment volume/Ofac hit rate.• Analysing and reporting AML issues by utilising the TRM application.• Ensuring all procedures, guides and process maps are up to date and current including updating new governance review risk document on all procedures.• Providing overviews for Internal/External associates as well as overseas dignitaries.• Annually updating the online OFAC Awareness Training Course for GTO Regions across the globe.• Analysing data for EU Regulations Inbound Traffic.• Quality Assurance on our associates to ensure procedures are being followed in accordance.• Understanding of UK Anti Money Laundering requirement’s including Proceeds of Crime Act, Terrorism Act and JMLSG Guidance.• Creating and Implementing Training Plans/ Performing Interviews for potential new recruits.• Provide monthly leadership updates from an EMEA Perspective on global call.• Reporting of Monthly Rejects and Blocks to U.S/UK Compliance Teams Show less

  • AVP Senior Global Financial Crime Compliance Specialist - Sanctions

    Jan 2014 - Sept 2016

  • Senior Sanctions Specialist/Team Leader

    Jan 2008 - Dec 2013
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  Bank of America

  Oct 2016 - Jan 2018

  AVP Global Financial Crime Compliance - Testing Specialist (Team Lead)

  • Conducting independent transactional and process testing, testing the adequacy of controls in place within the business and identifying potential and actual breaches.• Contributing to the identification of themes and trends at the front line unit, control function and enterprise level.• Regular reporting and MI to both Business and Senior Management.• Ad-hoc projects and activities as directed to contribute to the successful operation of the team.• Participatation in test script development and test design. Show less

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  Wells Fargo

  Jan 2018 - Jul 2022

  EMEA Compliance Senior Testing Consultant (Financial Crime)

  • Engage with key stakeholders within relevant lines of business and with relevant control function team members (in particular, Financial Crimes Risk Management) to effectively plan and scope testing activity, coordinating this with the FC T&V Team Lead.• Perform and lead, when requested, testing of control design and effectiveness in accordance with relevant Wells Fargo testing and sampling methodologies . • Keep all stakeholders appraised of review progress through formal and face to face updates as to review progress, potential issues, etc.• Raise appropriate recommendations for the issues raised in the report and with relevant senior management.• Formally document all review activity phases with quality work-papers and evidence.• Complete and update the supporting system tool consistently with the status of the review and the evidence found.• Attend relevant International and EMEA conference calls and meetings in order to discuss Testing and Validation standards and issues raised, as directed by management.• Under direction of Management, provide cover arrangements as per cross training or with other testing work to assist the wider EMEA T&V team in times of need.• Undertaking relevant regulatory and corporate training as required / directed to maintain competence.• Team members are required to assist with other ad hoc matters as may be required by Management from time to time. Show less

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  Deutsche Bank

  Jul 2022 - Mar 2024

  VP Anti Financial Crime Testing - Senior Testing Officer

  • Execute feasibility and scoping of reviews, testing fieldwork, report findings and validate issue remediation• Deliver quality outputs and own assigned tasks with a proactive approach• Escalate issues with proposed solutions to the Team Lead in a timely fashion.• Maintain relationships within the team• Coach AFC Testing Officers to improve their skills• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with staff, (e.g Business Line AFC, Divisional Control Officers) as required to drive the completion of testing activity Show less

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  State Street

  Jun 2024 - now

  Compliance Risk Testing Analyst (Assistant Vice President)

  *Lead and perform process walkthroughs with key stakeholders to analyse the monitoring and testing activities for areas deemed to be of higher focus.*Perform an analysis to the adequacy and effectiveness of business controls from a design and operational effectiveness perspective and whether any regulatory obligation has been breached.*Ensure that workpapers are thorough, well-organized, clearly documented and support the work executed, including evidence of exceptions identified.*Draft reports that are appropriate for executive level consumption to clearly communicate results, risks, and key issues.*Maintain current knowledge of regulators' focus areas, recent enforcement actions, and industry practices generally and ensure continuous engagement with key stakeholders. Show less