April Serrano

Experience

• 

  Thomson Financial

  May 2003 - Jan 2006

  Research Analyst

  Mergers & Acquisitions TeamThe task is to search out Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) related transactions from specific websites for the US & Canadian markets. A research analyst is required to input relevant deals in the database according to its transaction value.Analysts are assigned to different investment banks and law firms to process M&A related transactions from the respective firms. The analysts communicate and coordinate with the firm's representatives on a regular basis regarding the M&A transactions that they give advice on. Show less

• 

  Institutional Shareholder Services

  Jan 2006 - Nov 2006

  Research Analyst (International Research)

  The task is to make comprehensive research and voting recommendations for institutional investors concerning the Malaysian and Indian markets. An analyst is required to include all the relevant information needed by an investor to make a sensible vote in a company’s Annual and Extraordinary General Meeting.Analysts make recommendations on different resolutions that a company will discuss on its Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting. Majority of the meetings include mergers & acquisitions, increase in capital, share repurchases, issuance of Employee Stock Options and warrants, and the election or re-election of a member of the Board of Directors. Show less

• 

  Barclays Investment Bank

  Dec 2006 - May 2016

  Supervised the day-to-day operations of the Shared Data Service (SDS) and Client Account & Standard Settlement Instructions (SSI) Singapore & Chennai Teams during Asia Pacific (APAC) hours. SDS is the central legal entity database of Barclays. Key Achievements:● Represented SDS as the lead SME in the Unauthorised Trading Programme of the Bank. Delivered the SDS Data Dictionary that documented the present state of all non-standard counterparty (NSC) set-ups in the system. This is a key component of the target operating model and the reporting metrics around the approval, creation & maintenance of NSCs. ● Managed a team of SMEs that provided crucial coordination, review & approval of NSC classification, testing and remediation of 16k NSC set-ups in SDS. The team resolved data quality issues and ensured the timely delivery of the analysis of data that provided quality assurance during go-live. ● Represented SDS in the Client De-duplication Project, the transformation of the SDS workflow screen to incorporate key functionalities from the Lehman Brothers Global Accounts system into SDS. Analysed, documented, and communicated the business requirements while building partnership with key technology teams. Show less SDS is the central hierarchy counterparty database for Barclays Capital, maintaining core customer details and legal hierarchies. In addition SDS holds trading & settlement holiday calendars, currencies & country information. With a presence in both Singapore and London, covering new account & maintenance requests, mergers & acquisitions, ad hoc projects, checking & database reporting. The Singapore hub supports BAU for Singapore, London and New York time zones.Reporting to the SDS Manager and working in a team, the main function of the job will be to update the SDS database as part of the ongoing maintenance program during the Singapore business day. The job is based on processing a number of external and internal files, prompts and alerts of various natures. These may require amendments to existing legal structure, additional codes and classification, creation of new records and deletion of redundant information. Validation of these requests is primarily achieved through internet research but also involves contacting internal & external clients for further information. The main functions include: 1) Ensuring the timely completion of workflow in the SDS System. 2) Attending to queries raised by internal customers on SDS requests. 3) Detailed internet analysis & validation of changes to counterparty data, as well as progress reporting to the SDS manager. 4) Maintenance duties - include keeping our database in line with external vendor information, related cleanups & other ad hoc housekeeping projects. Show less

  • Assistant Vice President

    Dec 2006 - May 2016

  • Analyst, Shared Data Services

    Dec 2006 - Feb 2008
• 

  Standard Chartered

  May 2016 - now

  Overview:As a Director of Committee Engagement & Governance at Standard Chartered Bank, I've been at the forefront of shaping the bank's Information and Cyber Security (ICS) risk landscape. My role centers on ensuring that critical information reaches the right ears, at the right time, and in the most impactful way.My Responsibilities:• I lead the charge in managing ICS bank-wide risk, making sure we meet our Board and regulatory reporting obligations with pinpoint precision.• I'm the bridge between various departments and global locations, transforming complex data into actionable insights for senior stakeholders.• I thrive in crisis management, efficiently resolving high-impact risks and issues, and delivering regular updates to top management and stakeholders.• My meticulous documentation and meeting notes guarantee that our key ICS messages resonate consistently at stakeholder, risk committee, and board meetings.• Together with our Group Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), I pioneer discussion topics for committee meetings to drive innovation and security excellence.• I prepare robust ICS documentation for risk committees, Board meetings, and vital country regulators, ensuring we're always on the front foot.• Collaboration is key – I facilitate review sessions with department heads, securing buy-ins from our Group CISO and Group Chief Transformation, Technology, and Operations Officer before submission.Key Achievements:• I'm known for delivering Board and regulatory reports with clockwork precision, even in high-pressure situations.• My collaboration with the ICS Management Team has resulted in comprehensive reporting on risk reduction, control adoption, and the success of key programs and initiatives. Show less My Responsibilities:• In just 90 days, I orchestrated the establishment of the ICS – Centre of Excellence (ICS CoE) in Bangalore, India, a pivotal achievement in my role as Change Manager.• Collaborating with external consultants and internal stakeholders, I successfully set up the ICS CoE, meeting outsourcing and Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) requirements, crafting essential process and procedure documents, and conducting comprehensive training sessions.• As Project Manager, Change Manager, and Product Owner for the ICS Regulatory and Reciprocal-Third Party Security Assessment (RTPSA) request workflow, I took charge of a critical function.• Working closely with data scientists and technology partners, I introduced machine learning and natural language processing features, revolutionizing our capabilities.• I played a pivotal role in stakeholder engagement, delivered system presentations, and provided unwavering change management support to users across diverse teams.Key Achievements:• I implemented game-changing features that dramatically reduced the turnaround time for ICS Regulatory and RTPSA gap assessments, ensuring the submission of accurate and consistent responses to regulators and clients.• I led the groundbreaking Legal, Regulatory, and Mandatory (LRM) Workshop, gathering key Operations, Technology, ICS, and Country Technology, and Risk & Compliance stakeholders.• I chaired a dynamic bi-weekly ICS Regulatory Requests Working Group, where I developed and executed a comprehensive regulatory request improvement plan, driving efficiency and compliance. Show less My Day-to-Day duties:• I served as the Regulatory Compliance and Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) subject-matter expert for the intra-group outsourcing program at the bank, providing invaluable insights and guidance.• My role involved producing detailed reports for the Bank's primary regulators, ensuring they were kept up-to-date on the progress of ongoing outsourcing initiatives.• I took the initiative to establish and maintain a comprehensive stakeholder map, enabling us to identify, prioritize, and analyze the diverse needs of our stakeholders.• Keeping a close eye on regulatory approval updates and issues, I ensured that our initiatives were on track for timely go-live.Key Accomplishment:• I played a pivotal role in enhancing the adoption of the intra-group outsourcing process. I achieved this by spearheading monthly meetings, delivering end-to-end intra-group outsourcing training, and providing consultative support to outsourcing owners during the crucial requirements gathering phase. Show less My Impact:• As the principal liaison between the Data Stream and Client Due Diligence (CDD) teams spanning 21 countries, I played a crucial role in driving collaboration and synergy.• I actively collaborated with stakeholders, eliciting, documenting, and validating business and functional requirements essential for the successful migration of commercial banking entities.• I conducted a comprehensive analysis of existing processes, workflows, and systems, identifying inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and areas ripe for improvement.• My role involved a meticulous examination and assessment of data related to financial crime risk management, ensuring its accuracy, integrity, and relevance in the context of the migration process.• I meticulously ensured that all migration activities adhered to regulatory standards and requirements, particularly those related to financial crime risk management.Key Achievement:• I spearheaded the development and execution of a data remediation plan, which included a thorough examination of data issues, integration of new system features, and alignment with country-specific requirements. This effort led to a resounding success, with 98% of client cases smoothly migrated to the new system. Show less

  • Director - Committee Engagement and Governance

    Jan 2021 - now

  • Change Manager

    Aug 2019 - Jan 2021

  • Outsourcing Champion

    Jul 2017 - Jul 2019

  • Business Analyst, Commercial Banking Entity Migration, Financial Crime Risk Management Programme

    May 2016 - Jul 2017