Megha Bhamra
London,Buckinghamshire
Summary
A proficient professional with extensive expertise in systems knowledge and SWIFT platform, complemented by a strong command of Dow Jones, KYC 360, and AMLOCK transaction monitoring. Demonstrates exceptional skills in regulatory compliance, including S166 lifecycle management, JMLSG, MLR 2017, POCA, and OFSI/OFAC compliance. Adept at utilising SQL for data extraction and Power BI for insightful data analysis. Committed to leveraging advanced methodologies and MS Office packages to drive operational excellence. Career aspirations include further enhancing proficiency in regulatory frameworks while contributing to organisational success through innovative solutions.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work history
Financial Crime Compliance – Deputy MLRO
Bank of Baroda
London
10.2024 - 05.2026
- Promoted to Deputy MLRO within the bank performing
- Certified Function: Maintained accountability for the oversight of financial crime prevention and regulatory compliance as a certified person.
- Monitoring & Oversight: Developed and managed proportionate, risk-based monitoring processes to validate the effectiveness of existing AML/CTF controls.
- Strategic Advisory: Advised senior management on emerging AML risks, sanctions developments, and FATCA/CRS reporting requirements to support informed decision-making.
- Governance & Documentation: Ensured rigorous documentation of the firm’s risk management policies and risk assessment profiles to meet audit and regulatory expectations.
- Sanctions Management: Monitored global sanctions and advisory notices, ensuring rapid dissemination of critical updates to relevant business units. Served as the internal authority for complex sanctions nexus queries (e.g., secondary sanctions, Russian sectoral sanctions), providing clear "Go/No-Go" decisions for MLRO review.
- Continuous Improvement: Conducted regular reviews of compliance systems, identifying deficiencies and implementing corrective actions to mitigate operational risk.
- Partnered with the MLRO to lead a comprehensive s166 Remediation Program, successfully addressing regulatory findings related to AML governance and reporting, follow-up and maintaining RAID (Risk; action items; Issue log and decision) document:
- - Oversaw the closure of over 30+ audit findings, implementing new control frameworks that satisfied independent reviewers.
- - Oversaw the integration of SWIFT TSS platform for real-time payment filtering and customer screening, ensuring zero-latency impacts on retail payment processing, ensuring testing on all MT/MX categories, sanction lists and various scenarios. Detailed process manual produced and provided training to first line teams.
- - Customer Risk Assessment - Undertook revision of CRA with external SMEs, worked with IT towards detailed data mapping for CRA automation. Completed testing, worked on detailed procedure manual and provided training to Operations team.
- - Transaction Monitoring Enhancement – Led the recalibration of the bank’s Transaction Monitoring system, resulting in a 30% reduction in false-positive alerts while increasing high-quality SAR yields. Worked with external SMEs, undertook revision of transaction monitoring system starting with customer segmentation, setting of scenarios threshold and addition of new scenarios. Comprehensive manual and training provided to 1LoD.
- - Applied Retrospective Detection techniques to analyze historical fraud data, which identified root causes of prior control failures and informed the s166 corrective action plan.
- - Supervised the end-to-end SAR process, personally reviewing high-priority escalations and ensuring accurate, timely submissions to the National Crime Agency (NCA).
- - Developed automated MI dashboards using Tableau/PowerBI to provide the MLRO with real-time visibility into TM backlogs, Sanctions hits, and remediation milestones
- Designed and delivered firm-wide financial crime training, improving staff awareness and ensuring 100% completion rates across all departments.
Financial Crime Compliance – Senior Officer
Bank of Baroda (UK) Ltd
London
02.2022 - 10.2024
- AML/KYC officer within the bank’s AML and Financial Crime Compliance team, performing client due diligence / KYC activities
- Joined the Financial Crime Compliance team to facilitate S166 remediation and enhancement projects.
- Completing Enhanced Due Diligence checks on High-risk and PEPs, identifying Beneficial Owners and further actions to identify Source of Funds/Source of Wealth adopting a risk-based approach.
- Perform list matching/sanction screening activities using KYC360 and Dow Jones platforms, to identify potential PEPs, sanctioned persons, and adverse media hits etc.
- As part of monthly compliance monitoring, responsible for
- - Sample check of Medium-risk and Low-risk customers reviews.
- - Quality Assurance for Transaction Monitoring alerts closed by Operations Team; ensuring compliance and providing regular training sessions to the team.
- - Quality Assurance checks on SWIFT payments and reporting any financial crime concerns.
- - Sample checks on account closures to ensure procedural guidelines are followed and report any FC / ML concerns.
- Performed onboarding and periodic Customer Due Diligence / KYC reviews for individual and corporate accounts, as part of standard account opening and special projects.
- Experience in account activity reviews based on customer account and transaction profile, completing risk assessments and delivering clear, concise summary reports as required.
- Conducted Trade Finance checks on documents, ensuring screening completed using Dow Jones PurpleTrac platform and approvals obtained where necessary.
- Strong communication skills, both written and oral and comfortable dealing with internal and external stakeholders and customers.
Testing Consultant
Datum First Ltd
London
09.2020 - 08.2021
- Joined as a Consultant to undertake feasibility study of existing software and provide solutions within the Banking and financial services domain.
- Assisted in documentation of operational procedures.
- Provided trainings to existing users on new system functionalities and changes incorporated.
Senior Associate
Bank of Baroda (UK) Ltd
London
11.2015 - 05.2020
- Anti-money Laundering – Oct’19 to May’20
- Responsible for internal suspicious transaction reporting, and working with MLRO to on disclosure of Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) to NCA.
- Reviewing and assessing transaction monitoring alerts.
- Swift Screening of payments per sanction list of OFAC, EUROPA and HMT
- Review of all High Risk and Corporate accounts
- Preparation of MI for Risk and Compliance meetings and Board meetings
- Engagement with internal and external clients to enhance and streamline various AML related tools.
- Support in Entity migration to Bank of Baroda UK limited - Jan’19 to Oct’19
- Involved in data testing of all processes and user interfaces with the core banking system
- Facilitation of training for all branch operations
- Follow-up and maintaining RAID document with all branches post migration
- First point of contact for any migration related issues in the branches
- Retail Branch - Nov’15 to Dec’18
- Daily Clearing activity at branch level
- Monitoring of NOSTRO and Sundry Account for Clearing and Reconciliation
- Responsible for all customer payment requests in INR, GBP, USD, EUR CCY
- Handled any compliance/AML related queries on customers from Territories other than UK
- Handled Fixed Deposit counter for the branch; including proposals for Preferential Rate offered to Retail and Corporate customers for approval from Management.
- Handled Credit Portfolio for the branch which included:
- - Preparing new proposals and follow up with clients on new credit facility; ensuring timely renewals of credit facilities.
- - Ensuring quarterly turnover in the accounts maintained and timely follow-up with the customers.
- - Handled Monthly Monitoring Report for accounts above USD 1 MN
Senior Associate
GENPACT
India
03.2006 - 09.2009
- Worked in the back office operations center for GE healthcare based out of GENPACT, India. The job profile included working with the field service engineers in
- Participating and setting up of Teleconferences to solve queries for the improvement of the process on a weekly basis.
- Preparing Standard Operating Procedures.
- Maintaining a Preventive Maintenance target of 98% Completion every month for the ultrasound division of GE Healthcare headquartered in the United States
- Following up and timely completion of Field Modification Instructions (FMIs) with a 100% completion target for the ultrasound department, United States.
- Assisting revenue program by timely closures of customer service records.
- Ordering and timely delivery of tools and test equipment and ensuring their ontime calibration.
- Responsible for training and mentoring for new joinees about the sub processes within GE Healthcare operations.
Graduate Trainee
Centurion Bank
India
03.2005 - 02.2006
- Worked as a front office assistant & the first point of contact for all customers – key responsibilities included answering queries of all walk-in customers in the bank and fixed deposits.
- Was also responsible for daily inventory entries for cheque books, ledger books, etc.
Education
ICA Diploma - Anti-Money Laundering
Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.) - undefined
Indraprastha University
Delhi, IndiaExecutive Programme for Young Professionals (EPYP) - undefined
Indian Institute of Management (IIM)
Calcutta, IndiaLean & Six Sigma - Trained & Tested
Bachelors of Commerce (HONS) - undefined
University of Delhi
Delhi, IndiaSkills
- Systems Knowledge
- SWIFT Platform
- Dow Jones
- KYC 360
- AMLOCK Transaction Monitoring
- CIFAS
- Call Validate
- SSIP
- MS Office packages
- Methodologies
- SQL for Data Extraction
- Power BI
- Regulatory
- S166 Lifecycle Management
- JMLSG
- MLR 2017
- POCA
- OFSI/OFAC Compliance
Affiliations
- Traveling
- Reading
- Music
Languages
English
Proficient (C2)
Hindi
Proficient (C2)
Timeline
Financial Crime Compliance – Deputy MLRO
Bank of Baroda
10.2024 - 05.2026
Financial Crime Compliance – Senior Officer
Bank of Baroda (UK) Ltd
02.2022 - 10.2024
Testing Consultant
Datum First Ltd
09.2020 - 08.2021
Senior Associate
Bank of Baroda (UK) Ltd
11.2015 - 05.2020
Senior Associate
GENPACT
03.2006 - 09.2009
Graduate Trainee
Centurion Bank
03.2005 - 02.2006
Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.) - undefined
Indraprastha University
Executive Programme for Young Professionals (EPYP) - undefined
Indian Institute of Management (IIM)
Lean & Six Sigma - Trained & Tested
Bachelors of Commerce (HONS) - undefined
University of Delhi