Michael Ball

I have worked at TPICAP, the worlds largest inter dealer broker, for 5 years . My initial role was as a Senior Associate, working my way to Team Lead and now I am currently a Manager, successfully managing a team of 30 direct reports.

My overall role relies on strong communication, dedication and a willingness to learn and adapt to the ever changing financial service landscape.

This role has included:

• Overseeing and implementing large scale change within the business and collaborating with multiple functions globally including brokers, treasury, client onboarding, data and risk management. Including the successful onboarding of new business/desks across Australia, Dubai, Madrid and Paris.
• As a Settlements Operations Manager I am responsible for managing the team in being the first line of defence with regard to risk mitigation. I am responsible for maintaining the teams Skills Matrix, and the implementation of the settlements Escalation Matrix.
• Maintain the cash accounts for each currency ensuring the business is adhering to Client Money/CASS obligations and transferring any excess cash to group treasury.
• Managing settlement of multiple asset classes across 26 countries globally and across approximately 100 global broking desks.
• Working with third party vendors, brokers, technology, data, senior management and the settlements team to ensure systems are fit for purpose and identifying/raising/resolving any issues that may potentially negatively impact the settlement of trades. If any one of our systems fail it poses significant potential financial loss to the firm.
• Working alongside Project Managers and the wider business including business partners, technology, risk and compliance for the implementation of any new projects. This involves stress testing settlements systems within the UAT environment, providing constructive feedback and working with third party vendors for remediation of any issues.
• Reacting and adapting to market wide change, examples including the introduction of CSDR, Russian sanctions, and the ongoing Israeli conflict. These global events have a direct impact on settlements and need to be carefully managed to mitigate risk as much as possible.
• Governing risk as a key control within settlements, working alongside multiple internal and external stakeholders to manage actual, and potential risk. Due to the high value/high volume flowing through the settlements department, risk is evaluated heavily as part of the teams daily processes. As the first point of escalation it is my responsibility to liaise with the risk department, desk heads, senior management and agent banks to ensure the appropriate action is taken to remediate the issue and any potential future issues.
• Creating excellent relationships with agent banks to facilitate the safe keeping and movement of cash flow and stock. It is my responsibility to liaise with the banking customer relationship manager and feedback any issues and identify better ways of working.
• People management is a key strength. Whilst managing a large team, it is crucial that open lines of communication are understood between myself and my reporting structure. I regularly conduct formal 1-1s via teams and in person. I also have ad hoc conversations with all reports regularly to ensure both parties can raise any concerns and assist in the career development of each employee.
• Dealing with broker issue resolution such as answering any complex settlement queries and becoming the key point of contact. This has been created by building strong relationships via teams/phone and personally visiting the brokers in the London office.
• Being a key point of contact for internal and external auditors, ensuring any recommendations are implemented and followed through.
• Working closely with Human Resources to recruit and actively manage employees career development including promotions and performance reviews.
• I am currently a co-chair for the Belfast communication team, working alongside various people committees, the EMEA Head of Operations and Internal Communications to assist in building a brand for the Belfast site. This role has included the creation of a podcast, creating visual content for LinkedIn and attending multiple in person visits to charities of whom TPICAP sponsor.

After graduating within Ulster University I was employed by Citibank via the graduate programme.

I spent 5 years working in the FX Options department and 3 years within settlements covering:

• Reuters FX - identifying trade discrepancies as soon as trades were booked via the dot matrix printers and raising to middle office to amend.
• Long form NDF confirmations - analysing long form confirmations and identifying discrepancies with legal settlements language and trade economics, working with counterparties, desks and middle office to resolve.
• FX Settlements - covering APAC and EMEA trading ensuring the smooth settlement of trades and identifying potential risks to the business.