Rachel Ho
St Albans,Hertfordshire
Summary
Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) with 5+ years’ experience in AML/CFT, KYC/CDD, and sanctions compliance within international banking. Proven expertise in name screening, sanctions/PEP/adverse media investigations, and onboarding reviews . Skilled in compliance system migrations, UAT testing, and risk analysis, with a strong ability to enhance detection accuracy and strengthen financial crime compliance frameworks. Background in shipping and global trade provides a unique perspective on supply chain risks, sanctions exposure, and trade finance documentation reviews. Recognised for analytical investigations, AML risk assessments, and leadership in developing and training screening teams. I am eager to further develop my career in AML and sanctions compliance, leveraging my expertise to strengthen financial crime prevention, regulatory compliance, and a risk-aware culture in Finance industry .
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work history
Career Break
(Relocation from Hong Kong to UK)
08.2023 - Current
- Relocated to UK and focused on settling into new cultural and professional environment.
- Dedicated this period to professional growth, including preparing for and successfully passing Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMLS) exam.
Manager, Central Name Screening,Compliance
OCBC Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd.
04.2022 - 07.2023
- Conducted Dow Jones sample checks against global sanctions lists such as UN, OFAC, EU to ensure data alignment with regulatory updates, maintaining 100% screening accuracy and mitigating sanctions exposure.
- Maintained and updated internal blacklist records, reinforcing operational compliance and control.
- Mentored junior staff members to foster professional development , improved overall team performance in name screening and ensured BAU alerts were cleared within deadlines.
- Reviewed and validated team members' name screening work to maintain quality and accuracy.
- Performed UAT for system algorithm updates, resolving pre-deployment issues to minimise false positives.
- Prepared and presented management information (MI) reports to support oversight, decision-making, and regulatory compliance.
Senior Officer, Compliance
OCBC Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd.
09.2019 - 03.2022
- Conducted system migration and internal watchlist clean-up, improving screening accuracy and reducing false positives by 20%.
- Conducted periodic name screening alerts to identify PEPs, sanction parties, fraudsters, and potential money launderers, escalating true hits within deadlines.
- Performed corporate registration and ownership checks to identify UBOs, verifying client legitimacy and maintaining up-to-date KYC records.
- Proactively gathered intelligence from media reports and open sources to update internal watchlists and identify clients potentially involved in illicit activities.
- Supervised contractors in clearing high-volume backlogs, setting performance targets, monitoring output, and completing tasks according to schedule.
Senior Officer, AML Compliance
China CITIC Bank International Ltd.
03.2018 - 09.2019
- Conducted periodic name screening reviews to identify PEPs, sanctioned entities, fraudsters, and potential money launderers, escalating true hits within deadlines.
- Performed corporate registration and ownership checks to identify UBOs verifying client legitimacy and maintaining up-to-date KYC records.
- Supervised contractors in clearing screening backlogs, setting targets and monitoring performance.
- Acted as sanctions adviser for remittance transactions flagged with positive sanctions hits, providing recommendations within 2-day SLAs to reduce potential sanctions exposure.
- Provided timely guidance to business units on true hits identified during name screening, including at account opening stage, enhancing stakeholder confidence and improving decision-making speed.
- Screened Unusual Activity Reports (UARs) raised by business units and created investigative cases for further review.
Customer Service & Operations
Up Swing Agency Ltd./Dyna Int'l Shipping Ltd.
06.2006 - 02.2018
- Delivered end-to-end customer service and operations support, including collating Letters of Credit and preparing Bills of Lading, across shipping, logistics, and branch accounting functions.
- Coordinated international shipments, managed supplier/customer communications, and resolved operational issues such as delays and mis-routing.
- Developed and implemented standard operating procedures (SOPs), driving process improvements and efficiency gains.
- Builted and maintained strategic relationships with overseas agents and customers, enhancing service delivery and business growth.
- Conducted sales performance reporting and data analysis, providing actionable insights for management decision-making.
- Handled financial operations, including invoice processing, supplier payments, bank reconciliations, and annual audit support.
- Supported credit control activities, following up on overdue payments and ensuring financial compliance.
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration -
The Open University of Hong Kong
Hong KongHigher Diploma in International Transport Logistic -
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong Skills
- Name and Sanctions Screening
- Customer Due Diligence (CDD) & Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD)
- Risk Assessment & Escalation
- Investigations
- Adapting to regulatory changes
- System Migration & User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
- Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
Languages
English
Fluent
Chinese (Mandarin)
Native
Chinese (Cantonese)
Native
Key Achievements
- Contributed to a successful name-screening system migration, enhancing data accuracy, boosting operational efficiency, and reducing false positives .
- Enhanced compliance frameworks by maintaining accurate watchlists and performing complex sanctions, PEP, and adverse media screening using tools such as World-Check , Dow Jones and Actimize .
- Processed high volumes of periodic name-screening alerts within regulatory timeframes, ensuring ongoing AML and sanctions compliance.
- Designed and delivered targeted training programmes, strengthening team capability and improving onboarding efficiency for new compliance staff.
CERTIFICATIONS
ACAMS - Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMLS) 08/2025
LCCI International Qualifications - Level III Certificate in Accounting 12/2006
Timeline
Career Break
(Relocation from Hong Kong to UK)
08.2023 - Current
Manager, Central Name Screening,Compliance
OCBC Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd.
04.2022 - 07.2023
Senior Officer, Compliance
OCBC Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd.
09.2019 - 03.2022
Senior Officer, AML Compliance
China CITIC Bank International Ltd.
03.2018 - 09.2019
Customer Service & Operations
Up Swing Agency Ltd./Dyna Int'l Shipping Ltd.
06.2006 - 02.2018
Bachelor of Business Administration -
The Open University of Hong Kong
Higher Diploma in International Transport Logistic -
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Similar Profiles
Jun Wei BOEYJun Wei BOEY
Intern at Dragages Hong Kong Limited, Hong Kong San Po Kong Sports Centre Project Design TeamIntern at Dragages Hong Kong Limited, Hong Kong San Po Kong Sports Centre Project Design Team
Jason Scott JeyamJason Scott Jeyam
Professional Rugby Player at Hong Kong Sports Institute/ Hong Kong Rugby UnionProfessional Rugby Player at Hong Kong Sports Institute/ Hong Kong Rugby Union
Emily MakEmily Mak
Executive Director at Squash Association of Hong Kong, China (former known as Hong Kong Squash)Executive Director at Squash Association of Hong Kong, China (former known as Hong Kong Squash)
Harry ParrattHarry Parratt
Customer service representative at LV=Customer service representative at LV=
Dave HicksDave Hicks
Parts Supervisor at Citygate KiaParts Supervisor at Citygate Kia