Sabrina Fernandes
Hounslow
Summary
Financial crime and sanctions expert with over 15 years of experience across investment banking operations and AML/CFT compliance. Specialized in KYC, CDD, and EDD processes, with a strong focus on transaction monitoring and suspicious activity investigations. Demonstrated success in regulatory compliance, financial crime risk assessment, and audit support.
Skilled in derivatives and capital markets operations, including OTC derivatives operations, trade capture and validation, trade confirmation, settlements, reconciliations, and exception management. Committed to enhancing operational controls through process automation initiatives and delivering exceptional client service within market operations support.
Overview
3
3
Languages
1
1
Certification
7
7
years of post-secondary education
20
20
years of professional experience
Work history
FICC Client Account Specialist (Legal & Compliance Investment Banking - Derivatives)
Jarden
Auckland
2024.01 - 2026.07
- Managed private and corporate client onboarding, completing CDD and EDD reviews with accurate verification of ownership structures, beneficial owners, and supporting documentation.
- Performed KYC screening across PEP, sanctions, and adverse media checks to support risk-based onboarding decisions.
- Conducted ongoing and event-driven due diligence reviews by assessing changes in client profiles, ownership structures, and account activity.
- Investigated transaction monitoring alerts (Jade) and high-risk jurisdiction payments, assessed potential sanctions matches, and escalated suspicious activity in line with AML/CFT requirements.
- Maintained audit-ready documentation while supporting internal policy reviews and compliance activities to strengthen control effectiveness.
- Maintained accurate and up-to-date client data, completing data changes and cleansing activities promptly with a firm-wide control mindset.
- Created and maintained client records in core systems to support product setup and servicing.
- Using AI for improving productivity.
FICC Project Associate
Jarden
Auckland
2023.10 - 2023.12
- Supported a compliance remediation project by managing ongoing due diligence activities across all business units and the wider FICC team.
- Contacted clients directly via emails to obtain information and documentation needed to meet CDD requirements.
- Liaised with advisers i.e. dealers to coordinate communication and keep remediation activities on track.
- Supported compliance with regulatory requirements by progressing ongoing due diligence reviews accurately and on time.
- Worked with the onboarding team and reviewed CRM records to confirm existing client information.
- Updated CRM systems with client information received during the remediation process.
Transaction Monitoring Analyst
Rabobank
Wellington
2022.03 - 2022.10
- Investigated alerts generated by the AML transaction monitoring system to identify unusual or suspicious activity.
- Assessed customer activity against expected profile and reviewed employee-generated unusual activity reports.
- Documented findings, applied risk-based judgement, and made recommendations based on investigation outcomes.
- Used data analysis to support investigation decisions and case recommendations.
Compliance Operations Analyst
Xe
Auckland
2019.04 - 2022.03
- Served as SME for transaction monitoring and financial crime investigations.
- Conducted transaction monitoring and fraud investigations, analysing alerts and customer activity to support risk-based decisions.
- Handled fraud investigations.
- Prepared suspicious activity reports for the Financial Intelligence Unit and maintained accurate case documentation.
- Performed sanctions screening for clients, beneficiaries, and payments, including review of PEP and sanctions referrals.
- Completed customer due diligence, enhanced due diligence, and ongoing due diligence in line with internal policy requirements.
- Supported audit preparation, alert testing, and training for team members on compliance processes.
- Reviewed sanctions-related payment checks and supporting documentation to resolve potential matches.
- Provided day-to-day compliance support to wider teams and guided colleagues on key financial crime processes.
Compliance Administrator
Eurotech Design
Auckland
2018.07 - 2019.01
- Maintained compliance tracking records and monitored documentation status to support process accuracy.
- Prioritised workload and coordinated with internal teams to resolve compliance related issues.
- Supported verification activities with laboratory teams and completed product code reconciliations and data integrity checks.
- Prepared SOPs and related process documentation to support compliance operations.
- Reconciliation of product codes / Data integrity check.
- Preparing the SOP and other relevant documents for compliance process.
Intern
CITY FOREIGN EXCHANGE LTD
Auckland
2018.04 - 2018.07
- Supported transaction processing for foreign exchange and money transfer operations.
- Prepared commission reports and assisted with routine operational reporting.
- Provided customer service support and responded to day-to-day client queries.
- Customer service.
Senior Analyst Derivatives Operations
SmartStream Technologies
Mumbai
2015.08 - 2018.01
- Managed OTC derivatives brokerage reconciliations and investigated breaks to support timely resolution.
- Ensured reconciliations were completed within SLA and provided clients with status updates on outstanding items.
- Raised JIRA requests and worked with technology teams on system enhancements and issue resolution.
- Trained new staff and supported complex broker accounts requiring additional servicing.
- System Enhancement - Raising JIRA and liaising with the technology group.
- Treasury team staff and handling complex brokers.
Operational Representative
Bank of America
Mumbai
2015.01 - 2015.08
- Coordinated with Front Office, Middle Office, and IT teams to support implementation of a CRM automation project.
Senior Operational Derivatives Analyst
JPMorgan Chase
Mumbai
2007.05 - 2014.07
- Experienced trade confirmation, settlement, reconciliation, and project support activities across derivatives operations.
- Managed the end-to-end lifecycle of OTC derivatives transactions, including trade confirmation, settlement, reconciliation, and exception management.
- Performed daily reconciliations across multiple derivative products, identifying, investigating, and resolving breaks within established service level agreements.
- Conducted detailed analysis of trade discrepancies and coordinated with Front Office, Middle Office, Operations, and counterparties to achieve timely resolution.
- Supported high-value institutional clients by validating trade bookings and ensuring accurate settlement processing.
- Managed trade confirmation processes across IDC, EAT and matching platforms, ensuring operational accuracy and regulatory compliance.
- Investigated operational risk events, settlement failures and reconciliation exceptions, escalating issues where appropriate.
- Prepared management information reports and operational metrics for senior management review.
- Worked closely with technology teams on system enhancements, testing, process transitions and operational improvements.
- Delivered training to team members and created process documentation to support knowledge transfer and operational consistency.
- Coordinated client calls and counterparty discussions to resolve complex reconciliation and settlement issues.
- Participated in migration and transformation initiatives to improve operational efficiency and control effectiveness.
- Contributed to the Artemis automation project, significantly improving reconciliation processes and reducing manual effort.
Project Management Executive
ABN AMRO
Mumbai
2006.05 - 2007.09
- Tracked business project activities and prepared FTE reports to support planning and resource monitoring.
- Maintained training calendars, organisational records, and project documentation across internal systems.
- Managed group communications and maintained CAESAR database records to keep organisational information current.
- Produced daily, weekly, monthly, and annual MIS reports while maintaining PeopleSoft records and related databases.
- Supported vendor management and participated in recruitment-related coordination activities.
Education
Bachelors Commerce - Accounting
University of Mumbai
Mumbai, India 2003.05 - 2005.04
Masters Finance Management - Finance
University of Mumbai
Mumbai, India 2011.01 - 2014.12
Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Management - Business Management
Otago Polytechnic | Te Pukenga
Auckland, New Zealand 2018.03 - 2019.01
Skills
- KYC, CDD, and EDD
- PEP and adverse media screening
- Transaction monitoring
- Suspicious activity investigations
- High-risk payments review
- Regulatory compliance
- Financial crime risk assessment
- Escalation management
- Audit and regulatory support
- Policy and procedure review
- Remediation activities
- Payments Investigations
- Client Onboarding: Client Lifecycle Reviews
CORE COMPETENCIES:
Financial Crime & Sanctions
- OTC Derivatives Operations
- Trade Capture and Validation
- Trade Confirmation
- Trade Settlements
- Reconciliations and Exception Management
- Break Investigation and Resolution
- Counterparty Management
- Brokerage Reconciliations
- Client Service Delivery Market Operations Support
- Process Automation Initiatives
- Regulatory Documentation
- MIS Reporting
- Operational Controls Front-to-Back Trade Lifecycle Management
Derivatives & Capital Markets Operations
Certification
- Completed UK AML Regulatory Framework course: ACAMS
TRAINING / COURSES
AML and Counter Terrorism Financing
- Compliance Officer Training organised by XE in 09/19
Accomplishments
- Served as the sole SME for transaction monitoring at Xe.
- Achieved 100% audit compliance as Transaction Monitoring SME.
- Reduced AML screening false positives by 20% through process improvements.
- Reduced reconciliation processing time by more than 50% through participation in the Artemis automation initiative.
- Recognised as a subject matter expert for complex derivatives reconciliation and exception management.
- Successfully managed critical client accounts while maintaining high operational accuracy and service standards.
- Delivered training and mentoring to new team members, supporting team capability and operational excellence.
Transaction Monitoring SME
Derivatives Operations
LANGUAGES
English Native
Proficient (C2)
Hindi Advanced
Proficient (C2)
Marathi
Upper intermediate (B2)
Timeline
FICC Client Account Specialist (Legal & Compliance Investment Banking - Derivatives)
Jarden
2024.01 - 2026.07
FICC Project Associate
Jarden
2023.10 - 2023.12
Transaction Monitoring Analyst
Rabobank
2022.03 - 2022.10
Compliance Operations Analyst
Xe
2019.04 - 2022.03
Compliance Administrator
Eurotech Design
2018.07 - 2019.01
Intern
CITY FOREIGN EXCHANGE LTD
2018.04 - 2018.07
Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Management - Business Management
Otago Polytechnic | Te Pukenga
2018.03 - 2019.01
Senior Analyst Derivatives Operations
SmartStream Technologies
2015.08 - 2018.01
Operational Representative
Bank of America
2015.01 - 2015.08
Masters Finance Management - Finance
University of Mumbai
2011.01 - 2014.12
Senior Operational Derivatives Analyst
JPMorgan Chase
2007.05 - 2014.07
Project Management Executive
ABN AMRO
2006.05 - 2007.09
Bachelors Commerce - Accounting
University of Mumbai
2003.05 - 2005.04