Stephen Kaye
Burgess Hill,West Sussex
Summary
Senior Operational Risk and Control Executive with 28 years of experience within global financial services, specialising in operational risk management, governance, regulatory remediation, operational excellence, and control frameworks. Proven track record of designing and embedding enterprise-wide risk and control frameworks across multiple business lines, regions, and regulated entities. Extensive experience partnering with executive leadership, governance committees, and control owners to identify, assess, monitor, and mitigate operational risk exposures while driving sustainable business outcomes. Recognised for building high-performing teams, leading complex transformation initiatives, and strengthening organisational resilience through robust governance, risk oversight, and control effectiveness.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work history
Director, Operational Risk & Control Management
American Express
Brighton
07.2023 - Current
- Lead Operational Risk Event Management, Issue Management and Remediation governance across Corporate Functions, including Governance, Compliance, Enterprise Services, Corporate Affairs and Banking entities.
- Key achievements:
- Defined and implemented the Issue, Event and Remediation strategy across multiple Corporate Functions, strengthening governance and operational risk oversight.
- Designed and embedded scalable operational risk processes and governance frameworks aligned to enterprise standards and regulatory expectations.
- Partner with senior leaders and control owners to identify, assess, escalate and remediate operational risk exposures.
- Deliver risk reporting, management information and governance updates to senior stakeholders, supporting informed decision-making.
- Drive continuous improvement of risk management practices, control effectiveness, data quality and remediation outcomes.
- Provide oversight and challenge to ensure operational risk events and issues are managed effectively and within established risk tolerances.
Director, Issue Management & Operational Excellence, Global Services Group
American Express
Brighton
09.2018 - 07.2023
- Led the Global Services Group Issue Management programme, providing operational risk oversight and governance across a large global servicing organisation.
- Key achievements:
- Directed a team of 11 risk and control professionals responsible for issue management, governance, reporting and analytics.
- Established robust risk governance processes to improve transparency, accountability and timely remediation of operational risk issues.
- Developed executive reporting and risk insights for senior leadership and governance committees.
- Oversaw issue lifecycle management, including identification, assessment, escalation, monitoring and closure of operational risk findings.
- Strengthened control effectiveness and reduced overdue remediation through disciplined governance and stakeholder engagement.
- Represented Global Services Group within enterprise risk forums, influencing decisions and driving sustainable risk outcomes.
Director, Operational Excellence & Operational Risk
Global Merchant & Network Services, American Express
Burgess Hill, West Sussex
12.2010 - 09.2018
- Led Operational Excellence and Operational Risk activities across EMEA, JAPA and Latin America, supporting business growth within a highly regulated environment.
- Key achievements:
- Embedded the Enterprise Operational Risk Framework across multiple regions and business lines.
- Led operational risk assessments, governance reviews and control enhancement initiatives.
- Directed the Third-Party Lifecycle Management programme, strengthening supplier risk oversight and governance.
- Designed and implemented the European Legal Entity Governance Framework, enhancing oversight of regulated entities.
- Led complex global regulatory remediation programmes and cross-functional transformation initiatives.
- Partnered with executive leadership to ensure operational risks associated with strategic initiatives were appropriately identified and managed.
- Built strong relationships with risk, compliance, legal, audit and regulatory stakeholders globally.
Director, Operational Risk & Control Group (EMEA & Americas)
Global Foreign Exchange Services, American Express
London
07.2008 - 12.2010
- Led Operational Risk strategy and governance across multiple Foreign Exchange business lines operating in EMEA and the Americas.
- Key achievements:
- Defined and executed operational risk strategy across global business operations.
- Oversaw the identification, assessment, monitoring and reporting of operational risk exposures across multiple jurisdictions.
- Provided assurance to senior leadership regarding the effectiveness of controls managing operational, compliance, market, credit and settlement risks.
- Led geographically dispersed teams, driving consistency of risk management practices and governance standards.
- Enhanced risk reporting and management oversight through improved governance and control frameworks.
Education
BA (Hons) - Business Studies
University of Wolverhampton
WolverhamptonSkills
- Operational Risk Management
- Enterprise Risk Frameworks
- Risk Governance
- Regulatory Remediation
- Executive & Board Reporting
- Operational Excellence
- Issue, Event & Remediation Management
- Risk & Control Assessments
- Control Assurance
- Operational Resilience
- Third-Party Risk Management
- Legal Entity Governance
- Risk Transformation
- Stakeholder Management
- Team Leadership
- Regulatory Engagement
Timeline
Director, Operational Risk & Control Management
American Express
07.2023 - Current
Director, Issue Management & Operational Excellence, Global Services Group
American Express
09.2018 - 07.2023
Director, Operational Excellence & Operational Risk
Global Merchant & Network Services, American Express
12.2010 - 09.2018
Director, Operational Risk & Control Group (EMEA & Americas)
Global Foreign Exchange Services, American Express
07.2008 - 12.2010
BA (Hons) - Business Studies
University of Wolverhampton