Umair Ansari

• Responsible for a Financial Services Technology Risk Assurance portfolio generating approximately £3 million of annual revenue.
• Manage BDO's Financial Services external IT audit portfolio comprising approximately 20 banking and building society clients.
• Lead multiple concurrent Technology Risk Assurance engagements across banking, insurance, specialist lending, investment management and capital markets sectors.
• Act as a trusted adviser to Audit Partners, Responsible Individuals and client executives on technology risk, cyber security risks, IT governance and controls affecting financial reporting.
• Lead engagement economics, resource planning, budgeting, staff utilisation and client relationship management across the portfolio.
• Support business development initiatives, client retention activities and cross-selling opportunities across the Financial Services market.
• Leadership, Client Portfolio and Commercial Contribution
• Support annual ISQM1 assessments through independent evaluation of the firm’s internal technology control environment.
• Provided recommendations that strengthened governance, compliance and quality management processes.
• Supported four Financial Reporting Council (FRC) reviews, with no adverse findings or negative ratings relating to Technology Risk Assurance work performed.
• Recognised as a subject matter expert within both the Technology Risk Assurance and Financial Services audit streams on IT risk, audit quality and regulatory expectations.
• Developed firm-wide audit methodologies, work programmes and testing templates to improve consistency and quality across engagements.
• Regularly consulted by engagement teams on complex audit quality matters, significant control deficiencies and technology-related risks.
• Delivered training sessions ranging from Audit Partners, Stream Leaders and Directors through to Associates.
• Assisted clients in enhancing governance over critical financial reporting systems to reduce audit risk and strengthen reliance on automated controls.

Practice Finance & Operations

• Led annual budgeting and quarterly reforecasting for a ~200‑person Technology Risk Assurance practice, strengthening financial discipline and cross‑functional alignment across Finance, HR, L&D and Business Leadership.
• Built and delivered monthly performance dashboards (production, chargeability, utilisation, forecast accuracy, profitability, cost control) that improved transparency and enabled faster, data‑driven performance management.
• Influenced Partner decision‑making by analysing production trends, utilisation patterns, revenue assumptions and cost forecasts, driving more accurate planning and improved business performance.

• Led and managed external IT audit engagements supporting statutory audits and assessing IT General Controls (ITGCs), application controls, interfaces, automated controls and technology risks.
• Managed audit teams, planned resources and engagement timelines, reviewed work performed by junior staff and ensured timely delivery in accordance with PwC methodology and quality standards.
• Identified technology and control weaknesses, evaluated associated business and audit risks, and developed practical remediation recommendations for management.
• Led the development of Information Technology and Information Security policies and procedures for financial institutions, incorporating leading practices and frameworks including ISO 27001, NIST, COBIT and ITIL.
• Managed Business Continuity and Resilience engagements, developing business continuity frameworks and plans aligned to ISO 22301 requirements.
• Performed Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR) reviews, technology risk assessments and advisory engagements across regulated sectors.
• Delivered training programmes to both IT audit and external audit teams on technology risk, IT controls and audit methodologies.

Advisory Engagements

• Led the development of IT and Information Security Policies and Procedures for several banking institutions.
• Performed enterprise-wide IT Security Assessments for major financial institutions including Bank Alfalah.
• Conducted IT Risk Assessments for 1LINK Limited, Pakistan's primary inter-bank payment service provider.
• Delivered Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR) reviews for leading banking organisations.
• Managed the development of Business Continuity Plans for multinational organisations in accordance with ISO 22301.

International Secondments - PwC UAE & Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

• Performed external IT audit reviews across multiple clients within the banking, insurance, aviation and credit bureau sectors.
• Served as Supervising Senior on Internal Audit engagements
• Reviewed business processes, application controls, user access management, change management, computer operations and technology infrastructure supporting the Temenos T24 core banking platform.
• Evaluated controls over data migration, data interfaces, reconciliations and management reporting.