Research of process improving
Erick Ganira
Manager Digital Transaction Monitoring
Nairobi
Summary
Dynamic senior financial services executive with over 15 years of leadership experience in banking, mobile money, digital financial services, and payments. Expertise includes DFS fraud monitoring and transaction surveillance, supported by a robust foundation in AML/CFT-aligned monitoring frameworks, investigations escalation, regulatory engagement, and enterprise risk governance across multi-country environments. Proven track record in developing scalable FIU-aligned operating models and mentoring high-performing teams while embedding strong financial crime controls to safeguard customers, meet regulatory requirements, and drive business growth. Recognized for fostering an engaged and empowering work culture, with strengths in building and maintaining relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders in fast-paced settings.
Collaborative leader partners with coworkers to promote engaged, empowering work culture. Documented strengths in building and maintaining relationships with diverse range of stakeholders in dynamic, fast-paced settings.
Talented Manager with expert team leadership, planning, and organizational skills built during successful career. Smoothly equip employees to independently handle daily functions and meet customer needs. Diligent trainer and mentor with exceptional management abilities and results-driven approach.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
5
5
Certifications
2
2
Languages
Work History
Manager – Internal Audit
KCB Bank Group
01.2012 - 01.2013
- Built strong foundations in regulatory compliance, investigations support, and cross-border operations.
- Managed and motivated employees to be productive and engaged in work.
- Accomplished multiple tasks within established timeframes.
- Maximized performance by monitoring daily activities and mentoring team members.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by resolving disputes promptly, maintaining open lines of communication, and ensuring high-quality service delivery.
- I helped the bank discover and avert 1 billion KSH Loss due to lapses in Treasury Operations
Manager – Digital Financial Services (DFS) Fraud Monitoring
KCB Bank Group
03.2025 - Current
- Lead oversight of fraud and financial crime monitoring frameworks across Digital Financial Services, supporting mobile money, digital payments, wallets, and fintech-enabled products.
- Key Responsibilities & Impact
- Oversee DFS transaction monitoring and surveillance, identifying fraud typologies, emerging financial crime risks, and anomalous customer behaviors.
- Support AML/CFT escalation processes, including investigation referrals and STR/SAR consideration in collaboration with Compliance and FIU teams.
- Monitor insider threats, account misuse, mule activity, and high-risk transaction patterns across DFS platforms.
- Partner with technology and product teams to enhance monitoring rules, alerts, thresholds, and tool effectiveness.
- Coordinate response to fraud incidents, investigations, regulatory information requests, and audits relating to DFS activity.
- Produce management and risk committee reporting on DFS fraud trends, control effectiveness, and residual risk.
- Mentor fraud monitoring analysts, embedding a structured, ethical, and evidence-based investigative culture.
- Stakeholder management; Telcos, Vendors and internal stakeholders including DFS business and Operations
- Resolved staff member conflicts, actively listening to concerns and finding appropriate middle ground.
- Controlled costs to keep business operating within budget and increase profits.
- Cross-trained existing employees to maximize team agility and performance.
- Established strong relationships with clients and stakeholders, ensuring long-term partnerships and repeat business.
- Implemented and developed operational standards, policies and procedures.
- Held monthly meetings to create business plans and workshops to drive successful business.
- Provided strong leadership to enhance team productivity and morale.
Manager – Card Payments Operations (Group Role)
KCB Bank Group
03.2022 - 02.2025
- Provided Group-wide leadership for Card payments Operations, covering transaction monitoring, Fraud and AML exposure management, Settlements, Disputes, and Regulatory Compliance.
- Key Achievements
- Oversaw high-volume transaction processing and reconciliation, surveillance identifying fraud, AML, and reputational risks across issuing and acquiring businesses
- Strengthened AML and fraud controls aligned with regulatory expectations and card scheme rules (Visa, Mastercard).
- Coordinated internal and external audits, regulatory reviews, and timely remediation of findings.
- Maintained risk registers, KCSAs, and periodic risk reporting supporting enterprise risk governance.
- Managed multi-country stakeholder engagement with schemes, PSPs, compliance, legal, and risk teams.
- Stakeholder management; Card schemes, Vendors and internal stakeholders including Acquiring and Issuing business teams
- Led cross-functional teams to achieve project milestones and deliver high-quality results.
- Consistently met or exceeded annual performance targets set by senior leadership.
- Collaborated closely with peers from other departments to drive organizational success jointly as one cohesive unit.
- Reduced costs, optimized resource allocation, and improved efficiency in managing projects.
Acting Senior Manager – Digital Financial Services Operations
KCB Bank Group
06.2020 - 02.2022
- Led set up and operational oversight of mobile money, digital payments, IMTs, float management, and fintech partnerships, mobile lending and exception management.
- Key Achievements
- Oversaw B2C, B2B, and C2B operations with embedded AML/CFT and transaction monitoring controls.
- Supported telco partnerships (including Airtel and Safaricom ecosystems) while ensuring regulatory compliance.
- Strengthened exception management, suspense account controls, and monitoring frameworks across digital channels.
- Supported audits, inspections, and new product risk assessments.
- Manage key relationships; stakeholders involved in the digital payments operations which include digital product managers, technology, branch operations managers; cash management teams, payment service providers (PSPs), Telcos (e.g., Safaricom, Airtel) and outsourced technical service vendors (e.g., Sopra, Robotics); legal, risk and compliance teams.
Manager – Research & Business Process Re-Engineering
KCB Bank Group
09.2016 - 05.2020
- Led Group-wide transformation initiatives focused on process automation, e-KYC, digital onboarding, and control optimization.
- Highlights
- Delivered digitized account opening and e-KYC solutions, strengthening customer due diligence.
- Standardized SOPs aligned with regulatory and compliance frameworks.
- Enabled scalable monitoring and reporting through automation and analytics.
- Leveraging transformation life cycle including data ingestion, data modelling, KPI creation & process analytics to design and execute a strategy to accelerate and process transformation methodologies across the Group
Manager – Controls & Governance
KCB Bank Group
08.2012 - 08.2016
- Played a central role in transaction surveillance, compliance monitoring, and enterprise risk governance.
- Highlights
- Implemented transaction monitoring across Card, Digital, Clearing, and Payments operations.
- Led control assessments, risk reviews, and remediation of financial crime, risk and compliance issues.
- Coordinated with risk, compliance, and audit teams on regulatory matters Shared services Division.
- Monitor status of suspense noncompliance reports and resolution of outstanding exceptions
- Champion conclusive closure of all issues raised in control assessments, audits, and risk registers within stipulated timelines.
Acting Head of Operations & IT
KCB Group
01.2017 - 02.2028
- Increased customer satisfaction by actively addressing concerns and ensuring timely resolutions.
- Collaborated with executive leadership on strategic planning initiatives to drive business growth.
- Developed comprehensive training programs for staff, enhancing team performance and skill sets.
- Implemented risk assessment procedures to minimize potential disruptions across all areas of operation.
Assistant Manager
Trade Services , Treasury Operations , Currency Centre , Swift Payment
01.2007 - 01.2008
- Supervised day-to-day operations to meet performance, quality and service expectations.
- Improved customer satisfaction by addressing and resolving complaints promptly.
- Developed strong working relationships with staff, fostering a positive work environment.
- Promoted teamwork within the workplace by encouraging collaboration among staff members on various project tasks.
- Collaborated with the management team to develop strategic plans for business growth and improvement.
- Maintained a clean, safe, and organized store environment to enhance the customer experience.
- Mentored junior staff members in their professional development by offering guidance/support in their assigned roles.
Education
Master of Business Administration, MBA -
Kenya Methodist University
Nairobi, Nairobi Province, Kenya01.2012
Bachelor of Commerce, BSC - Mathematics & Applied Science
Moi University
01.2007
Skills
AML/CFT & Financial Crime Risk Management
DFS Fraud Monitoring & Transaction Surveillance
STR/SAR Escalation & Investigations Oversight
Sanctions & Insider Threat Monitoring
Regulatory Reporting & Board Submissions
Law Enforcement & Regulatory Liaison
Team leadership
Operations management
Strategic planning
Decision-making
Performance management
Accomplishments
- Supervised team of [200] staff members.
- Lead analyst in Core Banking System Change overs
- DIgitized Document management in KCB K
- Part of the Team that Robotized Repeat operations functions across the payment space
Affiliations
- Chairman – Kenya Credit & Debit Cards Association
- Associate Member – ACI Kenya
Certification
ACI Dealing Certificate (Operations)
Interests
Robotics and Automation
Timeline
Manager – Digital Financial Services (DFS) Fraud Monitoring
KCB Bank Group
03.2025 - Current
Manager – Card Payments Operations (Group Role)
KCB Bank Group
03.2022 - 02.2025
Acting Senior Manager – Digital Financial Services Operations
KCB Bank Group
06.2020 - 02.2022
Acting Head of Operations & IT
KCB Group
01.2017 - 02.2028
Manager – Research & Business Process Re-Engineering
KCB Bank Group
09.2016 - 05.2020
Manager – Controls & Governance
KCB Bank Group
08.2012 - 08.2016
Manager – Internal Audit
KCB Bank Group
01.2012 - 01.2013
Assistant Manager
Trade Services , Treasury Operations , Currency Centre , Swift Payment
01.2007 - 01.2008
Bachelor of Commerce, BSC - Mathematics & Applied Science
Moi University
Master of Business Administration, MBA -
Kenya Methodist University