Hello, I'm Joseph Jawahiri.
I am a seasoned risk and governance professional with over 15 years of experience helping organizations strengthen resilience, enhance control environments, and align regulatory expectations with business strategy. My career spans leading banks, fintechs, and advisory firms across Europe, where I’ve built and implemented enterprise risk frameworks, internal control structures, and governance models that drive sustainable growth and accountability. I’m passionate about transforming risk management into a value-creating function, one that supports innovation, operational excellence, and strategic decision-making. Known for my analytical rigor and collaborative approach, I bridge the gap between compliance and commercial agility, guiding organizations through complex regulatory landscapes while fostering a culture of ownership and integrity.
Details
- Professional CategoryCompliance & Risk Management
- Location
- Years of Relevant Experience15-20 years
- Seniority LevelDirector
- Consulting Rate (Hourly)250
Headline
Strategic Risk & Compliance Leader | Experienced in Financial Services, Consulting & Transformation | Building Resilient Organizations Across Europe
Experience
Governance, Risk and Compliance Manager
Relevant/Notable employerzeb consultingSeptember 2024 - Current• Advising clients on the strategic initiative to drive key Governance, Risk, and Compliance projects to bolster resilience and regulatory compliance across Europe.
• Supporting clients in implementing DORA requirements to address cyber and operational risks proactively.
• Develop and refine processes and tools for managing FX risk, enabling clients to operate more efficiently and minimize exposure.
• Provide strategic guidance on managing NPL portfolios, focusing on recovery optimization and regulatory compliance.
• Collaborate with client stakeholders to ensure alignment with European, national, and local regulations, delivering effective, practical solutions to meet complex risk management and compliance needs.
• Led the IRRBB model validation for a medium-sized Nordic bank, assessing the model's robustness, verifying output accuracy, and ensuring alignment with regulatory expectations.
• Led a strategic review for a Nordic bank to evaluate options for managing its non-performing loan (NPL) portfolio, delivering tailored recommendations focused on capital optimization and risk mitigation.
• Currently serving as Head of Treasury Risk and Regulatory Reporting at one of the largest stock exchanges operating across Europe and North America, overseeing regulatory compliance and treasury-related risk frameworks.
Head of Risk
Relevant/Notable employerDentonsFebruary 2023 - August 2024• Leading a diverse team of over 50+ professionals encompassing roles such as Risk Analysts, Process Owners, Business Analysts, Technical Analysts, Project Managers, and Risk Managers across multiple European countries.
• Establishing a Europe-wide vision and strategic targets, translating these objectives into actionable steps for growth, overseeing performance management, and conducting annual operations planning.
• Spearheading the transformation of internal processes, with a focus on integrating innovative technologies and AI to enhance risk identification, mitigation, and reporting.
• Overseeing the operations related to Operational Risk, AML/CFT, Conflict, Sanctions, and Professional Indemnity to ensure a robust risk management process and to safeguard compliance.
• In collaboration with the Office of General Counsel ensuring adherence to European, national, and local regulations, interactions with supervisory authorities were managed as required.
• Led the transformation of risk processes, significantly enhancing efficiency and accuracy through technology integration.
• Developed and implemented a comprehensive European risk taxonomy, internal controls framework and incident reporting process, minimizing Conflict, AML/KYC, and Sanctions risks and assessing the impact of incidents.
• Streamlined risk reporting processes, providing clear and actionable insights to senior leadership, and ensuring compliance with external reporting requirements.
• Successfully fostered a highly inclusive team culture, driving productivity and achieving organizational goals across multiple European jurisdictions.
Senior Risk Manager
Relevant/Notable employerDentonsJune 2022 - January 2023• Overseeing Conflict, AML, Fraud, and Sanctions risk assessment process, providing advice on escalation from the Risk and Compliance organization, and in collaboration with the Office of General Counsel, ensuring compliance with national and local business regulations and internal rules.
• Performing audits and controls to ensure minimization of Conflict, AML, Sanctions and Operational risk.
• Analyzing internal processes to identify areas for improvement, delivering frequent risk reporting to the European and Global Leadership ensuring sufficient oversight.
• Reviewing vendor relationships and supporting clients in the establishment of effective operational risk management processes.
• Implemented a comprehensive risk assessment framework that enhanced regulatory compliance and minimized legal and operational risks across diverse practice areas.
• Led a cross-functional team in developing and implementing tailored risk management strategies that resulted in a significant reduction in client exposure to legal and financial risks.
• Successfully navigated complex regulatory landscapes by providing strategic advice and ensuring adherence to evolving legal and compliance requirements, thereby safeguarding the firm's reputation and client trust.
• Established and maintained effective relationships with regulatory authorities, fostering open communication channels and proactive engagement to address emerging regulatory challenges promptly.
Head of Applications and Reporting
Relevant/Notable employerNordea BankApril 2020 - May 2022• Establishing and sustaining effective regulatory reporting and change management procedures.
• Leading the team in designing and deploying automated risk reporting systems that offered Executive Senior Management and the Board of Directors a comprehensive view of identified risks, mitigation efforts, and potential residual risks.
• Supervising the development of organization-wide regulatory change management applications to ensure complete traceability and adherence to regulations.
• Driving multiple automation initiatives within 1st LoD aimed at lowering operational expenses, alongside strategic planning, prioritizing development activities, mitigating risks during application deployments, and conducting vendor risk assessments within the organization's regulatory change management framework.
• Established a comprehensive Group Regulatory Risk Reporting process, ensuring clear oversight of risks and mitigation activities for Executive Senior Management and the Board of Directors.
• Successfully implemented automated group-wide Regulatory Compliance Portfolio Reporting, enhancing compliance-related activity updates and implementation tracking.
• Developed and drove automation projects that streamlined the regulatory change management process, resulting in significant operational cost savings and headcount reductions.
• Created and enforced internal guidelines and frameworks for Regulatory Change Management, ensuring end-to-end traceability and regulatory compliance across the firm.
Head of Surveillance and Regulatory Assessment
Nordea BankAugust 2019 - April 2020- Leading group-wide team responsible for identification of regulatory changes, analyzing risks and impacts on the organisation and advise on implementation approach;
- Accountable for management of regulatory risk relevant for the 1st LoD;
- Sub-owner of the group-wide Regulatory Change Management process;
- Owner of technical infrastructure for Regulatory Change Management process enabling clear ownership of E2E process in the Bank;
- Accountable to create and present to the management and relevant governing committees and fora comprehensive reports providing insights into upcoming key regulatory changes, ongoing implementation of regulatory requirements including risk reports/risk dashboard and heat-maps;
- Delivering process efficiency and operational excellence through utilization of technological solutions;
- Accountable for the delivery of correct internal framework documents and specify documentation requirements to ensure compliance and to mitigate regulatory risk;
- Lead and manage a group-wide team providing necessary coaching for staff development and to ensure departmental target are met;
- Ensuring the regulatory change management department is compliant with the necessary internal and external policies.
Team Lead – Senior Regulatory Expert
Relevant/Notable employerNordea BankSeptember 2018 - July 2019· Deliver operational excellence, i.e. implementing the operational plans, ensuring a clear line of sight,
cascading targets and setting concrete objectives at the right level;
· Deliver functional performance, i.e. translating operational plans, implementing improvements of processes and systems, ensuring services and delivery chains that meet stakeholders’ needs and are compliant with regulations and policies;
· Deliver on Leadership, by engaging and motivating people within my area of responsibility to reach out for the organization’s as well as Nordea’s vision and creating the right team to make it happen i.e. select, delegate, follow up, assess, coach and develop direct reports;
· Sub-process owner of regulatory change management of Nordea Group and ensuring the stakeholders are aware of regulatory requirements impacting their area of responsibility and ensuring regulatory compliance;
· Area Risk Lead for Prudential Risk and responsible for setting up a network across the 1st LoD, developing and enhancing the reporting on the specific risk, the closure of issues related to the risk, key controls in connection with processes and frameworks, and leading the response to the internal and external requests.
Senior Regulatory Specialist
Relevant/Notable employerNordea BankJanuary 2017 - August 2018Nordea logo
Nordea
Nordea
5 yrs 5 mos5 yrs 5 mos
Head of Applications & Reporting
Head of Applications & Reporting
Full-timeFull-time
May 2020 - Jun 2022 · 2 yrs 2 mosMay 2020 to Jun 2022 · 2 yrs 2 mos
. Ownership of Group Regulatory Management’s all applications and tool and responsible for maintenance and
improvements as well as strategic planning and developments and future technical landscape;
. Accountable for Nordea’s centralized Regulatory Horizon Scanning as well as horizon scanning processes and related governance structure;
. Accountable of Group Regulatory Management’s Regulatory Reporting to senior management covering Authority Interaction landscape as well as Regulatory Implementations;
. Accountable to process optimization to ensure efficient reporting process. Engaging senior stakeholders in 1st and 2nd LoD to understand their reporting requirements and to ensure continues improvement of GRM reporting portfolio to ultimately ensuring senior management clear oversight and awareness of Nordea’s regulatory risk.
. Responsible for identification, evaluation and prioritization of the development activities as well as strategic planning to
ensure necessary implementation are completed.
. Ownership of Group Regulatory Management’s all applications and tool and responsible for maintenance and improvements as well as strategic planning and developments and future technical landscape; . Accountable for Nordea’s centralized Regulatory Horizon Scanning as well as horizon scanning processes and related governance structure; . Accountable of Group Regulatory Management’s Regulatory Reporting to senior management covering Authority Interaction landscape as well as Regulatory Implementations; . Accountable to process optimization to ensure efficient reporting process. Engaging senior stakeholders in 1st and 2nd LoD to understand their reporting requirements and to ensure continues improvement of GRM reporting portfolio to ultimately ensuring senior management clear oversight and awareness of Nordea’s regulatory risk. . Responsible for identification, evaluation and prioritization of the development activities as well as strategic planning to ensure necessary implementation are completed.
Skills: Förändringsledning · Kreativ problemlösning · Kommunikation · Auditing · Budgetering
Skills: Förändringsledning · Kreativ problemlösning · Kommunikation · Auditing · Budgetering
Head of Surveillance and Regulatory Assessment
Head of Surveillance and Regulatory Assessment
Full-timeFull-time
Sep 2019 - May 2020 · 9 mosSep 2019 to May 2020 · 9 mos
Stockholm, Stockholms län, SverigeStockholm, Stockholms län, Sverige
- Leading group-wide team responsible for identification of regulatory changes, analyzing risks and impacts on the organisation and advise on implementation approach;
- Accountable for management of regulatory risk relevant for the 1st LoD;
- Sub-owner of the group-wide Regulatory Change Management process;
- Owner of technical infrastructure for Regulatory Change Management process enabling clear ownership of E2E process in the Bank;
- Accountable to create and present to the management and relevant governing committees and fora comprehensive reports providing insights into upcoming key regulatory changes, ongoing implementation of regulatory requirements including risk reports/risk dashboard and heat-maps;
- Delivering process efficiency and operational excellence through utilization of technological solutions;
- Accountable for the delivery of correct internal framework documents and specify documentation requirements to ensure compliance and to mitigate regulatory risk;
- Lead and manage a group-wide team providing necessary coaching for staff development and to ensure departmental target are met;
- Ensuring the regulatory change management department is compliant with the necessary internal and external policies.
- Leading group-wide team responsible for identification of regulatory changes, analyzing risks and impacts on the organisation and advise on implementation approach; - Accountable for management of regulatory risk relevant for the 1st LoD; - Sub-owner of the group-wide Regulatory Change Management process; - Owner of technical infrastructure for Regulatory Change Management process enabling clear ownership of E2E process in the Bank; - Accountable to create and present to the management and relevant governing committees and fora comprehensive reports providing insights into upcoming key regulatory changes, ongoing implementation of regulatory requirements including risk reports/risk dashboard and heat-maps; - Delivering process efficiency and operational excellence through utilization of technological solutions; - Accountable for the delivery of correct internal framework documents and specify documentation requirements to ensure compliance and to mitigate regulatory risk; - Lead and manage a group-wide team providing necessary coaching for staff development and to ensure departmental target are met; - Ensuring the regulatory change management department is compliant with the necessary internal and external policies.
Skills: Förändringsledning · Kreativ problemlösning · Kommunikation · Auditing · Budgetering
Skills: Förändringsledning · Kreativ problemlösning · Kommunikation · Auditing · Budgetering
Nordea Group – Nordic financial servicesNordea Group – Nordic financial services
Largest financial group in Northern Europe. On nordea.com: Investor Relations, press and news, career, responsibility and our services.Largest financial group in Northern Europe. On nordea.com: Investor Relations, press and news, career, responsibility and our services.
Team Lead l Senior Regulatory Expert
Team Lead l Senior Regulatory Expert
Oct 2018 - Aug 2019 · 11 mosOct 2018 to Aug 2019 · 11 mos
Stockholm, SwedenStockholm, Sweden
· Deliver operational excellence, i.e. implementing the operational plans, ensuring a clear line of sight,
cascading targets and setting concrete objectives at the right level;
· Deliver functional performance, i.e. translating operational plans, implementing improvements of processes and systems, ensuring services and delivery chains that meet stakeholders’ needs and are compliant with regulations and policies;
· Deliver on Leadership, by engaging and motivating people within my area of responsibility to reach out for the organization’s as well as Nordea’s vision and creating the right team to make it happen i.e. select, delegate, follow up, assess, coach and develop direct reports;
· Sub-process owner of regulatory change management of Nordea Group and ensuring the stakeholders are aware of regulatory requirements impacting their area of responsibility and ensuring regulatory compliance;
· Area Risk Lead for Prudential Risk and responsible for setting up a network across the 1st LoD, developing and enhancing the reporting on the specific risk, the closure of issues related to the risk, key controls in connection with processes and frameworks, and leading the response to the internal and external requests.
· Deliver operational excellence, i.e. implementing the operational plans, ensuring a clear line of sight, cascading targets and setting concrete objectives at the right level; · Deliver functional performance, i.e. translating operational plans, implementing improvements of processes and systems, ensuring services and delivery chains that meet stakeholders’ needs and are compliant with regulations and policies; · Deliver on Leadership, by engaging and motivating people within my area of responsibility to reach out for the organization’s as well as Nordea’s vision and creating the right team to make it happen i.e. select, delegate, follow up, assess, coach and develop direct reports; · Sub-process owner of regulatory change management of Nordea Group and ensuring the stakeholders are aware of regulatory requirements impacting their area of responsibility and ensuring regulatory compliance; · Area Risk Lead for Prudential Risk and responsible for setting up a network across the 1st LoD, developing and enhancing the reporting on the specific risk, the closure of issues related to the risk, key controls in connection with processes and frameworks, and leading the response to the internal and external requests.
Skills: Förändringsledning · Kreativ problemlösning · Kommunikation
Skills: Förändringsledning · Kreativ problemlösning · Kommunikation
Senior Regulatory Specialist
Senior Regulatory Specialist
Feb 2017 - Sep 2018 · 1 yr 8 mosFeb 2017 to Sep 2018 · 1 yr 8 mos
Stockholm, SverigeStockholm, Sverige
• Responsible for the delivery of correct internal framework documents and specify documentation requirements to ensure compliance and to mitigate non-financial business risk;
• Ensuring that managers and employees are provided with compliant advice in operational business and compliance risk matters and be responsible for managing the contact with internal and external stakeholders in regards to inspections to ensure license to operate;
• Independently collect, collate and evaluate legal requirements within competence area to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and report on issues identified by the second level of defence and oversee adherence to risk appetite;
• Proactively provide the organisation with requirements based on relevant regulation and provide strategic advice to senior management throughout the implementation cycle of new or changed regulation to ensure non-financial business risk awareness at all time;
• Actively participate in performance meetings in own team/unit to support knowledge sharing and drive continuously improvement;
• Drive and ensure that relevant employees has a relevant understanding of regulatory requirements and the internal control environment by ensuring that appropriate guidance, training and education is provided;
• Independently act as a speaking partner towards relevant stakeholders both within Business area/Group function well as including Group Compliance and Group Legal to ensure effective coordination and communication; and
• Proactively drive local alignment with Nordic standards to ensure utilization of Nordic synergies and simplification.
Capital Adequacy and Regulation Expert
Relevant/Notable employerSwedbankOctober 2015 - January 2017• Ensuring that the Bank is compliant with capital adequacy regulations and that management is informed about deficiencies;
• Ensuring sound regulatory interpretation and that there are group wide definitions utilized in the capital adequacy for the Bank;
• Responsible for co-ordination of delegated regulatory requests (QIS);
• Ensuring coherent and accurate communication with supervisory authorities with regard to delegated regulatory requests;
• Interpretation and defining regulatory capital requirements on NPAP and IT-infrastructure;
• Contributing to the Bank’s improved capital efficiency;
• Conducting qualitative impact analysis of new or changed regulations within main area of responsibility;
• Contributing to setting group wide capital adequacy definitions;
• Contributing to the production and maintenance of necessary capital adequacy policies, instructions and directives and contribute to the task of ensuring that they are reviewed, updated and implemented in accordance to internal procedures
• Sub process owner for the Bank’s leverage ratio, counterparty credit risk, credit value adjustment, and securitization;
• Providing capital adequacy expertise as well as necessary educations to the Bank’s stakeholders
Head of Risk Management
Relevant/Notable employerNordiska Financial Partner November 2012 - September 2015• Leading all aspects of business analysis and risk management for the Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish and Estonian markets, as a member of the Lead Management Team
• In charge of overall development within the risk management unit, including choice of IT related solution in order to implement effective risk management processes
• Further business development responsibilities include establishing Growth Strategy, Strategic Execution, the gathering/analysis of market intelligence and business implementation
• Additionally responsible for risk management; managing the operational, financial and credit risk of the Group, its employees, customers, reputation, assets and the interest of stakeholders
• In charge of interpretation of regulatory frameworks, implementation of necessary changes to ensure compliance and overall prudential risk reporting
• Responsible for implementation of effective key risk indicator regime including continuous KRI monitoring and reporting to the Senior Management and the Board of Directors
• Accountable for the Risk Assessment process, assessing annual risk reports such as Business Continuity Report and Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process Report (ICAAP) in line with Basel II regulatory requirements to the Board of Directors and Business Heads
• In charge of risk evaluation, corporate governance, conducting audits of policy and compliance to standards, including liaison with auditors and providing support and training for staff to develop a risk aware culture
Credit and Industry Analyst
Relevant/Notable employerSkandinavian Enskilda Bank (SEB)December 2010 - October 2012• Effectively conducted credit and risk analysis of both existing and potential commercial clients, mainly large and medium international corporations within the airline and travel industry
• Competently conducted market research, market analysis, corporate analysis, risk management and completion of credit memos for commercial clients
• Efficiently prepared various presentations and other documents for clients and committees
• Monitored and followed up clients’ performance from a credit and risk perspective, whilst utilising strong relationship management abilities to create and maintain client relationships
• Consulted with clients to map risk processes and discover ways of mitigating risks, whilst reviewing, updating and applying credit policy/procedures to ensure accounts were maintained within guidelines
• Ensured continuous review of the financial stability and creditworthiness of clients, monitoring clients deemed to be at risk and provided updates and guidelines to the credit committees
• Monitored client balances when records indicated that they may be exceeding credit limits, taking appropriate steps to prevent past due accounts
• Liaised with the Legal Department to ensure the potential risk was accurately addressed in legal documentation, whilst setting all credit terms in the documentation
• Handled bankruptcy matters within designated portfolio, presenting the matters to management and committees
Management Consultant
Relevant/Notable employerAcadmic Work ConsultingDecember 2009 - November 2010• Successfully analyzed credit lines for commercial clients and completed advisory assignments within corporate analysis and risk management
Industry
- Financial Services
- Professional Services
Specific Jurisdictions That I'm Qualified In or Can Cover
Sweden: Stockholm
Norway: Oslo
Denmark
Germany: Berlin, Hamburg, Bavaria
Spain: Community of Madrid, Barcelona
Netherlands: North Holland
Belgium: Luxembourg, Brussels-Capital , Antwerp
Luxembourg: Luxembourg
Italy
Finland
Latvia
Lithuania
Estonia
Language(s)
- English
- Spanish
- Swedish
Education
Gothenburg University
MastersBusiness Administration with a major in financeJuly 2004 - May 2009
Chalmers University of Technology
DegreeMathematics, Physics and ChemistryJuly 1999 - July 2001
Professional Membership / Certification
Institute of Internal Auditors
Your Skills
Enterprise Risk ManagementOperational Risk ManagementCredit RiskFinTechPaymentsMarket RiskRegulatory ComplianceFinancial and Supervisory ReportingGRC Solutions
I am interested in
- Professional / Business Networking
- Building my online Brand / Presence