Sangeeta Worsford

Payments Policy, Regulatory Change and Operations professional with over eight years' experience across UK banking, fintech and payment infrastructures, specialising in high-value payment systems, payment scheme governance and industry transformation. Extensive expertise in CHAPS, RTGS, Faster Payments, BACS, SEPA, SWIFT and ISO 20022, with a proven track record of supporting regulatory compliance, interpreting payment scheme requirements and delivering strategic change across the payments ecosystem. Experienced in analysing regulatory and market developments, conducting impact assessments and translating complex payment policy into practical operational and business solutions.

Proven ability to support payment scheme governance through CHAPS assurance, Bank of England compliance, regulatory attestations, operational resilience, ISO 20022 migration and industry change initiatives, ensuring alignment with evolving regulatory expectations and best practice. Skilled in facilitating cross-functional workshops, gathering business requirements, producing governance papers, executive briefings and regulatory documentation, and engaging with regulators, payment system operators, financial institutions and senior stakeholders to support strategic decision-making and industry collaboration. Passionate about shaping the future of UK and international payments through policy development, digital innovation and regulatory reform, with particular interests in cross-border payments, fraud prevention, payment resilience, Open Banking, ISO 20022, emerging payment technologies and the evolving UK payments landscape.

Senior Officer – CHAPS Scheme Governance & Regulatory Assurance - Bank of China

(2025-01 - 2025-10)

Supported the Bank's regulatory strategy for CHAPS by delivering governance, assurance and compliance activities aligned with Bank of England requirements.

• Supported CHAPS regulatory compliance, assurance and annual attestation.
• Analysed regulatory changes and assessed their operational impact.
• Partnered with technology, operations, risk and compliance teams to translate CHAPS scheme requirements into business requirements, operational processes and control frameworks.
• Supported implementation of payment infrastructure changes required for ISO 20022 Enhanced Data and direct scheme participation readiness.
• Led workshops with senior stakeholders to define delivery plans, resolve regulatory gaps and monitor programme milestones.
• Contributed to payment roadmap initiatives supporting operational resilience, regulatory compliance and future payment scheme developments.
• Acted as subject matter expert for CHAPS and RTGS, engaging with internal stakeholders (engineering, compliance, risk, finance) and external bodies including the Bank of England, Pay.UK
• Provided strategic oversight of the Bank of England CHAPS Compliance Scheme Attestation, aligning with regulatory expectations and the Three Lines of Defence.
• Owned delivery of regulatory and scheme-driven roadmap items, including ISO 20022 Enhanced Data and PSR reimbursement rules, from requirements definition through implementation and assurance.
• Translating CHAPS requirements into operational Policy. Led regulatory change programmes (Enhanced Data; PSR reimbursement rules) to timely, compliant delivery.
• Conducted control testing, prepared assurance packs, and submitted CHAPS assurance reviews to 2nd Line, ensuring alignment with RCSA and control design.
• Prepared and managed CQUEST questionnaire responses for the Bank of England; coordinated cross-LOD inputs and evidence.
• Owned end-to-end lifecycle of CHAPS-related payment capabilities, from regulatory strategy and roadmap definition through delivery, assurance, and continuous improvement.
• Successfully supported enterprise-wide CHAPS governance and regulatory assurance while improving stakeholder engagement, control maturity and regulatory readiness.

Treasury Payment Analyst - Checkout.com

(2024-04 - 2024-10)

Supported treasury operations across international payment schemes while contributing to payment optimisation and operational resilience.

• Managed liquidity forecasting, multi-currency settlements and cash positioning, ensuring operational resilience and efficient treasury operations across global payment flows.
• Optimised settlement processes, liquidity management and payment controls, supporting treasury strategy and improving operational efficiency.
• Investigated complex cross-border payment exceptions, conducting root cause analysis and implementing process improvements to reduce risk and enhance customer outcomes.
• Collaborated with Product, Engineering, Treasury and banking partners to deliver payment infrastructure enhancements and scalable payment solutions.
• Strengthened reconciliation accuracy, safeguarding controls and settlement performance through effective monitoring, investigation and continuous process improvement.
• Produced management information and operational insights to support strategic decision-making, risk management and regulatory compliance.

Senior Payments Analyst - Crown Agents Bank

(2022-05 - 2023-09)

Delivered operational excellence across domestic and international payment schemes while supporting regulatory compliance and continuous improvement.

• Managed domestic and international payment operations across BACS, CHAPS, SEPA, SWIFT and cross-border payment schemes, ensuring timely settlement and adherence to service level agreements.
• Analysed business and client requirements, translating operational needs into functional specifications to support payment process enhancements and system improvements.
• Investigated complex payment, reconciliation and settlement exceptions, performing root cause analysis and working with internal and external stakeholders to deliver timely resolution and improve customer outcomes.
• Managed liquidity requirements and supported settlement activities, ensuring efficient cash management and payment execution across correspondent banking networks.
• Maintained operational integrity through effective SWIFT queue management, static data governance and First Line of Defence controls, ensuring compliance with internal policies and regulatory requirements.
• Partnered with Operations, Technology, Treasury and Compliance teams to identify opportunities for process optimisation, operational resilience and continuous improvement across payment services.

Operations Associate (Treasury Operations) - Crédit Agricole S.A., London Branch

(2022-05 - 2023-02)

• Managed FX transactions, treasury dealing and multi-currency payment processing, ensuring timely execution and adherence to market and payment cut-off times.
• Supported treasury operations by optimising payment execution, liquidity reporting and settlement processes across multiple banking platforms.
• Gathered, analysed and documented business requirements for payment system enhancements, supporting process improvements and operational efficiency.
• Investigated payment exceptions and settlement issues, conducting root cause analysis and implementing timely resolutions to minimise operational risk.
• Collaborated with Treasury, Operations, Technology and external banking partners to resolve transaction queries and enhance service delivery.
• Produced daily liquidity reports and operational management information to support treasury decision-making, risk management and continuous improvement

Various Payment Operations and Treasury Roles - Credit Agricole CIB, Guaranty Trust Bank, WorldFirst, XE.com, State Bank of India UK, Access Bank UK, ICICI Bank UK, HDFC Bank

Held progressively responsible payment operations and treasury roles with these institutions. Across these roles, developed extensive expertise in payment processing, treasury operations, SWIFT messaging, settlements, liquidity management, reconciliation, AML compliance, payment investigations and international payment schemes.

MBA - Marketing & Finance - Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University

Bachelor of Commerce - Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University