Ragav Rao

Senior Banking & FinTech Operations Executive with 17+ years of leadership experience across Global Payments, Transaction Banking, Cash Management, Credit Card Operations, Governance, Risk & Controls, and Business Operations. Proven track record of leading large-scale operational teams of up to 75 FTEs, driving transformation initiatives, strengthening governance frameworks, and delivering operational excellence across EMEA, GCC, Asia, and Middle East markets. Deep expertise in SWIFT MT/MX Messaging, ISO 20022 (CBPR+) migration, AML Monitoring, Sanctions Screening, Payment Investigations, Reconciliation Management, Operational Risk, Regulatory Compliance, and Service Delivery Management.

Recognized for building scalable operating models, optimizing business performance, enhancing customer experience, and aligning operational strategy with organizational growth objectives.

Senior Manager (Vice President) – Business Operations - WegoFin Digital Solutions Pvt Ltd. - Hyderabad

(2023-11 - 2025-06)

Led end-to-end business operations for a rapidly growing Fintech organization supporting 60+ employees and multiple cross-functional teams.

• Spearheaded the design and implementation of scalable operating frameworks that supported organizational growth and strengthened service delivery capabilities.
• Established governance structures, SOPs, and operational control mechanisms that enhanced process consistency, accountability, and compliance readiness.
• Drove enterprise-wide operational excellence initiatives, resulting in streamlined workflows, improved productivity, and enhanced cross-functional collaboration.
• Led workforce planning, vendor governance, and cost optimization programs that improved operational effectiveness while supporting business expansion.
• Partnered with executive leadership to deliver strategic transformation initiatives aligned with long-term organizational objectives.
• Improved operational efficiency by 20–30% through workflow redesign, process standardization, and automation initiatives.
• Delivered cost optimization initiatives through workforce planning, vendor governance, and operational efficiency improvements.
• Increased team productivity by 25% through implementation of performance management frameworks and standardized operating procedures.
• Established governance controls resulting in 100% compliance readiness for ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 assessments.

Global Payments Operations Manager - Teleperformance India (Client: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank) - Chennai

(2022-06 - 2023-04)

Managed Global Payments Operations across Chennai and Mumbai delivery centres.

• Directed end-to-end Global Payments Operations across multiple delivery centres, ensuring high standards of service quality, control, and operational performance.
• Played a key role in ISO 20022 (CBPR+) migration readiness by coordinating operational, process, and stakeholder preparedness activities.
• Enhanced operational transparency through the development of management dashboards and performance reporting frameworks.
• Strengthened risk management and control environments through proactive monitoring, governance oversight, and issue-resolution frameworks.
• Collaborated with technology teams to drive automation initiatives that improved operational efficiency and reduced manual dependencies.
• Built strong stakeholder relationships across operations, technology, and business teams to support seamless payment processing and service delivery.
• Reduced payment-processing exceptions and operational escalations by 30–40% through enhanced monitoring and control frameworks.
• Strengthened SLA performance through structured governance, performance management, and operational oversight.
• Increased operational productivity by 20% through workflow automation and dashboard-driven performance management.
• Reduced manual reporting effort by 60% through automated MIS and KPI reporting solutions.

Deputy Manager – Credit Card Operations - HDFC Bank Ltd. - Chennai

(2018-08 - 2020-02)

Led a team of approximately 50 professionals managing end-to-end credit card operations.

• Led a large operational team responsible for critical credit card functions, including issuance, billing, disputes, and chargeback management.
• Improved service delivery performance through structured governance, operational reviews, and performance management practices.
• Enhanced customer experience by implementing process improvements that reduced service bottlenecks and strengthened resolution effectiveness.
• Managed vendor relationships and SLA governance, ensuring consistent service quality and operational stability.
• Worked closely with compliance and technology teams to maintain regulatory adherence and operational integrity.
• Improved SLA compliance from 90% to 98% through structured performance governance and operational monitoring.
• Reduced customer complaints and escalations by 25–35% through process improvements and service-quality initiatives.
• Improved turnaround times for dispute resolution by 20% through workflow redesign and team coaching.
• Increased operational productivity by 15–20% through process simplification and performance management.

Global Cash & Payments Operations SME / BMO- CIB - ABN AMRO Bank / Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) - Chennai

(2007-02 - 2016-10)

Supported global cash management and payments operations across EMEA, Asia, GCC, and Middle East markets.

• Served as a trusted Subject Matter Expert for global payments, cross-border transactions, FX settlements, and payment investigations across multiple international markets.
• Supported high-value payment operations while ensuring adherence to regulatory, compliance, and risk management requirements.
• Strengthened AML, sanctions screening, and operational control frameworks to support a robust risk and compliance environment.
• Improved effectiveness of payment investigations and exception management through process enhancements and stakeholder engagement.
• Delivered operational governance reporting and business performance insights to support leadership decision-making and service excellence.
• Contributed to the successful delivery of global cash management operations across EMEA, GCC, Asia, and Middle East regions.
• Reduced payment investigation turnaround times by 35–40% through streamlined workflows and stakeholder coordination.
• Achieved 99.5%+ processing accuracy across high-value cross-border payment operations.
• Reduced operational risk incidents by 20–25% through enhanced AML, sanctions screening, and control frameworks.
• Improved reconciliation completion rates to 98%+ within agreed SLAs across multiple markets.

Junior Officer – Credit Card Correspondence - HDFC Bank (ADFC)

(2005-09 - 2007-02)

• Managed customer correspondence and dispute resolution.
• Performed quality assurance activities within credit card operations.

Junior Officer – Global Cash & Payment Operations - Scope International (Standard Chartered Bank)

(2004-05 - 2005-08)

• Supported payment processing, settlements, reconciliations, and cash management operations.
• Assisted in stakeholder coordination and operational support activities.

Bachelor of Corporate Secertaryship - Jaya College of Arts & Science, Chennai