Suma Sudesh

Accomplished Banking Technology Executive with 26 years of progressive IT experience, including 22 years in Mainframe application development and 15+ years in technology leadership, delivering enterprise-scale Cards & Payments solutions for leading global financial institutions including Citibank, United Overseas Bank (UOB), Wipro, Banamex (Mexico), and HDB Singapore. Recognized for leading the design, development, modernization, and production support of mission-critical payment platforms across Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, India, Thailand, and Mexico. Proven success in managing geographically distributed teams, delivering strategic transformation programs, and ensuring operational excellence for high-volume card processing systems.

Deep domain expertise in Credit & Debit Cards, VisionPLUS, CardLink II, Enterprise Authorization Systems (EAS), CMS, Transaction Management, Settlement, Embossing, Rewards, Merchant Services, Bill Payments, Loans, Fraud Prevention, PIN Security, HSM Integration, Cryptographic Key Management, and Digital Payment Solutions. Extensive experience leading end-to-end Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), including business analysis, solution architecture, technical design, application development, testing, production deployment, release governance, audit compliance, and production support. Adept at translating complex business requirements into scalable technology solutions while maintaining regulatory compliance, system resilience, and service excellence.

Demonstrated leadership in managing large cross-functional and cross-border teams, driving Agile transformation, mentoring engineering teams, optimizing delivery processes, and building strong partnerships with business stakeholders, audit teams, vendors, and global payment networks including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club, and China UnionPay. Experienced in leading enterprise-wide technology initiatives including VisionPLUS Authorization (EAS) modernization, CardLink II migration, payment system transformation, Mastercard and Visa certification, regulatory implementations, digital wallet enablement (Apple Pay, Google Pay), merchant payment integration, and fraud mitigation initiatives. Known for delivering high-quality, secure, and scalable banking applications with strong governance, risk management, operational control, and continuous improvement.

Recognized as a strategic leader with the ability to align technology delivery with business objectives while developing high-performing teams and fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and customer focus.

Senior Architect at Wipro Technologies (2024-12 – 2025-06)

• Led solution design and requirement analysis for Enterprise Card Systems.
• Managed complete SDLC from business requirements through implementation.
• Developed functional specifications and mentored local engineering teams.
• Delivered high-quality solutions supporting enterprise banking applications.
• Successfully completed knowledge transfer and application transition with minimal operational risk.

Vice President – Application Development Senior Manager at Citibank (2022-01 – 2024-11)

• Directed global development teams across Singapore, India, and Mexico.
• Managed VisionPLUS modules including Authorization, CMS, Rewards, Settlement, Embossing, EPP, and LTS, Alerts, Security subsystem.
• Oversaw application development, production support, and release management.
• Partnered with Visa, Mastercard, and business stakeholders.
• Delivered digital transformation and platform modernization initiatives.
• Managed production stability, audit compliance, and operational governance.
• Cryptographic Key Management, Renewal.
• Debit Card Migration.
• Led multiple strategic card modernization initiatives.
• Improved production stability through enhanced governance and risk controls.
• Successfully completed Debit Card Migration.
• Pin-offset to Pin-key conversion.
• Successful implementation of CARDLESS, BNPL project.

Technical Lead at United Overseas Bank (UOB) (2020-09 – 2021-11)

• Led Authorization Module migration from FINANS to CardLink II.
• Managed Transaction Management and Bill Payment Systems.
• Delivered seamless migration while maintaining service continuity.
• Collaborated with Visa and Mastercard certification teams.

Design and development Lead – Technical (EAS-Enhanced Authorization System) at Wipro / Citibank (2012-02 – 2020-01)

• Managing Global common countries APAC EAS release with 100% dedication and 100% error free implementation.
• Involving the grooming session of new requirement/user stories with business, other application team, who involved in the requirement Discussion.
• Based on the requirement, will do the initial analyze and will create High Level Design and will do walk thru with the biz and other application team for confirmation on the requirement.
• Once the High-level design finalized and FR review done, finalize user story and prepare detail Design with team.
• During the Detail design, will analyze the requirement in detail and also identified the existing changes (programs/copybooks/jobs etc.) and new changes (new online/batch programs, copybooks, jobs etc.) together with team.
• Distributing of the work among the team members and manage to move the respective changes into SIT/UAT/PAT/PROD as per the scheduled date agreed with biz/users.
• L3 Product support on critical issues. Provide solution on critical issue and act on issues without any delay.
• Experience in offshore-onside working model and leading minimum 15-member team.
• Co – ordinate well with all resources and utilize all resource and also training team on regular basis to meet zero % complaints from Customer.
• Experience in cryptographic keys requirements, Pin Change request from IVR, ATM etc.
• Supporting the End-to-end sprint release for EAS (Enhanced authorization system) of all Global Common Courtiers (Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Singapore, Thailand) for all product viz. VISA, Master card, UnionPay, Alipay, Amex & Diners.
• Reviewer of all SDLC deliverables of Visionplus Authorization module.
• Conducted training Agile process, tools like RTC/RDz for CITI- APAC EAS team.

Bachelor of Science – Calicut University

Business Professional Programmer (Diploma) – Department Of Electronics, India

Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications