Nonceba Dhludhlu

I am a dedicated, purpose-driven Risk and Compliance Specialist (AVP level) with over six years' experience in the banking sector, supporting financial institutions to manage risk and strengthen operational resilience in a fast-changing environment. My expertise covers enterprise risk management, financial crime compliance, and operational risk, underpinned by strong analytical acumen and stakeholder engagement skills. I specialise in designing and embedding risk frameworks aligned with global standards, including ISO 31000, the COSO ERM Framework, the Basel Accords, and King IV principles on corporate governance.

My current role has deepened my exposure to financial crime risk as a critical non-financial risk in banking, ensuring effective risk mitigation and regulatory compliance in Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Sanctions, and Anti-Bribery and Corruption (ABC). Combining technical precision with strategic thinking, I leverage data insights, scenario analysis, and cross-functional collaboration to convert risk into opportunity—driving innovation, supporting strategic decision-making, and helping organisations stay ahead of emerging threats. By leading key initiatives, I work to minimise risk exposure, streamline processes, and build resilient, future-ready organisations.

With a background in leadership across student organisations and corporate governance forums, I am passionate about African business transformation, ethical leadership, and sustainability, and I am highly motivated to join your team and contribute to its continued success.

Group Financial Crime - Governance Risk and Control (GRC) - Risk and Compliance Specialist - Absa Group Limited - Johannesburg, South Africa

(2025-01)

• Spearheaded the design and implementation of a digital Issue Management Tracker within the Group Financial Crime Risk function, automating reporting processes, reducing manual effort, and shortening the reporting cycle by 10 days—enhancing issue visibility, tracking efficiency, and enterprise-wide governance.
• Partnered with cross-functional stakeholders to embed the Financial Crime Risk Management Programme in line with the Financial Intelligence Centre Act and related regulations, strengthening control resilience and improving compliance maturity across business units.
• Led group-wide financial crime risk assessments, identifying and prioritising emerging threats (including predicate offences) using scenario analysis, stress testing, and predictive modelling, in collaboration with data analysts to generate actionable risk insights.
• Performed second-line assurance on the adequacy and effectiveness of control environments, ensuring alignment with AML, Sanctions, and Anti-Bribery and Corruption regulatory frameworks.
• Reviewed and challenged business risk profiles, delivering risk insights to senior management by highlighting key risk indicators and emerging financial crime threats to support informed, risk-based decision-making.
• Drove continuous improvement by integrating global best practices and data-led risk intelligence into financial crime risk strategies and methodologies.
• Conducted quarterly regulatory posture assessments to evaluate compliance and assess the alignment of internal controls and risk management frameworks with regulatory expectations and organisational risk appetite.
• Contributed to the development and review of Group risk policies, ensuring regulatory compliance and alignment with strategic risk appetite and organisational objectives.

CIB Operational Risk (Non-Financial Risk) Analyst - Standard Bank Of South Africa - Rosebank, South Africa

(2021-01 - 2025-01)

• Led the development and implementation of operational risk assessments to support key initiatives in operational and regulatory change, as well as digital transformation within the Corporate and Investment Banking divisions.
• Managed the risk control self-assessment (RCSA) process, ensuring second-line assurance coordination and presenting remediation strategies to risk forums for effective risk management.
• Provided advice to senior management on Business Risk Profiles, utilising risk dashboards, key risk indicator (KRI) trend analysis, and scenario analysis to inform decision-making, capital planning, and risk appetite settings.
• Directed incident management processes, identifying systemic control gaps and partnering with IT, Finance, Compliance and Legal to resolve root causes.
• Recruited, trained, and mentored a cohort of risk graduate trainees, while also delivering comprehensive risk framework training to over 500 employees, enhancing the organization's risk and control maturity.
• Drove the implementation of risk mitigation strategies, including the introduction of automated monitoring tools, which significantly enhanced the control environment by over 80%.
• Fostered cross-functional collaboration with Compliance, Internal Audit, Technology, Finance, Business Heads, and other key stakeholders to integrate the Risk Governance Framework and ensure compliance with various regulatory standards (ISO20022, ISO9001, ISO20000, FATF, FICA, POPIA).

CIB Risk graduate trainee - Standard Bank of South Africa - Rosebank, South Africa

(2020-01 - 2021-01)

• Chosen as a Top 5 candidate nationwide for the CIB Risk 2020 Graduate cohort to join an executive support rotational program.
• Gained comprehensive exposure and training by rotating through five critical risk function areas: Financial Institutions Credit Risk, Corporate Credit Risk, Market Risk, Operational Risk, and Trading Risk Analytics over 18 months.

Chairperson - North-West University - Young Entrepreneur Business Organisation (YEBO) - Vanderbijlpark, South Africa

(2017-01 - 2017-12)

• Chaired a student leadership committee of six executives, steering the strategic vision and core values of the organization to foster an entrepreneurial culture on campus.

Public Relations Officer - North-West University - Young Entrepreneur Business Organisation (YEBO) - Vanderbijlpark, South Africa

(2016-01 - 2016-12)

• Managed student engagement and networking initiatives, including marketing and project management.

Junior Peer Mentor - North-West University - Academic Development and Support (ADS) - Vanderbijlpark, South Africa

(2016-01 - 2016-12)

• Mentored first-year students in successful university transition and provided academic support.

CIB Risk Intern - Standard Bank of South Africa - Rosebank, South Africa

(2019-06 - 2019-07)

As a Financial Institutions Credit Risk Intern my responsibilities included, but were not limited to the following:

• Analysing Client Annual Credit Reviews
• Using Credit Application Templates
• Spreading Annual Financial Statements
• Using SunGard Adaptiv Analytics System to derive exposure limits
• Using Internal Credit Rating System (CRS)
• Reporting and Commenting on creditworthiness of client
• Monitoring credit limits and exposures (Portfolio Management)

Research Scholar - Erasmus Centre For Entrepreneurship (ECE) - Rotterdam, Netherlands

(2015-10 - 2015-12)

Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration - Business Administration - Wits Business School (2025-01)

Bachelor of Commerce Honours - Economics With Risk Management - North-West University (2018-01 - 2019-01)

Bachelor of Commerce - Economics And Risk Management - North-West University (2017-01 - 2018-01)

National Senior Certificate - Matric - Hoërskool Secunda (2013-01 - 2014-01)