Chief Risk & Compliance Officer

Join us as Chief Risk & Compliance Officer at AIA Investment Management!

This position is accountable for all aspects of financial, investment and operational risk management across the company, facilitates senior management’s understanding of the various types of risks and their inter-relationships; develops and manages the risk management system; seeks information and explanations from senior management; and participates in key decision-making processes as a member of the AIAIM Executive Committee (Exco).

The incumbent will operate as the main point of contact between the Group and the Asset Management company for all risk and compliance related topics.

The Chief Risk & Compliance Officer is responsible for leading the risk and compliance function at AIAIM and overseeing the compliance and risk program under the Governance Framework of AIAIM.

The incumbent will ensure that appropriate second line support is provided to the first line to properly implement the controls (i) embedded within the local policies and procedures as envisaged under the Governance Framework of AIAIM and (ii) reasonably designated to enable AIAIM to demonstrate proper risk governance and controls with the industry best standards and applicable local regulatory requirements.

The incumbent will actively participate in the end-to-end asset management business, including but not limited to investment due diligence process, on-going performance management and valuation methodology and assumptions particularly for private assets. The incumbent will provide constructive challenge to the investment team and implement world-class business practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Advise the Board and the Chief Executive Officer on current and emerging risks to the organization and its business plan.
• Provide guidance and assurance to the ExCo as to the effectiveness of internal control and risk management processes and infrastructure.
• Develop and maintain appropriate risk management and control systems across the company with reference to relevant best practice, legal and regulatory standards.
• Chair the newly constituted Risk Committee, working closely with the Investment & Portfolio Risk Oversight and Business Risk Oversight Committees.
• Conduct regular risk assessments on financial, investment and operational risks.
• Support the core business service and continuity strategy, seeking continuous improvements in efficiency, service, and quality.
• Ensure that all staff have development plans with the aim of raising personal capability.

Lead the Compliance and Risk Function – Lead a strong compliance & risk function encompassing the following:

• The provision of compliance and risk support to the Company in line with MAS’ guidelines. In particular, the incumbent shall oversee monitoring and assurance activities including reviewing the actions taken by individuals and/or governing bodies and providing information reporting (both standardized and ad hoc) to any other individual or governing body. The role includes: (a) facilitating senior management’s understanding of the various types of risks and the corresponding inter-relationships; (b) developing, with support from senior management, and managing the risk management system within the Company’s governance framework; (c) seeking information and explanations from senior management; and (d) participating in key decision-making processes as part of the AIAIM Executive Committee.
  The incumbent shall have: (a) direct access to the Board and full access to all employees and Company information necessary to fulfil his or her responsibilities; and (b) a management reporting line to the AIA Group Chief Risk Officer (or his/her designate).
• Implementation and administration of a robust risk monitoring program to ensure that all local monitoring activities are properly identified, documented, and performed under a risk-based approach with the monitoring results timely reported in accordance with the relevant local policies and procedures established under AIAIM’s Governance Framework including applicable local regulatory requirements.
• Offer risk management advice to the first line to support the first line to make informed decisions and to anticipate, assess, control, and mitigate risks to which the business is exposed.
• Provide constructive feedback in relation to Investment, Operational, and emerging risk to AIAIM’s Executive Committee and Board to further enable AIAIM to take appropriate follow-up actions in a timely manner.

Oversee Ongoing Investment and Operational Risk Oversight –

• Provide feedback and, where appropriate, acknowledgements to the first line responsible for setting up the corresponding automated controls before such controls are implemented in the production environment.
• Provide feedback and advice to the first line on the due diligence processes and on-going monitoring on investment of private/illiquid assets, trading counterparties, services providers (e.g. custodians, brokers, valuation agents etc.), as well as external fund managers.

Perform Second Line Oversight of Errors & Breaches – Perform second line oversight of the handling and reporting of errors and breaches and coordinate with local regulator(s) in a timely and appropriate manner as and when required while covering the following duties:

• Provide second line feedback on potential risk implications arising from breaches and errors (if any) as well as on the corresponding preventative measures in accordance with the local policies and procedures established under the IGF as well as the applicable local regulatory requirements.
• Manage independent fact-based investigations of errors and breaches in a timely and robust manner as and when required.
• Work with management to put in place appropriate follow-up actions to rectify common breaches (if any) and to avoid recurrence.

Perform Second Line Monitoring of Risks – Perform second line monitoring of risks via the controls embedded within the components of AIAIM’s Governance Framework (i.e. Policies, Procedures, Reporting, Monitoring, Assurance, Certifications and Training) while covering the following duties:

• Perform risk oversight and provide constructive feedback to AIAIM’s Business Risk Oversight function, as well as the Exco, to further enable AIAIM to ensure that the risks identified are closely monitored and appropriately managed on a continual and timely basis.
• Serve as a critical risk oversight function within Exco to ensure that the Board is kept informed of risk exposures on a continual and timely basis.

Collaboration and Communication – Build confident relationships based on trust and reliability with all relevant stakeholders while covering the following duties:

• Work closely with other members of Exco to address compliance and risk-related issues in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Facilitate risk awareness among employees throughout AIAIM considering the relevant standards, policies and procedures established under AIAIM Governance Framework including applicable local regulatory requirements.
• Work closely with the local Legal & Investment Governance team and the Internal Audit team on compliance and/or risk-related issues.
• Work closely with Group Investment Risk and Compliance function on group-wide risk and compliance initiatives.
• Provide second line feedback to Group Internal Audit on investment-related matters.
• Engage with the Group Operational Risk function to address potential enterprise-wide risks as appropriate.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in mathematics, science, accounting, business administration, finance and/or risk management or equivalent (preferred).
• A degree holder in Legal, Risk Management, Business Administration, CFA, or related principles with solid experience in asset management business. For candidates with strong asset management experience, experience in risk management or compliance is not required.
• 15 years of working experience within an asset management business, including front-line and second-line experience.
• Relevant professional experience & designations (e.g., FRM, PRM, CIPM) is an added advantage.
• Experience in dealing with regulators is an added advantage.
• Good knowledge and hands-on experience in investment compliance systems is an added advantage.
• Highly motivated self-starter, excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail, conscientious and flexible good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, plan time and meet deadlines, collaborative mentality, along with the gravitas to work closely with senior stakeholders.

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