Board Director & Risk Executive
Sanjula Bai
Global Risk & Compliance Executive·Certified Independent Director (IICA, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, GoI)
24+ years turning multi-jurisdictional regulatory complexity into high-performing, board-ready governance — across Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, and Mizuho, spanning the US, UK, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
- 24+Years Global Banking
- 800+FTE Teams Led
- $70M+Portfolio Managed
- ~30%Sustained Profitability
- 5Board Committees Ready
- 2POSH Presiding Officer Terms
Executive Profile
A dual career in risk leadership and board governance
A rare dual profile — seasoned Global Risk & Compliance Executive and Certified Independent Director (IICA), with 24+ years of enterprise leadership across Tier-1 global banks: Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, and Mizuho — spanning the US, UK, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Built and scaled global KYC Centres of Excellence, designed hub-and-satellite operating models, and led AI/GenAI-powered transformation programs delivering measurable cost, quality, and compliance outcomes — turning complex multi-jurisdictional regulatory mandates into high-performing operations.
A Committee Member of the South India Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI), serving on its Women Empowerment Committee and Sports Committee.
BFSI Domain Coverage
Centre of Excellence for Financial Crimes (KYC CDD & AML Operations) · Trade Finance Operations · Credit Underwriting Operations · Transitions · Technology Transformations · Target Operating Model for Global Capability Centres (GCCs) · Centre/Site Management
Board-Ready For
Risk Management · Nomination & Remuneration · Corporate Social Responsibility · Corporate Governance · POSH Committees
A transformational executive who turns regulatory complexity into competitive advantage — and a Certified Independent Director who brings independent judgement, global financial crime expertise, lived CSR leadership, and proven POSH governance experience to board deliberations. Uniquely equipped to serve on Risk Management, Nomination & Remuneration, CSR, Corporate Governance, and POSH Committees — committed to building resilient, ethical, and future-ready organisations from both the executive suite and the boardroom.— Executive Value Statement
Board Committee Readiness
Ready to contribute across five committee types
Grounded in direct leadership experience, not theoretical governance training.
Risk Management
Financial crime, AML, regulatory audit.
Nomination & Remuneration
Talent governance & compensation.
Corporate Social Responsibility
4 years CSR Head, Wells Fargo India.
Corporate Governance
Ethics, fiduciary duty, stakeholder oversight.
POSH Committee
2 terms Presiding Officer, POSH Act 2013.
Professional Experience
Two decades of enterprise risk & delivery leadership
Group Manager – Risk & Compliance · IBM
March 2022 – Present- Leading enterprise KYC transformation and Centres of Excellence for Mizuho (ASEAN), Barclays (UK), and BNP Paribas (Europe) — 800+ FTEs across India and Malaysia.
- Architected global hub-and-satellite KYC operating models spanning India, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, UK, and Europe — optimising for regulatory alignment and multilingual scalability.
- Spearheading AI/GenAI-led transformation delivering ~30% cost reduction, 45% faster turnaround times, and significant quality uplift through intelligent workflow automation.
- Managed $70M+ TCV program portfolio sustaining ~30% gross margin — leading solutioning, RFP responses, commercial strategy, and client governance.
- Achieved and maintained zero major audit findings through proactive regulatory remediation and robust risk control environments.
Vice President / Senior Delivery Leader · Accenture
March 2021 – March 2022- Led KYC onboarding and due diligence operations for Bank of America across delivery centres in Chennai, Bangalore, and NCR — managing 300+ FTE teams.
- Drove standardisation, productivity optimisation, and stakeholder governance — strengthening controls and delivery consistency across all locations.
Assistant Vice President – Business Support Manager · Wells Fargo
February 2011 – February 2021- 10-year leadership tenure spanning KYC for Financial Institutions Group (FIG) in Wholesale Banking, Global Banking & Markets, and landmark governance roles.
- Led KYC onboarding and enhanced due diligence for high-risk correspondent banking and FIG clients across global markets.
- Played a key role in the enterprise LIBOR transition program — including contract digitisation, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder governance.
Strategic CSR India Head
4 Years · Wells FargoEducation, Environment, Women's Empowerment & Disaster Relief.
POSH Presiding Officer
2 Consecutive Terms · Wells FargoStatutory inquiry leadership, gender equity & workplace safety governance.
GCC Site Leadership
Wells Fargo IndiaSite strategy, business expansion & cross-functional governance.
Early Career
| Organisation | Role | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Synaptris Decisions Pvt. Ltd. | Asst. Manager | 2008 – 2010 |
| Scope e-Knowledge Center | Sr. Executive | 2005 – 2008 |
| HCL Technologies | Customer Support Executive | 2004 – 2005 |
| Domex Technical Information | Technical Editor | 1999 – 2002 |
Core Leadership Competencies
Fourteen capabilities across four domains
Risk & Compliance
- Financial Crime Compliance — KYC, CDD, EDD & AML, Trade Finance Operations, Credit Underwriting Operations
- Enterprise Risk, Controls & Regulatory Governance
- AI / GenAI & Automation in Banking Operations
- KYC Centre of Excellence Setup & Global Scaling, Hiring Strategy
Governance & Board
- Certified Independent Director — IICA (MCA, GoI)
- Board Committees — Risk, NRC, CSR, Governance & POSH
- POSH Presiding Officer — 2 Terms (Wells Fargo)
- Stakeholder Governance — CXO / Regulators / Clients
People & Culture
- Strategic CSR India Head — 4 Years (Wells Fargo)
- GCC Site Leadership & Strategic Growth
- ESG, Ethical Leadership & D&I Advocacy
Commercial & Delivery
- P&L Ownership & Commercial Strategy ($70M+ Portfolio)
- Global Delivery Management — 800+ FTE, Multi-Geo
- Target Operating Model Design — Hub & Satellite
Education & Certifications
Academic foundation and continuing credentials
Education
Master of Business Administration
Alagappa University · 2008 – 2012
Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering
Bharathidasan University · 1995 – 1999
Certifications & Credentials
- ★Certified Independent DirectorIICA · MCA, Government of India
- ★Anti-Money Laundering (AML)Certification
- ★AI & Generative AICertification
- ★Trustworthy AI & AI EthicsCertification
Contact
For board opportunities and speaking engagements
The fastest way to reach Sanjula is LinkedIn or email.