Curice Pillay

As a Business Intelligence Manager, I am responsible for the company’s entire database in all locations across Africa where we have a presence. This includes sales data, rep data, industry data, commodity data and the like. In conjunction with business, I transform this data into useable reports to enable management to enforce data-driven decision making. Some of my duties are noted below:

• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to identify key performance indicators and develop relevant metrics.
• Conducted comprehensive market research, enabling informed decision-making on new product launches and expansions.
• Managed vendor relationships to ensure timely delivery of services while adhering to budget constraints.
• Streamlined reporting processes for increased efficiency and accuracy in data analysis.
• Developed custom dashboards and visualizations to provide actionable insights for key stakeholders.
• Performed ad-hoc analyses upon request from senior management or other departments requiring specialized support or insight into specific issues or challenges faced by the organization.
• Implemented automation processes for routine data collection tasks, reducing manual effort and increasing efficiency.
• Managed a team of BI analysts, fostering professional development and continuous learning opportunities.
• Analyzed data to identify root causes of problems and recommend corrective actions.
• Created dashboards to monitor and track key performance indicators.
• Developed customized reports, summarizing and presenting data in visually appealing format.
• Collaborated with stakeholders to identify business needs and data sources.
• Managed BI projects and teams in Africa while based in South Africa HQ

As Business Development Consultant, I am responsible for revenue generation in the form of AUM (Assets Under Management). Industry knowledge, understanding principal gatekeepers, decision makers and their business models, primary drivers of investment mandates and identifying opportunities are key to this role. The primary function of the role is to understand our business model and to pitch company products and/or services to our clients with the aim of them extending us assets to manage on their behalf. Some of my duties are noted below:

• Identify new sales leads.
• Responsible for engagement activities that support the development of strong relationships, which can take place via telephone, email, and face to face meetings as well as through the provision of support services such as website content updates, questionnaire completion and performance or quant data submission.
• Maintain and develop the Company’s brand positioning and strategy (preparing presentations, attending conferences, industry events, planning and overseeing marketing initiatives/events, contacting clients to inform them of new developments with the Company’s products, preparing communication such as newsletters etc).
• Build and maintain long-term relationships with existing and prospective clients which are Multi-Asset Managers.
• Have thorough knowledge of competitors and their offerings in the institutional space.
• Remain up to date with the product performance and investment team views to be able to communicate these to clients.
• Identify trends in the industry and to gather competitor intelligence, and to take steps to ensure threats are countered.
• To deliver against determined sales targets.
• To develop and maintain a strategic plan, and to execute against that plan.
• To keep and maintain a portfolio of evidence of all daily activities and details of relationships with clients for presentation purposes to the executive committee.
• To pro-actively report back to the clients and support staff on the tracking of all new business, queries, outstanding requirements, and all ad hoc requests.
• To ensure an understanding of the investment philosophy and long-term goals of the company.
• Maintain a database of existing and prospective clients, detailing key individuals and the contact details as well as the level of engagement with these individuals.
• Provide useful management tools and analysis reports to measure the effectiveness of the engagement activities.
• To understand the company investment philosophy, I was required to complete a DCF model on a particular client, over and above my general responsibilities.
• Reached out to potential customers via telephone, email, and in-person inquiries.
• Generated new business with marketing initiatives and strategic plans.

As a Consultant at Robert Walters, I am a specialist in permanent recruitment across the Financial Services Industry. Our client base is composed of the world’s leading investment banks and multinational blue-chip commercial organizations. Through insight and specialization of the FS industry; I serve as a business partner to all my clients. I seek to manage the careers of high calibre individuals in the following fields: Corporate & Investment Banking, Finance, Trading, Product Control, Trade Sales, Trade and Treasury Products, Corporate Finance and Private Equity. Some of my duties are noted below:

• Develop and maintain relationship with senior stakeholders at multinational financial services companies.
• Keep up to date with client activities and market news.
• Attend client seminars and strategy sessions that include talent acquisition and development needs.
• Interview candidates to assess the accuracy of information supplied on their CV as well as character and culture assessments.
• Advise clients of good talent and sharing of white papers and market research in the recruitment space.
• Placing the correct candidates in roles along with ensuring they are a culture fit to the organization.

As a Relationship Associate (RA) I was required to partner with product specialists to provide a full array of corporate banking solutions from cash management, foreign exchange, trade finance, custody, clearing and loans to capital markets, derivatives, and structured products. For the Global Subsidiaries Group, this involved supporting multinational corporations with subsidiaries in South Africa. RAs are dedicated to designing and delivering innovative solutions to meet clients’ strategic and financial priorities. Some of my duties are noted below:

• The Relationship Associate (RA) actively participates in identifying and supporting the delivery of banking solutions to corporate clients.
• Coordination of credit requests and approvals as needed (Product, Industry, Coverage, Credit, etc). This involves analyzing the companies AFS as per Citi Credit Risk model, various ratio analysis, and cash-flow modelling to obtain an internal credit rating.
• Conducting peer-comparison research and stress-testing for various clients regarding risks for the client and or, deal specific risk.
• Develop a sound knowledge of Citi’s credit policies and ability to exercise prudent judgment in managing risks inherent in the business.
• Prepare client materials and or RFPs for business meetings (preparing presentation material).
• Support Senior Bankers on marketing efforts to grow and protect revenue on a specified portfolio of clients.
• Demonstrate the ability to exercise sound judgment and use initiative but know when to refer a client to a Senior Banker.
• Navigation of the Citi product and coverage network; problem escalation and resolution; driving customer satisfaction; support the coverage side duties related to execution of new transactions / the flow products & services.
• Manage account opening process from the client side and communicate this to the operations and or account services team.
• Engage with clients for KYC / compliance requirements to ensure that the Business Support Unit obtains the necessary information so that the client portfolio is kept current with respect to due diligence and anti-money laundering information.
• Assist in ad-hoc reports & special projects / presentations as needed.
• Analyze client financial documentation for credit and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure products are implemented in accordance with client expectations and internal policies and procedures.

NPC involves supporting corporations in Africa where we do not have a presence; this is usually facilitated by surrounding countries where we do have a presence and is a very small market. I am required to work with the team’s senior Relationship Managers, and product specialists to provide a full array of corporate banking solutions. Some of my duties are noted below:

• The Relationship Associate (RA) handles the day-to-day administration and coordination of a portfolio of clients, actively participating in identifying and supporting the delivery of banking solutions.
• Support Bankers on marketing efforts to grow and protect revenue on a specified portfolio of clients.
• Demonstrate the ability to exercise sound judgment and use initiative, but know when to hand over the client to a Senior RM.
• Assist Senior RMs with focusing on marketing efforts and revenue generation.
• Provide support on routine credit requests; navigation of the Citi product and coverage network; problem escalation and resolution; driving customer satisfaction; support the coverage side duties related to execution of new transactions / flow product services.

The Corporate Banking Graduate role required me to work with the team’s Corporate Bankers, who partner with product specialists to provide a full array of corporate banking solutions. This role required advanced excel capabilities and analytical thinking. Some of my duties are noted below:

• Provide analytical support to Relationship Managers across five core functions; Leverage finance transaction credit approval, Periodic credit monitoring, Portfolio management, Relationship management, Portfolio reporting/projects.
• Gain a strong understanding of clients' business, financial performance, and key credit drivers across various industries.
• Assist Bankers and Risk Manager with articulating assumptions regarding a client/deal.
• Perform periodic written reviews of the clients' financial and operating performance, compliance, management/relationship strategy, and competitive position within its peer group.
• Work in conjunction with Bankers to seek approval for and assist in executing transactions on behalf of clients.
• Interact regularly with our product partners in Fixed Income, Investment Banking, Structured Products, etc., in addition to legal counsel (both internal and external) ensuring all deal structures are properly documented and approved.
• Prepare client presentations supporting Bankers in developing innovative solutions to meet the clients’ needs and accompany Bankers to client meetings from time to time.
• Analyse underlying business rationale/strategy for deals that are conducted through creating both Business and portfolio reviews for Senior Management on the global risks for the portfolio as well as to highlight key trends in the market.
• Research the fundamentals of the key industry trends and convey thoughts and opinions to the Risk Managers and Bankers.
• Assisting Relationship Managers and Relationship Associates to facilitate business daily.
• Production of monthly and quarterly revenue reports required for all Relationship Managers for South Africa.
• Research on existing, and potential clients; to establish if they fall part of the target market (Target market risk acceptance criteria analysis). Thereafter applying the appropriate risk metrics (quantitative and qualitative) to confirm or reject the client as a potential for revenue.