Lara Katz

Consultant @self-employed

South AfricaPartnerships ManagerBusiness OwnerCompliance OfficerAuditor👍 Sales & BizDev🧨 ConsultingBanking Operations🏦 FinanceBusiness AnalystCustomer ResearcherEngagement ManagerAccount Manager

Lara Katz is a seasoned professional consultant with a strong reputation for delivering innovative solutions to her clients. As a self-employed consultant, she has the flexibility to service a diverse range of industries and clients, from startups to established enterprises. Lara's expertise lies in business strategy, organizational development, and project management. Over the years, she's built a solid track record of diagnosing business challenges and implementing practical, effective strategies to drive growth and efficiency. Lara holds an Honours degree in Accounting and Auditing from a top-tier university, further solidifying her knowledge base in the field. She is known for her dedication, creativity, and the personalized approach she brings to every project.

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Work Background

PrivateBanking Specialist

Mar. 2024South Africa · On-siteConsulting and advising as a Banking Specialist to a Fintech Company

Self EmployedConsultant

May. 2016 - Mar. 2024

Monogram ConsultingPrincipal Consultant

Jan. 2022 - Mar. 2024South AfricaI have been consulting for the past 5 years in different roles. I have gained knowledge in the Fintech space, been involved in creating and testing bots, been involved in cybersecurity both from a testing and training perspective amongst other things. I have been involved in building Internal Competency Education for the ISO 20022 implementation program. I have also been involved in the adoption phase, as the learning curve for the ISO 20022 can be steep and decisions on how Financial Institutions will implement the development and assisting the drawing up of a technical roadmap. I have drafted numerous BRS’s for ISO. I have assisted Financial Institutions in the Go Live Phase -which a separate, coordinated training effort was needed across the enterprise when the migration needs to go live. I have over 20 years’ experience in the Financial industry. I am a go getter who has strong managerial and interpersonal skills. I work well in a team structure and am flexible and adaptable to change. I manage multiple priorities simultaneously. One of my key strengths is that I make decisions and solve problem by finding solutions. Some of my roles at Financial Institutions were heading up Compliance and Risk. In my role as head of Compliance, I gained the knowledge and understanding of how these complex areas operate, and the challenges that the business faces. Another role I performed was heading up Business Solutions and Research , which was exciting and challenging, as I was constantly looking at what the rest of the local and international banks were doing, where they were heading and what their landscape would look like in the future. Part of my research role was to assess the different industries we bank and evaluate the market in which we operate. I spent a considerable amount of time at current clients, and tailor make solutions or tweaked current service offerings for them to function seamlessly and efficiently, always ensuring they add value to our clients.

NedbankHead: business solutions and research

Mar. 2014 - May. 2016Sandton• To grow Nedbanks overall market share by targeting key strategic clients • Improve Nedbanks Primary Banker Status and share of wallet by understanding clients and providing value adding business solutions • Provide internal stakeholders a deep understanding of client and industry requirements that enables improved decision making for capital expenditure and / or product development. • Build distinctive internal capabilities to improve Nedbank’s competitiveness. (Business / Operational Plans) • Build Transactional banking expertise and provide feedback to key stakeholders • To provide sound and in-depth research into African banks and environment that enable the formulation of strategy. • To facilitate knowledge management within Nedbank Corporate around research and news, as well as conducting business case development. • To provide business analysis and consulting skills to the Nedbank Corporate executive.

NedbankHead: Governance and Compliance Corporate Shared Services

Jan. 2005 - Mar. 2014• Establishment of the compliance requirements for CSS in alignment with CSS business plan. • Establishing a compliance monitoring plan, utilising a risk based approach. • Compiling the compliance training calendar for the year, in alignment with group requirements. • Analysing the outcomes of the various monitoring reports, establishing trends and identifying areas that require additional focus. • Compiling ERCO and EXCO reports, and providing feedback at these meetings. • Providing guidance and advice to the EXCO on the compliance environment. • Daily management of the compliance officers in CSS. • Providing advice and training to the division on Sanctions. • Contribution to and participation in the innovation process with Transactional Banking Product. • New product forum • Business requirements specifications (compliance related) • Prioritisation of Compliance related projects • The formulation of efficient and effective means of CSS remaining compliant within the current compliance landscape in CSS. • The establishment of a strategic plan for Compliance in CSS. • Influencing the look of the future compliance landscape by playing an active role in the Industry, Bank and division. • Ensuring that the compliance function adds value to the operating business units. (Moving from instructing to advising). • Keeping abreast of the national and international compliance trends in the market. • Assisting to land the centralised sanctions screening model within Nedbank. • Being an active member of the sanctions committee and panel • -Approval of sanctions hits • -Approving the business rules • -Formulating key decisions made by the committee

NedbankHead: Risk and Compliance Card

Jan. 2001 - Dec. 2004Braamfontein• Compliance Management and monitoring in Card • Risk management and monitoring in Card • Provided Training to all staff • Attended Industry meetings with Visa, Mastercard and Amex • Provided guidance and support to the EXCO on all risk and compliance issues • Developed monitoring plans • Developed training plans • Managed staff • Initiated Barnowl as a monitoring tool in Card ( first area of the bank to utilise this) • Performed risk assessments on the staff in Card • Identified initiated and resolved the fraud issues around card (this was a 2 year project, which resulted in fraud being minimised). • Identified all legislation pertinent to Card

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