John Oguchi
Saskatoon,Saskatchewan
Summary
Trade Finance and Banking Operations Executive with over 15 years of progressive leadership experience across top-tier financial institutions in Africa. Highly specialized in international trade finance and operations, regulatory compliance, risk mitigation and excellent customer service delivery across Corporate, Commercial, and Retail Banking segments. I have successfully built high-performing teams, optimized operational models and automated workflows, while ensuring strict compliance with global trade regulations, including AML/ATF/KYC/CDD. I'm skilled at collaborating with diverse stakeholders, from internal business lines to regulators and global affiliates, to drive impactful business transformation and enhance overall customer experience. I hold an MBA in Finance and an Executive Business Leadership Certification
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Manager, Trade Finance Operations and Working Capital
United Bank for Africa
09.2024 - Current
- Led operational transformation efforts, improving trade processing efficiency by 27% through automation and streamlined workflows.
- Improved customer satisfaction and reduced trade-related operational losses by 40% YoY by implementing stricter internal controls and audit mechanisms.
- Built and led a cross-functional team of 100+ trade specialists, improving SLA compliance from 70% to 85% within 6 months.
- Coordinated the strengthening of regulatory relations, contributing to a 100% compliance rating during the last audit cycle that ended in April 2025.
- Collaborated with 10+ African affiliates, enabling harmonized trade operations and a 15% increase in transaction turnaround speed across the region.
Manager, Trade Finance Operations
Ecobank Limited (member ETI Group)
11.2022 - 08.2024
- Directed trade finance operations bank-wide, processing an average monthly trade volume exceeding $500 million.
- Successfully led the integration of standardized playbooks across all trade hubs, reducing manual intervention by 35% and enabling 20% faster processing times.
- Achieved a 98% compliance score during external regulatory audits through rigorous policy adherence and training.
- Initiated a restructuring project that led to a 25% improvement in operational efficiency and reduced backlog cases by 60%.
- Facilitated the design and deployment of a trade finance staff rotation model that improved team productivity and job satisfaction by 30%
Trade Finance Operations Manager
Standard Chartered Bank
08.2017 - 10.2022
- Managed trade products valued at over $2 billion in cumulative transactions across Letters of Credit, SBLCs, and export documentation.
- Improved customer issue resolution rate by 45% through proactive engagement and escalation management.
- Reduced processing time for Letters of Credit by 30% via digital optimization and team workflow redesign.
- Enhanced operational risk monitoring, helping reduce compliance breaches by 50% during the 3-year period.
- Contributed to a Top 5 market ranking in trade operations performance within the Standard Chartered West Africa region.
Trade Finance Operations Manager
Diamond Bank
08.2016 - 07.2017
- Recovered over ₦350 million in non-performing loans through structured negotiation and legal recovery efforts.
- Reduced overdue loan portfolio by 18% within 9 months, contributing to the unit’s best performance in 3 fiscal years.
- Achieved 100% reconciliation accuracy on legacy accounts, improving financial reporting and transparency.
- Collaborated with recovery agents and legal units to close high-profile cases, securing average repayment settlements within 60 days.
Education
Business Leadership Executive Program -
Harde Business School / United Latino Student Association
Lagos, LA01.2025
MBA - MBA
Ahmadu Bello University
Kaduna, KD01.2022
Bachelor of Technology - Agricultural Economics
Federal University of Technology
Owerri, IM01.2002
Skills
- Strong knowledge of Letters of Credit
- SBLCs & Guarantees
- Documentary Collections
- Operational Strategy and Process Automation
- AML/ATF & KYC/CDD
- Sanctions Compliance
- Disruptive Leadership and Team Building
- Stakeholders Relationship Management
- Strategic Thinking - Planning & Execution
- Business Continuity & Resiliency Planning
- Trade Finance Platforms ( FBTI / Finacle / Flexcube )
- Swift Application (MT &MX messages)
- Risk & Regulatory Governance
- UCP 600
- URDG 758
- URC 522
- ISP98
- Bills of Exchange Act
- Excel Advanced (VLOOKUP, Pivot tables)
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Operations management
- Cross-functional team coordination
- Talent development
- Organizational development
Certification
- Certified Global Trade Management Professional (CGTMP), in view
- ITC SME Trade Academy, Advocacy and Trade Policy Reforms and International Trade Logistics and Transport, 2025
Timeline
Senior Manager, Trade Finance Operations and Working Capital
United Bank for Africa
09.2024 - Current
Manager, Trade Finance Operations
Ecobank Limited (member ETI Group)
11.2022 - 08.2024
Trade Finance Operations Manager
Standard Chartered Bank
08.2017 - 10.2022
Trade Finance Operations Manager
Diamond Bank
08.2016 - 07.2017
Business Leadership Executive Program -
Harde Business School / United Latino Student Association
MBA - MBA
Ahmadu Bello University
Bachelor of Technology - Agricultural Economics
Federal University of Technology
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