MOHAMMAD HIDAYATHULLA

Results-driven Operations Lead with expertise in Sanctions Screening and Payments operations, applying Scrum and Agile methodologies to drive process efficiency, regulatory compliance, and cross-functional collaboration. Acts as a bridge between business stakeholders, compliance teams, and technology partners to ensure seamless delivery of payment operations within Agile frameworks.

• Python Using AI
• Chat GPT
• Napkin
• Gen Ai

• Ascendion engineering private limited, Senior Operation Processor Lead, 09/01/25 - 12/31/25, Led and managed a team of 15, ensuring SLA adherence, quality control, and end-to-end ownership of EMTS domestic payments., Supported ISO 20022 migration (MT → MX) for Fedwire and CHIPS, assisting with validation, testing, and operational readiness., Investigated domestic EMTS payment failures caused by incomplete, incorrect, or mismatched transaction details., Handled non-STP payments, performing manual repair, enrichment, and validation of routing numbers, accounts, and beneficiary data., Resolved UTA (Unable to Apply) payments by correcting missing fields and completing posting instructions., Managed cancel transactions, ensuring accurate reversals and proper documentation of return reasons., Investigated BNR (Bank Not Received) cases by tracing payment routes and resolving settlement discrepancies., Reviewed payment exceptions caused by compliance holds, account mismatches, and system validation issues., Monitored EMTS manual queues for aged, high-value, and critical transactions., Used EMTS and Hogan IntelliTrace to track, repair, and resolve domestic payment exceptions.
• Infosys Limited, Senior Associate Consultant, 01/01/22 - 07/31/24, Documented all screening activities, alerts, and resolutions in an auditable manner., Escalated complex/high-risk matches to senior analysts or compliance management., Collaborated with onboarding, payments, and legal teams for alert resolution., Reported potential trends/patterns to improve screening processes., Used Fircosoft and LexisNexis for sanctions screening and investigations., Mentored and trained EDD team members in AML principles and sanctions compliance., Reviewed and investigated high-risk customers and timely disposition of alerts.
• HSBC Electronic Data Processing, Analyst, 06/01/16 - 01/31/22, Performed real-time and post-transaction sanctions screening on incoming and outgoing domestic payments to identify potential OFAC/EU/UN matches before processing., Analysed payment-related alerts across MT, MX, and internal message formats to differentiate between true hits and false positives., Reviewed payment narrative fields (originator, beneficiary, remittance information) to identify indirect sanctions exposure or concealed identifiers., Conducted enhanced review of payments involving high-risk jurisdictions, embargoed countries, and politically sensitive regions., Ensured name, entity, vessel, and address screening for all domestic payment instructions prior to release., Investigated payments held due to sanctions triggers such as blocked parties, dual-use goods references, restricted banks, or prohibited industries., Coordinated with Payments Operations to block, release, or route payments to Compliance based on screening outcome and risk rating., Performed periodic quality checks to ensure accuracy in sanctions disposition decisions and minimize operational errors., Reviewed beneficiary and ordering customer patterns to detect intentional structuring or attempts to bypass sanctions filters., Ensured all payments suspected of sanctions risk were escalated within regulatory timelines, maintaining strict adherence to global compliance standards., Worked with compliance teams to interpret updates to OFAC, EU, HMT, and UN sanctions lists and apply changes to daily payment screening workflow.
• BA Continuum India, Team Member, 05/01/13 - 11/30/15, Accurately input cheque amounts and validated MICR details., Ensured compliance in transaction processing and reconciled daily records., Investigated discrepancies and resolved issues in transaction records., Maintained detailed records and supported financial audits.
• Genpact, Process Associate, 09/01/12 - 05/31/13, Processed cheque transactions with accuracy in compliance with operational guidelines., Validated transaction details against regulatory policies., Reconciled daily transactions and prepared management reports., Investigated discrepancies and ensured accurate financial processing.
• Tech Mahindra, Customer Support Associate, 11/01/11 - 07/31/12, Handled customer queries related to Tata DoCoMo network and recharge issues., Provided professional customer service across phone, email, and chat., Processed payments and supported after-sales services., Maintained high service standards and built client relationships.