SUFYAN ALI
Chandigarh
Summary
Dynamic and results-oriented Collections professional with 18+ years of experience spanning Banking, NBFC, and Telecom sectors across diverse geographies in North India. Currently a Regional Collections Manager with expertise in Credit, Collections, and Support functions. Proven ability to build teams and processes from ground zero. Skilled in analytics-driven strategy development, operational efficiency, large team leadership, vendor management, and recovery execution. Strong in people management, strategic planning, and optimizing collections to improve cash flow and portfolio quality.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Regional Collection Manager - North - 2
Aditya Birla Capital
09.2023 - Current
- Built and scaled regional recovery operations from the ground up across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Eastern UP, aligning team growth with portfolio expansion.
- Successfully doubled the Recovery on Receivables (ROR), overseeing a recovery portfolio worth ₹1.20 Crores with a team of 10–14 Collection Managers.
- Introduced legal enforcement tools to enhance recovery rates in the Digital Lending portfolio, resulting in improved resolution timelines and compliance.
- Collaborated with the central strategy team to design and implement a new collections management system; led training and change management initiatives across field teams.
- Fast-tracked promotion to Regional Collections Manager within just 1.5 years due to consistent top-tier performance and leadership.
- Currently leading the development of a new front-end collections vertical in the North-2 region, covering four key states with a focus on structure, scalability, and performance optimization.
Portfolio Manager
HDFC Bank
03.2019 - 09.2023
- Achieved a 2% YoY improvement in Bucket X performance for two consecutive years by introducing smart account allocation and a structured review framework.
- Reduced Risk-30 bucket delinquency by 25% within one financial year through differentiated strategies for regular payers vs. chronic defaulters.
- Contributed significantly to lowering credit cost by minimizing incremental provisioning in high NPA segments via focused field efforts.
- Maintained zero delinquency in 60+ DPD for Infrastructure and Healthcare portfolios by fostering strong customer relationships and proactive complaint resolution.
- Developed a robust issue-resolution system at the call center, accelerating query closure and positively impacting collection performance.
- Reduced vendor dependency from 60% to 20% while maintaining high recovery standards, through deep portfolio analysis and efficient internal team deployment.
- Recognized as a Key Performer for 3 consecutive years (FY 2020–21, 2021–22, and 2022–23) for consistent excellence.
- Ranked among the Top 3 Portfolio Managers nationally in annual performance scorecards.
Zonal Credit & Collections Lead
Vodafone Idea
05.2012 - 03.2019
- Led the complete credit and collections portfolio for the zone, covering all delinquency stages from 1-day DPD to charge-off and legal recovery.
- Managed a large team of 43 personnel, including 9 direct team members and 35 outsourced field executives and tele-callers, across multiple locations.
- Directed end-to-end collections operations, including recoveries, settlements, and legal follow-up on chronic delinquent accounts.
- Negotiated with large corporate clients on disputed dues and successfully restructured repayment plans.
- Boosted zonal performance rankings from bottom tier to top position within 4 months through strategic governance and targeted initiatives.
- Spearheaded cost optimization by reducing acquisition and collection expenses via digital verification, paperless billing, and pre-due recovery strategies.
- Championed early digital adoption by rolling out a field collections app and contributing to company-wide 4G data penetration campaigns.
- Three-time recipient of the “Mega Star” award – the highest quarterly performance honor at the state level. Won the “Young Star” award twice for exceptional contributions to collections performance and team leadership.
Process Owner - Billing, Printing and Delivery
Vodafone
06.2010 - 05.2012
- Owned and managed collections support processes including bill generation, printing, dispatch, delivery tracking, and customer complaints.
- Coordinated with multiple third-party vendors, including 1 print vendor, 1 dispatch/logistics vendor, and 5 courier agencies, along with internal associates.
- Ensured on-time delivery and complaint resolution to improve customer experience.
- Reduced customer billing complaints from 3% to under 1% through process optimization and quality control.
- Led early adoption of Green Billing (paperless) initiatives, saving cost and earning national recognition by winning a digitalization contest.
- Set a benchmark in transitioning from physical to digital processes within the support function.
Senior Associate
Apex Services
10.2007 - 06.2010
- Managed end-to-end credit and collections processes for Vodafone’s customer base, focusing on timely recovery of overdue payments across multiple delinquency buckets.
- Conducted customer outreach via calls to negotiate repayment plans and resolve billing disputes, ensuring high customer satisfaction.
- Coordinated with internal teams and vendors to streamline collections workflows and resolve escalations promptly.
- Maintained detailed records of collections activity and updated management on portfolio performance and risk areas.
- Supported the implementation of collection strategies and process improvements to enhance recovery rates.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - English Sociology Political Science
Chaudhary Charan Singh University
Meerut03-2008
Skills
- Strong Analytical Skills - Conversion of ideas into actions
- People and conflict management
- Vendor management
- Quick learner - Adaptable to changes
- Technical Skills - Microsoft Excel Power Point Presentation Proven ability to learn internal systems quickly
- Effective Communicator - Customer relationship Management
Languages
English
Advanced (C1)
Hindi
Advanced (C1)
Urdu
Intermediate (B1)
Punjabi
Upper intermediate (B2)
Timeline
Regional Collection Manager - North - 2
Aditya Birla Capital
09.2023 - Current
Portfolio Manager
HDFC Bank
03.2019 - 09.2023
Zonal Credit & Collections Lead
Vodafone Idea
05.2012 - 03.2019
Process Owner - Billing, Printing and Delivery
Vodafone
06.2010 - 05.2012
Senior Associate
Apex Services
10.2007 - 06.2010
Bachelor of Arts - English Sociology Political Science
Chaudhary Charan Singh University