john karau

Work experience

Chief Executive Officer at Wexdon Capital Ltd

April, 2021 -
Fulltime

 Oversee normal business operations of the company.
 Formulate business strategies for business growth and customer retention for implementation by the company
 On-board new customers for Salary advance loans to employees for private corporate entities.
 Manage logbook loans, insurance premium financing and Letters of guarantee credit products.
 Manage business development and loan quality for the company.
 Prepare management reports for review by the Board of Directors of the company.

john karau

Work experience

General Manager at Imarika Capital Limited

May, 2018 - March, 2021
Fulltime

 Oversaw normal business operations of the company.
 Initiate discussions for credit lines with banks and insurance companies of letters of guarantees.
 Manage business development of the lending business of the company.
 Recruit, train and supervise the Relationship Officers performance against the agreed sales targets.
 Review the Portfolio at Risk for loans disbursed and initiate recovery action by the Relationship Officers.
 Fund-raise the Capital for the lending business of the company.

john karau

Work experience

General Manager at Swift Bridge Capital Limited

May, 2016 - April, 2018
Fulltime

 Review and formulation of new credit products and pricing for the company.
 Review of the internal documentation for the company including application forms, letters of offer and personal guarantee documentation.
 Champion for business development for the company.
 Assessment of the credit risk and granting approvals for the borrowers.
 Review of the loans in arrears listing and recommending the recovery action.
 Review of the financial statements generated by Accounts Unit.
 Champion for new products development for the company eg. Bid bonds and Mobile lending software.
 Chair of the office meetings in the absence of the Managing Director.
 Review of individual staff performance for the company.
 Prepare Board Credit minutes for the company.
 Steering the leadership role of the company’s loans portfolio

john karau

Work experience

General Manager at Mwananchi Credit Ltd

July, 2015 - December, 2015
Fulltime

 Prepared a Business Plan and financial projections for expected business to be generated for Mwananchi Credit Limited.
 Prepared a concept paper for invoice discounting product which I introduced to the Company.
 Prepared the Company Profile for the company and content for the Website re-done.
 Prepared the various internal documentation for the Company which included application form for invoice discounting, letters of assignment formats, offer letters, board resolutions to borrow and personal guarantee document.
 Established contacts with various procuring entities for invoice discounting of their suppliers invoices. This includes supermarkets, universities, hospitals, private companies and NGOs.
 Preparation of credit reviews for invoice discounting and submission for approval by the Managing Director as well as computations of disbursements for invoice discounting and refunds.
 Preparation of letters of assignment and offer letters together with the other internal security documentation for invoice discounting clients.
 Review of management reports by loan officers on collections and monitoring of arrears position and follow-up for repayment of the loans for the overdue accounts.
 Maintainance of the disbursements register for the invoice discounting customers.
 Sourcing and recruitment of suitable staff for the Company.
 Championing the system upgrade of the lending software.
 Overall management of the loan officers and marketing officers for the Company.

john karau

Work experience

General Manager at Discount Capital Limited

April, 2013 - June, 2015
Fulltime

 Prepared a Business Plan and financial projections for establishing Discount Capital Ltd.
 Prepared a concept paper for credit products such as cheque discounting, secured loans, LPO financing, invoice discounting and letters of guarantees.
 Prepared the Company Profile for the company.
 Prepared the various internal documentation for the company which included application form, letters of assignment formats, offer letters, board resolutions to borrow and personal guarantee document.
 Established contacts with various procuring entities for invoice discounting of their suppliers invoices. This includes supermarkets, universities, hospitals, insurance companies, private companies and banks.
 Preparation of credit reviews for invoice discounting and submission for approval by the Executive director.
 Preparation of letters of assignment and offer letters together with the other internal security documentation.
 Monitoring of arrears position and follow-up for repayment of the facility for the overdue accounts.
 Maintainance of the disbursements register for the invoice discounting customers.
 Preparation of books of accounts for the company on a monthly basis.
 Preparation of monthly portfolio reports for the shareholders of the company.

john karau

Work experience

Head of Credit at Credit Bank of Kenya Limited

July, 2012 - December, 2012
Fulltime

 Implemented the strategy for Credit department in line with the Bank’s Corporate strategy.
 Ensured the formulation and implementation of credit policies and procedures for the Bank and monitored and reported on compliance issues to the Chief Executive Officer.
 Drove the development of the credit products to address customers financing needs by offering suitable credit products.
 Undertook credit and financial analysis on all credit reviews and made recommendations on their suitability for approval.
 Ensured proper documentation of all advances including liaising with the Legal department to ensure the collection and issuance of appropriate correspondence as required.
 Championed the bank’s loan portfolio growth across the branches by setting credit growth targets of a quality loan portfolio.
 Monitored and followed up branches performance in all areas of risk management, including the recoveries, credit exceptions, loans arrears and excess drawings.
 Ensured preparation and submission of control reports as required by the Board, top management, and Central Bank.
 Responded to Credit audit queries from internal and external auditors, conducted inspections and handled correspondence in respect of credit matters as required.
 Monitored developments in the market place in respect to credit matters and prepared reports to the Chief Executive Officer.
 Convened Management Credit Committee meetings and a member of the Board Credit Committee.
 Managed performance and developed credit staff in Head Office and at the branches.

john karau

Work experience

Credit Manager at Consolidated Bank of Kenya Limited

September, 2009 - July, 2012
Fulltime

 Approved credit applications within my delegated authority limits and monitored credit risk of the entire credit portfolio.
 Developed and ensured the implementation of credit policies and procedures for the Bank and monitored and reported on compliance issues.
 Addressed customers’ financing needs by offering suitable credit products and development of new credit products.
 Offered advisory services to borrowing clients seeking Head Office intervention to their borrowing requests at the branches and conducted client site visits, where necessary.
 Undertook Credit analysis by conducting credit reviews and made recommendations on the suitability of credit proposals.
 Convened Credit Committee meetings and presented credit reviews for over Kshs 20 million to the Credit Committee for consideration and approval.
 Ensured proper documentation of all advances including liaising with the Legal department to ensure their correctness and issued appropriate documentation as required.
 Monitored and followed up branch performance in all areas of risk management, including the recoveries, credit exceptions, arrears and excess drawings.
 Reviewed and signed letters of offer, legal charge documents, debenture documents and bank guarantees required to be signed under the Power of Attorney.
 Prepared and submitted management reports as required by the Board, top management, external agencies and Central Bank.
 Undertook credit audits, conduct inspections and handle internal audit credit queries in respect of credit matters.
 Monitored developments in the market place in respect to credit matters and prepared reports for management.
 Managed performance and developed credit staff by conducting credit training.

john karau

Work experience

Credit Manager at Chase bank kenya

February, 2006 - August, 2009
Fulltime

 Prepared credit reviews for new and existing clients by performing credit risk assessment and making suitable recommendations to the Credit Committee.
 Maintained ongoing customer relationships with the Bank by conducting client visits, holding meetings and by credit checks to obtain financial information for review as deemed necessary from time to time.
 Enhanced existing customer relationships to ensure that they remain loyal as well as cross marketing bank products with a view to increase their volume of business with the Bank.
 Established new account relationships by introducing new clients to the Bank inorder to grow the lending book as well as the non-funded business income.
 Monitored compliance of the credit clientele to the approval terms and conditions for credit facilities eg. securities, insurance, valuations, covenants, financials, etc.
 Monitored and followed up excess drawings and unserviced loan repayments by initiating steps to regularise the overdrawn accounts and submit reports thereon.
 Identified early warning signs for unsatisfactory account conduct and liaising with the Head of Assets to initiate remedial measures thereby averting incidences of non-performing accounts.
 Supervision of a team of seven Relationship Officers and providing mentorship for personal growth by equipping them with skills and knowledge on the Account Relationship Credit function of the Bank.
 Identified the areas where the Bank’s procedures and policies could be improved inorder to increase departmental efficiency and effectiveness.
 Reviewed loans and limits maintained in the system to ensure that they are booked as per the credit approval terms.
 Ensured compliance to the Bank’s management instructions relating to the management and administration of the assets portfolio of the Bank.

john karau

Work experience

Credit Officer at I&M Bank

February, 2006 - August, 2009
Fulltime

 Reviewed/ appraised Credit applications from the branches and identified the various credit risks and ensured that only those borrowings with acceptable levels of risk were forwarded to the Credit Committee/ Board for approval.
 Reviewed and monitored excess drawings reports from the branches and liaised with the respective branches for regularisation and obtained ratification/ confirmation from appropriate authority levels.
 Followed up the branches for submission of financials, insurance renewal endorsements, valuation reports and annual returns from the borrowing clients and ensured the recovery of bank fees and commissions for the borrowing accounts.
 Reviewed and monitored Non Performing Accounts (NPAs) and obtained approval, in cases of additional provisions, interest suspension or write-offs from the NPA Committee.
 Prepared Letters of Offers for banking facilities exceeding Kshs. 20 million.
 Carried out credit administration functions for staff loans which included the preparation of proposals, letters of offer and other internal security documentation. In addition, liaised with the Legal Officer for the registration of Legal Charge and Chattels Mortgage for staff loans.
 Authorised entries input into the system.
 Prepared CBK and Management reports for Credit department.
 Assisted Manager - Credit in compilation of the minutes for Credit Committee Meetings.

john karau

Education

Accounting at Star Institute of Professional Studies

July, 2002 - June, 2006
Fulltime

Certified Public Accountant Course (CPA111 Section 5 Passed)

john karau

Work experience

Account Relationship Officer at CFC Bank

May, 2001 - February, 2004
Fulltime

 Prepared credit appraisals of existing customers to facilitate renewal of facilities.
 Prepared credit appraisals of new customers to determine their ability to service requested facilities and recommended restructuring of their facilities where appropriate to suit their requirements.
 Priced customers facilities based on monitoring of customers credit performance, volume of business, security and credit-rating of the credit appraisal.
 Daily monitored the funded and non-funded facilities within my portfolio to ensure that they were operated within limit and obtained approval from Credit Committee in cases of excesses.
 Monitored customer accounts to ensure that the accounts were performing and took remedial action on those that were not.
 Managed customer relationships with a view to enhancing customer loyalty as well as cross marketed banking products to customers with a view to increase the volume of business to the Bank.
 Ensured preparation of security documentation of new or enhanced credit facilities and liaised with Bank’s lawyers to ensure security documentation was timely prepared and as per the Bank’s policy.

john karau

Work experience

Internal Audit Assistant at CFC Bank

May, 1999 - April, 2001
Fulltime

 Carried out compliance tests to ensure adherence to internal controls and reviewed implementation of procedures, policies and plans throughout the bank.
 Contributed towards further development and documentation of procedures for both existing and new systems.
 Assessed security of the bank’s operations, efficiency and effectiveness of existing systems and resources and made recommendations for improvement.
 Performed financial, management and operations audit of the bank’s Credit, Administration, Clearing, Accounts, Trade Services, Treasury, Information & Technology departments and Branch Operation functions.
 Conducted follow-up on implementation of recommended corrective action following the audit.
 Prepared concise, accurate and timely audit reports.