Head of Credit - Emerging Corporates

About the role

Commercial Bank of Dubai is looking for a Head of Credit for its Emerging Corporate segment. The role leads and manages credit underwriting and portfolio monitoring for customers with annual turnover from AED 100 million up to AED 500 million and exposure up to AED 125 million. It supports the Head of Business Banking Credit in maintaining asset quality and strengthening the end-to-end credit risk framework.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end credit appraisal and underwriting of SME and Emerging Corporate proposals, ensuring complete, accurate proposals with financial, account conduct, industry, management, security and due-diligence analysis.
• Assess obligor and group risk, repayment capacity, facility structure, collateral, covenants, pricing and downside risks, and approve or recommend proposals within delegated authority.
• Oversee annual reviews, interim reviews, renewals, amendments, waivers and deferrals, and promote consistent credit standards across judgemental, programme and scorecard-based lending.
• Own the portfolio monitoring framework: monitor early warning indicators, excesses, past dues, covenant breaches and adverse market developments, and coordinate timely action on weak credits with Coverage and control functions.
• Conduct periodic portfolio reviews, risk segmentation, concentration and vintage analysis, stress testing and thematic reviews, and provide risk analytics to credit and portfolio governance committees.
• Act as the primary credit risk point of contact, partner with Business Banking and Coverage teams, and support management reporting, committee submissions and regulatory or audit responses.
• Lead, organise and supervise the credit underwriting and portfolio monitoring teams, set objectives and quality standards, coach team members and implement corrective actions.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration or a related discipline; master's degree and/or professional qualification in banking, credit or risk management preferred.
• Typically 12+ years of relevant banking experience, with substantial experience in corporate, commercial, SME or Emerging Corporate credit underwriting and portfolio management.
• Proven experience leading credit teams and handling complex credit proposals at a senior level.
• Strong understanding of UAE banking practices, regulatory expectations, credit documentation, collateral structures and sector risks.