Louai Blan
Riyadh
Summary
Versatile Executive Director focused on promoting mission and increasing effectiveness of key programs. A true digital transformation professional with turnkey solutioning and engagements. Strategic-thinking professional experienced in turning low-performing organizations into top revenue producers. Offering engaging and pleasant personality with expertise improving customer relationships. Quick and firm decision-maker possessing first-rate communication and organizational skills. Recognized for successfully collaborating with management to develop work plans, financials and strategies. Skilled in client facing, stakeholder management, corporate strategy, program management, advisory and management consulting.
Overview
34
34
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Engagement Director
Ejada Systems
10.2021 - Current
- Operations Leader for STC's Applications spanning 60 mission critical systems including MySTC, STC Corporate Web Site using SLA's overseeing 100 dedicated resources in 24/7 support model.
- Senior Director for Emkan, a Finco subsidiary for AlRajhi Bank including Technical execution for its SME and eCom products along with Retail and Personal Finance products
- Met with clients to understand needs and develop proactive solutions.
- Collaborated with sales, delivery and service teams to manage seamless client experiences.
- Prioritized and allocated valuable resources to meet business targets.
- Briefed executives on technology risks and suggested ways to alleviate concerns.
- Collaborated with third-party vendors to implement new LOS system.
- Coordinated third-party vendors and client IT teams to seamlessly deliver effective solutions.
- Embraced macro-level strategic decisions and micro-level implementation.
Program Manager
Matlen Silver
10.2020 - 10.2021
- At Bank of America, at Consumer, Small Business & Wealth Management Technology (CSWT) PMO on GPP project/program migrations into PPRT 2.0, using tools like PMMT, CECE, GCP AR, ChangeScape, Nexus, ECG, AppHQ and MRA2 initiatives
- Responsible for end-to-end management and delivery of material changes for projects of high complexity across multiple departments across multiple business units
- Manages, leads and directs work efforts of resources that may be functionally aligned as part of project and/or organizationally aligned as direct reports
- Responsible for end-to-end integration of various work streams in order to deliver intended project solution
- Responsibilities include: Manage Project Scope, Timeline and Budget/Expenses; obtain and align resources to key project roles; establish clearly defined responsibilities and accountabilities; oversight/Manage/Lead project execution, integration and implementation; Risk Management and Mitigation Planning; Readiness / Change Adoption/Stakeholder Management, Quality Assurance, ensure that all applicable change requirements are satisfied;
- Acts as primary point of contact and integration for projects;
Business Systems Consultant
Insight Global
05.2020 - 10.2020
- At Wells Fargo, joined Platform Stability, Safety & Soundness (PS3) within CCIBT’s Strategic Services & Advanced Technology (SSAT) as compliance and audit officer
- Played critical role in conducting weekly meetings with organization to ensure that all required activities are covered on weekly basis
- Responsible for setting up meetings pulling together groups from many different areas (DBA’s, middleware, dev teams) to discuss and document updates on weekly basis ensuring thorough documentation and agreed steps needed for successful resolution
- Ensure all necessary artifacts and processes are followed to gain approval to fixes to Production
- Drive process of decommissioning old servers
- Bi-annual certification of applications – this includes reviewing in detail all aspects of application such as server info, database info, integration points and sending corrections to appropriate team
- Disaster recovery planning – working with app owners on BCP failover events as well as complete monthly tasks related to this process
- Assisted with remediation planning (Decommissions/ Upgrades / Sunsets / Patches) & SDLC vulnerability
- Working with tools like iTracker, AMCT, Jira, Tableau, PAC200, AppOne, QlikView, TARUS, TechTools
- Demonstrated great communication and presentation skills to coordinate with managers daily.
Senior Director
Clifton Larson Allen
02.2019 - 05.2020
- At Wells Fargo, joined their Wholesale Portfolio Delivery (WPD) responsible for managing portfolio of Risk Transformation regulatory initiatives imposed by regulators from Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) & Office of Comptroller of Currency (OCC), including design, development and implementation of assigned new drivers of change to risk management
- Worked with multiple project teams and managing all activities in project life-cycle (initiation planning, executing/controlling, and closing) associated with high visibility projects that are long-term, across one or more lines of business and carry substantial impact to relevant businesses regarding confidential Supervisory Information (CSI) regulatory risk transformation initiatives and matters requiring attention (MRAs), regulatory consent orders and regulatory remediation completion within Wells Fargo Wholesale
- Interacts with senior leadership and major stakeholders to establish strategic plans and objectives for programs or projects
- Ensure development and successful execution of multiple Risk transformation work streams project plans and actively monitoring resource and capacity planning
- Creates and delivers presentations on program or project goals and plans, including progress reports, ensuring program/project-related risks are managed according to Project Management Policy.
Enterprise Portfolio Manager
Tek Systems
04.2018 - 02.2019
- At Bank of America, managed multi-million-dollar enterprise portfolio in excess of 60 concurrent strategic initiatives including scope, timelines, resources, budget, risks, issues, delivery standards, relationships and communications for its largest data analytics platforms within financial services
- Proactively mitigated system vulnerabilities and recommended compensating controls
- Established new Enterprise data platforms leveraging Cloudera Hadoop to support BOAs data analytics and reporting
- Worked as scrum master to adopt banks agile framework in project execution
- Delivery includes partnering with product management teams leveraging Agile methodology (SCRUM) and KANBAN to establish sustainable enterprise operational model for data management services
Business Consultant
North Highland Consulting
05.2017 - 04.2018
- At Wells Fargo, joined Wealth Investment Management (WIM) Risk & Regulatory/Compliance Enterprise program for vulnerabilities remediation on multiple tracks that includes Software, MW, HW Refresh, Middleware, Java End of Life remediation’s
- Led WIMT MW remediation initiatives liaising with Middleware Competency Center including Wiki buildouts (SharePoint design) with enterprise analytical reporting on Tableau
- Used enterprise guidelines for Agile transformation in project executions/deliveries
- Worked with Triage, DMAN, iTracker, Technology Standards Center (TSC), BAR (Build & Release), SDLC, AMCT and App Central and other Wells Fargo tools
CloudFirst Program Manager
State of Michigan
05.2017 - 02.2018
- Oversaw the “CloudFirst” 5-year State sponsored funded program reported to the CTO and its CTO Advisory office working with the GM of Infrastructure & Operations (I&O), Director of Technical Services, along with other state agencies and teams to insure the initiative vision and mission goals are met with oversight of its 5-year budget allocation
- Goal was to transform 80% of state workloads/assets to cloud
- Addressed SoMs own private cloud (Next Generation Digital Infrastructure (NGDI)) security and compliance including its FBI’s CJIS compliance and its FEDRamp Accreditation initiative through its own Audit and Compliance teams and understanding of NIST controls
- Provided Data Center Automation guidance around rapid workload deployments and organizational change enablement though a self-service automated catalog and streamlined operational support model reducing workload provisioning time from 6 months to 17 days with a goal of minutes to its clients
- Cloud vendors included AWS, Microsoft Azure and other players like CenturyLink, EMC/VMware, BMC, Oracle and IBM were included in state’s Cloud Life Cycle Management (Cloud provisioning and orchestration)
- Participated in state’s overall Enterprise Identity Access Management (IAM) standardization enabled to its cloud workloads along with other traditional applications/systems
- Drove Enterprise Vulnerability and assessment management (EVAM) through its Tanable SC implementation
- Followed State Unified Information Technology Environment (SUITE) Project Management Methodology (PMM) and System Engineering Methodology (SEM), based on Industry standard PMI framework and SEI’s CMMI framework
- Evaluated Privileged Access Management (PAM) and Identity Access Management (IAM) solutions on NGDI for cyber security with Lieberman, CyberArk
- Utilized State’s Project Portfolio Management (PPM) tool (Changepoint) on all projects.
VP, Information Technology
Garretson Resolution Group
11.2016 - 05.2017
- VP of Information Technology with responsibility of P&L, day to day strategy, vendor management, end user services, infrastructure, multi-million-dollar program(s) direction with overall oversight of IT functions and teams across multiple GRG locations
- Participated in company board level meetings on policy, strategy, human capital, budget and forecasts
- Managed Design and Agile Implementation of NFL, NCAA concussion development program(s) nationwide including application dev teams, Data Management, End User Services, Automation, and Operations
- Used Agile sprints to deliver application development and infrastructure modernization projects
- Performed security control assessment using NIST 800-53A guidance and as per continuous monitoring requirements
- Financial tracking and reporting of US $12M Annual IT portfolio budget
- Participated in company board level meetings on policy, strategy, human capital, budget and forecasts
- Deployed and operated public cloud framework (AWS) while replatforming/migrating hosted infrastructure demonstrating 30-40% ROI of infra hosting cost savings.
Cloud Advisory Head
Global Professional Services, Dell EMC
09.2013 - 11.2016
- Headed Cloud Advisory, leading the Private and Public cloud strategy initiatives for one of the top telecom companies worldwide, reported directly to the GM & other C level executives and oversaw a team that includes consultants and solution architects
- Sponsored the design and delivery of an end to end Cloud strategy to transform its newly built Tier 4 Data centers over the next 5 years to converged & Hyper Converged architecture with vendors like Accenture, HPE, DELL EMC, VMWare and ServiceNow
- Implemented hands-on EMC2 FEHC for STC's private Cloud including vRA, vRO & NSX-v design and deploy IaaS deliveries & Network Virtualization including Paas, DRaaS, BaaS
- Design and management of the Virtualization and Replatforming initiatives of End of Life/ End of Support SW & HW and DB consolidation server farms initiative for a leading telco company worldwide through its private Cloud
- Transformed multi-year, multi-phase DC consolidation plan and migration services of over 2000 physical servers, appliances and workloads
- Evaluated multiple cyber security/ threat detection products from BlueCoat, Zscaler, fireEye to prevent DDOS attacks and other cyber security attacks on newly established private cloud, infrastructure and network.
Regional Oracle Cloud Services Sales Director
Oracle Corporation
02.2011 - 07.2013
- Led and managed Oracle’s Cloud Services Sales across MEA with 4 defined territories, directed 4 Sales Managers team, accountable for MEA target quota of 10mil USD per annum for LOB
- Won multiple contracts with total contract value over 5 million USD for Oracle’s Cloud in Qatar & UAE
- Signed 14.2 million USD 5-year contract with its largest retailer in Middle East and 3-year deal totaling 6.2 million USD for government agency in Qatar for hosting cloud services for client’s Oracle’s full stack
- Developed 23 million USD pipeline of new business by end of Q3FY12 and exceeded targets by 108% in 4th Quarter FY12
- Designed, developed, recruited and trained high performing sales and services teams for Oracle with responsibilities to include compete to market, grow, develop new business, quarterly accountability, P&L responsibility, customer satisfaction, to optimize Oracles’ organization and people leadership
- Established entire Cloud Services MEA operations, work with all divisions to assure Oracle’s standard unit.
Services Sales Manager
Gulf Business Machines
12.2008 - 02.2011
- Worked as professional services delivery manager responsible for development and implementation of complex projects to support professional services verticals in Financial Services, Retail, O&G, Public Sector, Telecom, Airlines and CPG
- Projects were managed using PMI’s project management methodology and governance for project sizing, budget estimates, and risk analysis
- Implemented 2 brokerage online integrations projects connecting them to local stock exchange using FIX protocols and provided SOX & SEC compliance and respective regulatory reporting
- Helped implement Salesforce CRM throughout GBM branches and other clients of GBM
- Managed delivery of Professional Services (PS), Networking (INSS), Managed Ops (ITS) and Software Services (SWG) sales at GBM
- Developed application of products and services for Cloud and Security Services, prepared proposals, negotiated deals, and coordinated processes to close sales
- Cloud and security products from BlueCoat & FireEye.
VP, Information Technology
SISCOM
04.2007 - 12.2008
Program Management Director
Devoteam Middle East
03.2005 - 04.2007
Director
UBS Investment Bank
09.2004 - 03.2005
Lead BA
Chicago Mercantile Exchange, CME
07.2001 - 09.2004
Senior Consultant
Northern Trust Bank
07.1999 - 07.2001
Assistant Vice President
ABN Amro Bank N.V
03.1997 - 07.1999
Technical Lead Consultant
Honeywell Inc
04.1995 - 03.1997
Member of Technical Staff
R.R. Donnelley & Sons
08.1989 - 04.1995
Education
Executive Masters of Business Administration - B
London Business School (LBS)
Dubai, UAE06.2010
Bachelor of Science - Computer Engineering
University of Illinois
06.1996
Skills
- Management Consultancy, Strategy & Advisory
- Key Account Management & Leadership
- Program & Project Management
- Digital Transformation
- Cloud platforms solutioning (EMC2 VMWare, AWS), ML & RPA
- Organizational Change & Restructure
- Risk & Regulatory, Audit & Compliance
- Team Development and Mentorship
- Enterprise Turnkey Solutions Sales
- Client Management/ Vendor Management
- Process Excellence / Business Optimization
- Enterprise Portfolio Management
- Big Data, Analytics & Data Management
Accomplishments
- Transformed 80% of the State of Michigan’s physical assets/workloads to its cloud with investment fund oversight of the CloudFirst 5-year state initiative with a budget of $7Million.
- Cloud strategy definition for one of the leading Telco Operator: assignment included as-is analysis incl. corporate image assessment interviewing various internal and external stakeholders, vendor evals, strategy roadmap definition, stakeholder training/coaching during implementation, development & implementation of a Private Cloud platform (Converged & Hyper Converged architecture) driving a top Telecom company’s new DR readiness with a $1.2 Billion Capex investment over 5 years into 3 new Tier 4 classified datacenters using ServiceNow, VMWare & Dell EMC technologies.
- Technology sector restructuring for one of the leading Telco Operator: assignment included process assessment, organization re-design of several corporate functions, redefining policies and procedures, creation of job descriptions, corporate hierarchy re-org, re-design of authorization matrix
- Redefinition & Establishment of PMO framework for numerous organizations & government agencies: assignment included re-designing the communication / engagement framework with customers across their various divisions, built to operate Enterprise Project Management Offices (PMO) included prepared project proposals, budget briefs, estimates and economic analysis.
- Sold a $14.2 million 5-year deal and a $6.2 million 3-year deal, for Oracle’s Cloud Services and developed a $23 million pipeline exceeding targeted quota for MEA.
- Led numerous delivery teams for Devoteam, GBM, GRG, CLA, Oracle, DELL EMC2 successfully.
- Applied Cyber Security / Threat & Vulnerability Detection controls to harden cloud implementations and ran threat assessments including DDOS threats to cloud, infrastructure, and networks
- Design and management of the Virtualization and Replatforming initiatives of End of Life/ End of Support SW & HW and DB consolidation server farms initiative for a leading telco company worldwide through its private Cloud.
- Transformed a multi-year, multi-phase DC consolidation plan and migration services of over 2000 physical servers, appliances, and workloads.
Affiliations
American Society for Quality (ASQ), Active Member, 1999 to present
PMI Chicagoland chapter, Active Member, 1997 to present
Certified Systems Test Engineer (CSTE), QAI, 1997
Certification
AWS Solution Architect Professional (AWS SAP), AWS, Studying
AWS Solution Architect Associate (AWS SAA), AWS, 2018
Certified Project Management Professional (PMP), PMI, 2004
Certified Project+, CompTIA, 2007
Foundation Certificate in IT Service management (ITIL Foundation), EXIN, 2006
American Society for Quality (ASQ), Active Member, 1999 to present
PMI Chicagoland chapter, Active Member, 1997 to present
Certified Systems Test Engineer (CSTE), QAI, 1997
Languages
Arabic
Native language
English
Proficient
C2
Timeline
Senior Engagement Director
Ejada Systems
10.2021 - Current
Program Manager
Matlen Silver
10.2020 - 10.2021
Business Systems Consultant
Insight Global
05.2020 - 10.2020
Senior Director
Clifton Larson Allen
02.2019 - 05.2020
Enterprise Portfolio Manager
Tek Systems
04.2018 - 02.2019
Business Consultant
North Highland Consulting
05.2017 - 04.2018
CloudFirst Program Manager
State of Michigan
05.2017 - 02.2018
VP, Information Technology
Garretson Resolution Group
11.2016 - 05.2017
Cloud Advisory Head
Global Professional Services, Dell EMC
09.2013 - 11.2016
Regional Oracle Cloud Services Sales Director
Oracle Corporation
02.2011 - 07.2013
Services Sales Manager
Gulf Business Machines
12.2008 - 02.2011
VP, Information Technology
SISCOM
04.2007 - 12.2008
Program Management Director
Devoteam Middle East
03.2005 - 04.2007
Director
UBS Investment Bank
09.2004 - 03.2005
Lead BA
Chicago Mercantile Exchange, CME
07.2001 - 09.2004
Senior Consultant
Northern Trust Bank
07.1999 - 07.2001
Assistant Vice President
ABN Amro Bank N.V
03.1997 - 07.1999
Technical Lead Consultant
Honeywell Inc
04.1995 - 03.1997
Member of Technical Staff
R.R. Donnelley & Sons
08.1989 - 04.1995
Executive Masters of Business Administration - B
London Business School (LBS)
Bachelor of Science - Computer Engineering
University of Illinois
AWS Solution Architect Professional (AWS SAP), AWS, Studying
AWS Solution Architect Associate (AWS SAA), AWS, 2018
Certified Project Management Professional (PMP), PMI, 2004
Certified Project+, CompTIA, 2007
Foundation Certificate in IT Service management (ITIL Foundation), EXIN, 2006
American Society for Quality (ASQ), Active Member, 1999 to present
PMI Chicagoland chapter, Active Member, 1997 to present
Certified Systems Test Engineer (CSTE), QAI, 1997
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