Raj V. Nagarajan, MS, MBA White Plains, NY ***** 630-***-****
********@*****.*** linkedin.com/in/rajvnagarajan
Chief Audit Executive Internal Audit Consultant – Financial Services Organizations Strategic, collaborative leader with 20+ years of internal audit experience as a Chief Audit Executive at financial institutions with assets ranging from $10B to $150B.
Extensive background and record of achievement in practicing as a third line of defense and a first line of defense in internal audit and wealth management.
Adept at managing independent risk assessments, mapping internal controls to mitigate risks, and performing internal audit testing to measure effectiveness.
History of presenting audit assurance and advisory reports to 100+ independent Boards of Directors and articulating potential impact of control gaps and exceptions.
Strong analytical and critical thinking skills combined with strengths in building positive rapport and liaising with external auditors and agency examiners.
Kellogg MBA is supplemented by professional certifications, including risk management and assurance, financial services audits, governance, and compliance.
Acknowledged as a “Recognized Business Leader of Color for Excellence in Advocating Governance and Compliance” by Chicago United Business Council. Experience
TRICO BANCSHARES (NASDAQ: TCBK) – Chico, CA Jan. 2020 to Dec. 2024 Bank holding company with $10B in assets.
Chief Audit Executive Senior Vice President
Directed internal audit, loan review, SOX, compliance, governance, and risk management activities. Performed independent risk assessments, implemented internal controls to mitigate emerging risks, initiated due diligence reviews and merger integrations of 8 major financial institutions, and proposed process improvement projects. Developed audit plans to provide audit assurance to Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.
Maintained first and second lines of defense relationships and partnered with senior leadership, Board members, and Audit Committees to discuss results of assurance and advisory audits and provide opinion on safety and soundness of risks and controls. Continually monitored governance, ethics, and compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and company policies. Managed a
$1.5M budget, staff of 10, and 3 indirect reports. Reported to the Audit Committee Chair and the CEO.
Prepared TriCo for its next tier of $10B in assets to comply with regulatory and internal audit standards.
Participated in merger integration of 2 financial institutions with $1B in assets. Reviewed disclosure agreements, determined asset quality, validated financial statements, and provided roadmap to integration of internal controls.
Identified, analyzed, and addressed potential risks by partnering with the Chief Risk Officer to define key risk indicators for 11 major enterprise risks.
Assessed internal audit performance and mitigated inherent risks from new products and services by developing KPIs for the Internal Audit Department and implementing audit advisory practices.
Elevated the quality and reliability of internal audit work by instituting a quality assurance improvement program.
Improved efficiency and accuracies within the Internal Audit Department and provided real-time monitoring and insights by implementing automated electronic workpaper and documentation systems.
Generated $500K compensation savings and identified and developed potential leaders by reengineering staffing levels and introducing staff succession and skillset analysis plans.
Streamlined reporting and tracking of incidents (e.g., whistleblower filings, consumer complaints resolution, human capital incidents, information system issues) by establishing an incident reporting system. Audit Planning & Execution
Enterprise Risk Management
Risk Assessment & Mitigation
Team Development & Leadership
Regulatory Reviews & Examinations
Governance, Ethics & Compliance
M&A Due Diligence & Integration
Fraud Investigations
Board & Audit Committee Interactions
Asset Quality Assessments
KPI Development & Measurement
Process Improvements
Internal & External Collaborations
Raj V. Nagarajan, MS, MBA – Page 2-630-***-**** ********@*****.*** WINTRUST FINANCIAL CORPORATION (NASDAQ: WTFC) – Rosemont, IL Jan. 2003 to Dec. 2019 Diversified, decentralized bank holding company of 15 bank charters with $50B in assets and 180 community banks in the Midwest. Chief Audit Executive Senior Vice President
Brought in to transition internal audit from outsourced to in-house and prepare for $20B threshold followed by $50B threshold to comply with regulatory and internal audit standards. Led independent internal audit and asset quality review programs for 15 banks and 5 non-banks (total of $45B in assets) and participated in meetings with Board of Directors and Audit Committees of the holding company, individual banks, and non-banks. Manage a $10M budget, staff of 48, and 6 indirect reports.
Established and formalized the Internal Audit Department and developed audit plan to provide audit assurance to 17 different Audit Committees of the Board of Directors. Provided viewpoints on safety and soundness of risks and controls.
Upheld governance of holding company’s Board and Audit Committee by integrating audit results of banks and nonbanks.
Worked cooperatively with external auditors and regulatory examiners (e.g., Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Office of the Comptroller of Currency & State Examiners) on routine examinations involving consolidated financial statement audits.
Participated in M&As and related integration of 10 financial institutions with $10B in assets.
Facilitated discussions of system-wide issues and emerging risks among Audit Committee members, Chairs of individual banks and non-banks, and regulatory examiners by forming an annual Audit Committee meeting.
Eliminated redundancies in audit work by implementing electronic internal audit workpapers and documentation systems.
Streamlined and ensured timely reporting and documentation of whistleblower and consumer compliance filings by establishing an effective incident reporting system.
Uncovered internal and external frauds by utilizing data analytics and engaging in an ongoing premier finance quality assurance review program.
Enhanced incoming Board of Directors’ knowledge of complex banking products and services, regulatory aspects of Bank Secrecy Act regulations, and Anti-Money Laundering programs by training them in these topics. Prior Experience:
JP MORGAN CHASE BANK ONE – Chicago, IL. Vice President, Finance & Business Manager: Provided business strategy, financial, and operational analysis for sales, client services, and product administrators in the Institutional Asset Management Group. Analyzed key ratios and standards for 2,000+ middle and large market institutional customers. JP MORGAN CHASE BANK ONE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO – Chicago, IL. Vice President, Internal Audit Audit Group Manager: Manage internal audits of business units, including corporate finance, commercial, consumer/asset-based lending, retail banking, mortgage banking, derivatives, credit card portfolio, and international banking. Education Additional Information
MBA, Finance & Accounting – Kellogg Graduate School of Business, Northwestern University Certifications – IIA, ISACA, ACFE, ACBA, NACFF, and SCSA Certified Financial Services Auditor (CFSA) Certification in Risk Management & Assurance (CRMA) Governance, Risk & Compliance Professional (GRCP) Certification in Risk & Information System Controls (CRISC) Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) Certified Financial Fiduciary (CFF) Certified Systems Professional (CSP) Certified Cannabis Banking Professional (CBP) Organizations
Institute to Internal Auditors Information Systems Audit & Control Association Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America Open Compliance Ethics Group Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Association of Certified Senior Advisors National Association of Certified Financial Fiduciaries Association for Cannabis Banking Public Company Accounting Oversight Board National Association of Certified Financial Fiduciaries South Asian Bankers Association Board Member, Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Sacramento Trustee, Village of Lisle, IL Association for Certified System Professionals Chicago United Organization for Leaders of Color Technical Skills
Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and CoPilot SAP UltiPro Workiva Directors Desk