Compliance manager
Paul Watchman can never complain that his job makes him feel fenced in. The Citibank employee is set to embark on a two-year stint in Moscow as the Russian branch's head of compliance and is packing up his belongings with wife, daughters and dog in tow.
Watchman, who was born in the UK, transferred to Australia in 1995 to follow his girlfriend (now his wife), after working as a chartered accountant at Citibank in London.
During his decade at Citibank in Australia, Watchman has progressed to a more senior role, working as head of compliance in retail banking and then in a regional role covering the Asia-Pacific area.
He is moving to Russia as part of Citibank's expatriate program, which encourages employees to experience life in another country.
"I see it as an enormous opportunity to expand my professional horizons,'' he says. Watchman was approached by Citibank to move to Russia to help build the profile of the bank there.
The country is considered a major growth area in Europe.
"The big dimension of the new role will be imparting my experience to the new people there so when I leave, I will leave behind a very strong team,'' he says.
As head of compliance, Watchman will work closely with the business to minimise internal operating, structural and legal problems. "It is much more about preventing the problems from occurring rather than responding to them,'' he says. "You're considering the risks, the legal regulatory matters and policies to make sure the company get it right the first time.''
HR expatriate manager for Citigroup, Kingsley Hunter-Hall, says the program benefits both the employer and employee.
"An opportunity like this teaches you a multitude of things,'' he says. "It's always a good transfer of skills internationally. Opportunities are created when there's a particular need to set up a business or address an issue in a particular country.''
Hunter-Hall says the company organises the less glamorous details such as visas, removalists, relocation costs and temporary accommodation, so transferee and family can focus their energy on settling in their new environment.
How to be ... a compliance manager
Tertiary qualifications, such as a Bachelor of Business or Commerce, are recommended. Experience in a financial services industry is required. For more information, contact the Finance Sector Union, 02 9320 0000 or fsunion.org.au
By Aimee Brown, The Daily Telegraph, March 25 2006.
