Head of Enhanced Due Diligence/Financial Crime Strategy and Change Lead
Starling Bank

Zahra has worked as a Financial Crime strategy consultant for a number of Global Financial Institutions and Fintechs for over 15 years. Her areas of expertise span Sales, Technology, Product, Operations, and Transformation.  

As Financial Crime Strategy and Change Lead at UK-based Fintech Starling Bank, she is a key stakeholder in managing the bank’s risk appetite, policies, procedures, and tech automation of risk-based client solutions. Prior to Starling, Zahra worked as a consultant for the NatWest innovation hub, where she designed and implemented bespoke, risk-based, Anti-Financial Crime frameworks to launch and scale up the digital service providers known as NatWest Ventures.   

Zahra holds an ICA International Diploma in Anti-Money Laundering from the University of Manchester and is currently studying for the Executive Level ICA Professional Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Crime Compliance. She is also a member of the International Compliance Association, a mentor for the Women in Business and Finance (WIBF); and sits as an advisory board member for a number of Global Fintech and RegTech committees.