ALI BUKHARI
Oakville,Canada
Summary
Global Retail Cards & Un-Secured Product Book Building: Led credit card and other unsecured products franchises globally with over $1B in receivables, operating at an efficiency rate of 55%. MasterCard Licensing: Co-founder and Vice President at Yoo Financial, the only Canadian fintech with a full-service MasterCard issuing and acquiring license, currently in stealth mode. Product Expertise: Built and transformed proprietary, cashback & co-branded credit cards, as well as multi-currency cards supported through enterprise-level loyalty management systems. Strategic Funding Leadership: Successfully closed funding for Yoo Financial. Developed the P&L forecast, defined product value proposition and built the team and processes from the ground up including the strategy to steer the company to critical mass. Private Equity Expertise: Expertise in capital raise strategies, including equity, debt, or hybrid injections, fund raising via convertible bonds, and SAFE framework methodology. Customer Value Propositions: Developed and launched value propositions for credit, prepaid, and checking/saving accounts, expertly addressing the What, Why, and Who of MVPs. Received global recognition for innovative product development across multiple geographies. Economic Adaptability: Successfully aligned strategic goals for top-line growth, bottom-line improvement, cost reductions, and revenue maximization in line with central bank policies during periods of quantitative easing or tightening. Retail Products Optimization Frameworks: Led a team of consultants (McKinsey) to develop a retail product evaluation barometer to determine each offering's portfolio health and evaluate performance in relation to competitive offerings. Team Building & Mentorship: Recognized for building high-performance teams, mentoring across career stages, and fostering a culture of productivity and collaboration.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Vice President and Co-founder
Yoo Financial Inc
01.2023 - Current
- Led the capital raise for Yoo Financial, developing product positioning and building a 3-5 year financial model projecting growth, capital burn, and profitability, showcasing a return on asset of 5% and a yield of 11% when at critical mass
- Determined valuation based on in-house asset projections, validated by independent evaluators, establishing Yoo Financial's valuation at $50M+ post-license assignment and tech stack build-up
- Developed a comprehensive product suite, including Consumer Cards, a 360-degree flex loyalty strategy, and an SME lending card offering to democratize choice, harmonized with the franchise’s core mission of ensuring individual uniqueness
- Spearheaded the corporate value pillar, product suite CVP based on detailed persona mappings, delivered a customer-first process design, positioning the company to eventually grow beyond credit cards
- Secured MasterCard issuing and acquiring license, achieving approval for consumer products and partnerships with major banks for credit exposure securitization
- Negotiated a $2M incentive from MasterCard to fund advisory services, including the target operating model, loyalty platform funding, and value-based benefits for Yoo cardholders
- Spearheaded the hiring of a Head of Risk and developed a proprietary credit scorecard and adjudication policy using data from credit bureaus
- Built a top-tier leadership team and an agile tech stack backed by customer experience-led processes to support retail products beyond consumer lending
- Led breakthrough pre-approved, straight-through digital carding for HNW customers, positioning the franchise to attain critical mass within 18 to 24 months
- Represented Yoo Financial at industry forums (Payments Canada, Money 2020, Collision) and mentored fintech startups on fundraising, team structures, and value proposition development
Senior Management Consultant
Celero Solutions
01.2020 - 01.2023
- Launched a prepaid book for Canadian credit unions, driving 70%+ activation rates and robust customer engagement
- Exited the book through an acquisition by a leading fintech in Canada
- Built the life cycle management framework and spun up a marketing division to provide appropriate interventions to drive prepaid revenue and usage
- Launched the support local play and partnered with CU SME merchants to power up the Aura merchant funded loyalty play
- Optimized Collabria's credit card P&L, achieving 5% ROTA and 12% yield within 3 years
- Advised credit union CEOs on credit and prepaid card optimization, increasing product uptake and yield
Head of Credit & Prepaid Cards
Commercial Bank of Dubai
01.2017 - 01.2020
- Managed a $300M revenue-generating portfolio, maintaining a 16% yield and 45% cost-to-income ratio
- Launched multiple award-winning products, including a 10% Cashback card and an invite-only HNW card
- Achieved a five-year high organic yield of 16%, implementing competitive APR and balance build product pricing on top of efficient line utilization initiatives
- Spearheaded digital onboarding and straight-through processing solutions, achieving a 30% reduction in the digital portfolio with improved activation and risk indicators
- Pioneered Apple Pay and Samsung Pay in 2016/17, alongside other market-first initiatives including POS installment options and instant loans at merchant tills
Leader Cards & E-Business Development
Index Exchange
01.2015 - 01.2017
- Grew revenue and card volumes by digitizing remittance and FX businesses for B2B and B2C segments
- Rebranded and transformed Index Exchange, a strategic acquisition by Al Hail Holding Group to diversify its investment suite
- Built and scaled a multi-currency prepaid value proposition for B2B and B2C customers
Portfolio Manager, Credit & Debit Cards
Mashreq Bank
01.2013 - 01.2014
- Grew credit card P&L by maximizing interchange and deal income through merchant alliances
- Managed the entire lifecycle strategy for credit cards, from acquisition to retention
Unit Head, Digital Channels & Prepaid Cards
MCB Bank
01.2008 - 01.2012
- Led the self-service channels strategy, migrating customers to digital platforms and enhancing service usage
Education
BSc (Hons) - Computer Sciences
Lahore University of Management Sciences
01.2004
Skills
- Strategy
- P&L Leadership
- Team Building
- Action-Oriented Leadership
- Digital Enthusiasm
- Financial Prosperity
- Issuing Technologies
- Acquiring Technologies
- Payment Technologies
- Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
- Analytical Mindset
- Creating Structure
- Unstructured Management
- Creating Operating Rhythm
- Product Value Proposition Creation
- Shifting from Viability to Likeability
- Strategic Planning
Certification
- Advanced Issuer Strategy Level 3, MasterCard Academy
- Certificate in Risk Management, George Washington University
- Selected for Toronto’s Founder Institute Autumn cohort (2020)
- Consistent High Performer (2017–2022) at CBD and Celero Solutions
Languages
English
Full Professional
Timeline
Vice President and Co-founder
Yoo Financial Inc
01.2023 - Current
Senior Management Consultant
Celero Solutions
01.2020 - 01.2023
Head of Credit & Prepaid Cards
Commercial Bank of Dubai
01.2017 - 01.2020
Leader Cards & E-Business Development
Index Exchange
01.2015 - 01.2017
Portfolio Manager, Credit & Debit Cards
Mashreq Bank
01.2013 - 01.2014
Unit Head, Digital Channels & Prepaid Cards
MCB Bank
01.2008 - 01.2012
- Advanced Issuer Strategy Level 3, MasterCard Academy
- Certificate in Risk Management, George Washington University
- Selected for Toronto’s Founder Institute Autumn cohort (2020)
- Consistent High Performer (2017–2022) at CBD and Celero Solutions
BSc (Hons) - Computer Sciences
Lahore University of Management Sciences
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