Sophia Biafora

As Divisional Lead in the Risk & Compliance space within banking, I managed strategic client relationships and led initiatives focused on delivering long-term success. I consistently identified and capitalized on growth opportunities—both within existing accounts and through new client acquisition—while working closely with the sales team to exceed revenue targets. Central to my role was cultivating robust, long-term partnerships built on trust and sustained business value.

Key Highlights:

• Built the Risk & Compliance division from the ground up, defining the go-to-market strategy and client offering
• Drove internal networking at EMEA level with senior stakeholders to expand domain knowledge and uncover cross-regional growth opportunities
• Successfully negotiated and signed new terms & conditions with 5 clients in under one year
• Member of the Zurich leadership team, contributing to office-wide strategic decisions and growth initiatives

Skills:

• Strategic Account Management | Relationship Building & Client Retention
• Risk & Compliance (Banking Sector) | EMEA Market Insight
• New Business Development | Client Acquisition | Onboarding
• Stakeholder Engagement | Internal Networking | Executive-Level Communication
• Leadership | Team Collaboration | Strategic Planning & Execution
• Contract Negotiation | Cross-Regional Growth

Led a global workforce optimization program as part of a 10-year cost-efficiency initiative for one of Switzerland’s leading banks. Focused on aligning global and local business strategies, enhancing service delivery, and improving stakeholder experience across a large-scale external workforce program. Held this role for nearly three years until the team’s disbandment following a major bank acquisition. In parallel, served for 2.5 years as the Women@TEK ERG Lead for Switzerland, driving diversity, inclusion, and employee engagement initiatives across the organization.

Key Highlights:

• Achieved 95%+ global performance/fill-ratio, setting a high standard across the wider global program
• Recognized as a global benchmark for case studies and growth across client portfolios
• Consistently exceeded KPIs, earning quarterly incentives including OneTEK, Q1 2024 TEK Top Performer Mainland Europe (Sales), Q1 2023 TEK Top Performer Mainland Europe (Sales), and Q4 2022 TEK Top Consultant Switzerland — all issued by TEKsystems/Allegis Group
• Secured two annual incentive trips as one of EMEA's top performers
• Strengthened stakeholder relationships and enhanced client satisfaction through strategic service initiatives
• Contributed to workforce strategy, performance oversight, and operational improvements at scale

Skills:

• Strategic Account Management | Customer Success | Client Experience
• Stakeholder Engagement | Executive Communication | Relationship Building
• Service Delivery Optimization | Process Improvement | KPI Reporting
• Cross-Functional Collaboration | Change Management | Business Alignment
• Agile Mindset | Product Thinking | Diversity & Inclusion Leadership

Managed strategic client relationships across the banking and IT sectors, acting as the primary liaison between business stakeholders and Managed Service Providers (MSPs). Led a high-performing team of up to six, many of whom were recognized as top performers, and guided the team to win the Best Team Award. Delivered consistent year-on-year growth and transformed multiple at-risk accounts into the highest revenue and profit-generating clients in Switzerland. Focused on service excellence, stakeholder engagement, and scalable growth through strategic partnerships and operational improvement.

Key Highlights:

• Delivered consistent year-on-year account growth; managed the country’s top revenue-generating accounts
• Oversaw strategic client relationships, ensuring alignment with business goals and service expectations
• Served as single point of contact (SPOC) for clients and partners, ensuring clear, responsive communication
• Led and developed a high-performing team, winning the Best Team Award and fostering individual success
• Successfully turned around multiple high-risk accounts, securing long-term client partnerships
• Supported workforce planning and coordinated seamless end-to-end service delivery
• Identified growth opportunities and drove service enhancements across portfolios
• Monitored KPIs and SLAs to ensure operational excellence and consistent performance
• Ranked annually among top performers in Switzerland and Europe
• Earned multiple annual incentive trips and prestigious awards, including the Northern Star Award (Northern Europe), Annual Winner Northern Stars 2015, Northern Star Q1 2015 (Outstanding Performance), Top Consultant Switzerland 2015, and Top Rookie Consultant 2013, all issued by Experis
• Consistently converted non-buying clients into top purchasing accounts
• Alumnus of the 2021 Future Leadership Programme
• Completed a successful international transfer from Canada to Switzerland

Skills:
Strategic Client Management | Stakeholder Engagement | Relationship Building
Service Delivery Optimization | Communication & Coordination | Client Experience
Team Leadership | Business Insight | Continuous Improvement
KPI & SLA Monitoring | Operational Excellence | Problem Solving
Agile Collaboration | Turnaround Strategy | Risk Mitigation

Developed and executed recruitment strategies for IT positions, managing the full hiring lifecycle from sourcing to onboarding. Collaborated with hiring managers to align staffing needs, maintained strong candidate relationships, negotiated offers, and facilitated smooth onboarding. Recognized as a consistent top performer. After two years of successful work, was fully supported and endorsed for an international transfer to Switzerland.