GCBR Expert

Andriy Sichka

GCBR role:

Member, GCBR Expert Network

Job title:

Principal

Organisation:

Credit Engineering

Based in:

Switzerland

Geographic focus:

Global

Languages: English, French, Ukrainian, Russian

EXPERIENCE Credit Engineering, Geneva, Switzerland Nov 2014 - current Principal • Delivered detailed credit risk assessments and portfolio analytics for multinational and international businesses across Europe, providing senior management with actionable recommendations on counterparty risk, exposure, credit limits, and risk mitigation. • Supported a commodity trading company as Interim Senior Executive, helping maintain business continuity, manage financial obligations, and prevent losses in a fast-paced trading environment. • Acted as a credit partner to Commercial and Finance teams, supporting customer negotiations and commercial decisions by assessing credit risk, structuring appropriate terms, and balancing business opportunities with risk exposure. • Structured credit and trade finance solutions in collaboration with banks and insurers, including bank guarantees, credit insurance, and factoring, to mitigate counterparty exposure and support transaction execution. • Conducted portfolio reviews and working capital assessments, identifying concentration risks, overdue exposures, process weaknesses, and opportunities to improve portfolio performance and risk controls. • Advised finance and credit teams on counterparty risk assessment, credit structuring, portfolio monitoring, and risk mitigation, strengthening credit governance and decision-making capabilities. JTI SA, Geneva, Switzerland Jan 2009 - Nov 2014 Credit Operations Manager • Managed a USD 2B global credit portfolio covering 3,000+ counterparties across more than 100 countries, with responsibility for credit risk assessment, exposure monitoring, credit limits, portfolio performance, and risk mitigation. • Conducted and oversaw counterparty credit assessments, developing analytical methodologies for evaluating financial strength, country risk, credit demand, and overall creditworthiness. • Established regular portfolio and credit reviews, providing senior management with analysis of credit exposures, portfolio performance, overdue accounts, country risk, and emerging risk issues. • Developed and implemented global credit policies, risk governance frameworks, and consistent credit standards across geographically dispersed affiliates and trading operations. • Acted as a strategic credit partner to Commercial, Finance, Treasury, and Legal teams, providing ongoing credit support for commercial activities and complex customer transactions. • Structured and negotiated risk-mitigation solutions with banks and insurers, including bank guarantees, credit insurance, and other trade finance instruments, achieving effective protection while supporting business growth. • Monitored country and counterparty risk across global markets and implemented mitigation measures for higher-risk exposures. • Led automation and digitalization initiatives within the Credit Function, improving credit data visibility, portfolio monitoring, reporting, and operational controls. • Built and led a global credit organization comprising 3 direct reports and 20 indirect regional managers, ensuring consistent credit standards, timely escalation of risks, and effective support to local businesses. • Led the integration of credit portfolios following the Gallaher acquisition, maintaining continuity of credit operations and achieving zero losses through the ERP transition. JTI Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine Jan 2001 - Dec 2008 Credit Manager Ukraine and Export Markets • Managed a USD 100M domestic and export credit portfolio covering Ukraine, Bulgaria, Moldova, Belarus, the Caucasus, and Kazakhstan, encompassing approximately 300 counterparties across multiple markets. • Conducted counterparty credit analysis and established appropriate credit structures, limits, payment terms, and risk mitigation measures to support profitable commercial growth. • Monitored portfolio exposures, overdue accounts, and counterparty developments, maintaining overdue accounts below 1% and limiting total bad debt losses to USD 8K over seven years. • Structured trade finance and credit risk mitigation solutions, including first-class bank guarantees covering up to 86% of portfolio value. • Developed AR forecasting, bad debt provisioning, and trade credit structuring methodologies to improve visibility of financial exposure and support credit decisions. • Supported commercial teams in customer credit decisions and negotiations, balancing transaction opportunities with counterparty risk and portfolio protection. • Integrated two credit portfolios during the Gallaher acquisition, successfully collecting all overdue accounts and ensuring zero losses during the ERP transition. • Delivered internal training on credit management for Sales and Trading teams, strengthening cooperation between Front Office and Credit and improving credit discipline. EDUCATION • Honor Code Certificate in Credit Risk | Delft University of Technology, Netherlands • Certified Global Credit Executive | Thunderbird School of Global Management, USA • Certified International Credit Professional | Michigan State University, USA • Diploma in Credit Management | Chartered Institute of Credit Management, UK • Financial Modelling & Valuation | Corporate Finance Institute, Canada • Master’s Degree in Agricultural Engineering | National Technical University, Ukraine • Master Facilitator Certificate | Master Trainer Institute, Switzerland • Compliance Risk Management | Corporate Finance Institute, Canada PUBLICATIONS Articles in “Credit Management”, UK, “Collections, Credit & Risk”, UK, co-author “Happy Customers Faster Cash” (Amazon, 2015) CONFERENCES Spoke at World Credit Congress (Bucharest), CCR Interactive (London) Credit Matters II (Brno), CFO Forum (Kiev)

Member of the GCBR Expert Network · Business Resilience Research · Paris Resilience Summit