Amlak International Financing Company is the leading and the first company which was granted a license to engage in real estate financing activities in Saudi Arabia by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency “SAMA”. Amlak International carried the flag to provide innovative real estate financing solutions for individuals and companies sectors, recently AMLAK finance company started granting personal loans as well to individuals in accordance with the standards and provisions of Islamic law.
As the Head of IT at Amlak International for Real Estate Finance Company, Priyan Meledath, and his team ensure that the services of the company are aptly supported by technology to meet the accelerated and unique demands of the modern world.
His Journey, so Far
Priyan Meledath started his IT career in the year 1992 in a technical role from the root level, His first job was as a trainee instructor in a very small computer training institute, back in Calicut, Kerala, India. Later moved to multiple software development companies and then in 1995 started a new venture joining hands with his couple of friends, an IT training school and a software development firm that largely focused on the development of retail commercial applications.
His tryst with the Banking Sector started as a Systems Analyst/Programmer with one of the Iranian governmental banks in UAE. “I had a great supporting Manager, with the guidance and freedom he gave me in my early days, I was able to study a lot on IT infrastructure and networking. Over the years I gained fairly good knowledge in IT infrastructure, Networking, ICT, and Security, this diverse experience certainly served very valuable foundation for my later roles,” he says.
In 2007, Priyan moved to the Kingdom of Bahrain, joining one of the local banks as Head of IT to be part of a progressive Top Management team. Successfully architected, designed, and deployed entire ICT systems for the bank’s new building. He Established a complete information security management system, governing corporate security based on international best practices, and became the first bank in the kingdom to certify ISO/IEC 27001:2005 in 2008 and later upgraded to ISO/IEC 27001:2013.
In 2018, he moved to Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, joining Amlak, one of the biggest Real-estate financing companies as Head of IT. Over the years, Priyan has demonstrated success across all the banks he worked with, managing Technology, Operations, IT Infrastructure, IT/Cyber Security, IT Risk management, Project Management & Delivery, etc.
Leading with Innovation
As the current Head of IT at AMLAK International, Riyadh, KSA, one of the biggest NBFCs in KSA regulated by SAMA, Priyan’s job responsibilities involve managing and strategizing the use of technology to help the organization grow in scale and become more successful. This includes everything from planning and executing projects to overseeing IT security, and IT infrastructure, developing the organization’s IT vision and translating it into actionable goals, and overseeing daily IT operations.
Alongside his team, Priyan is responsible for tasks like development, testing, hardware, and network installation apart from the high-level management role. This hands-on experience combined with years of strategic management oversight helps him in managing IT. “I am grateful to be surrounded by excellent talents. I always have trust and confidence in the team that I work with. I see myself as a supporting individual who helps my team to achieve the organization’s goals,” says Priyan.
Today’s competitive landscape heavily relies on innovation and technology. Amlak International practices optimizing the use of digital tools in the workplace widely and implementing technology-based solutions in the workplace. Implementation of right-fit core applications, workflow automation, real-time data analysis, cloud migration, automation using RPA tools, AI tools for Data analysis, cybersecurity improvements, etc. optimizes IT operations and security to create efficiencies thus maximizing revenue. “Our company is constantly looking for new ways to innovate and experiment within the organization. We greatly encourage a culture that values innovation and embraces creativity. Innovation certainly allows adaptability, fosters organizational growth, and separates business from their competition,” shares Priyan.
The Challenges
Technology is one of the specialized domains that keeps changing almost every moment. Per Priyan, aligning the IT and Cyber security goals around the company’s goals, vision, and strategy is a challenge. It involves knowing and understanding where the company is moving towards. One also needs to understand and balance technological investments with the given budget which is an ongoing challenge across the industry. “The deadlines from top management and regulators need not always be reasonable, satisfying the immediate requirement of expertise, devices, and tools while within such limitations is always a challenge,” he shares.
Looking Forward
We are all in a very interesting time, technology and AI are evolving. The BFSI sector is changing faster than ever, competition is global and digitalization is everywhere, everyone demands flexible, easy, and faster services at their fingertips.
Automation of multiple IT and Business processes using Robotic Process Automation (RPA) tools, Cloud migration, AI tools for Data analysis, Cybersecurity improvements, etc. will be our main focus.
Advise for the Young
“Surround yourself with a supportive network, Embrace any failures as an opportunity to learn and grow on the path to success. Having a growth mindset certainly allows you to adapt and innovate which are the most important skills for a successful career. Continuous learning, career development programs, Professional certifications, and professional networking play a crucial role in keeping up with industry trends and advancements.”
Quote: “There is nothing that beats hard work and honesty, they are the primary ingredient, Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”
