Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Timeline
Generic

Chantele Ford

Tallinn

Summary

I thrive in ambiguity and build structure where there is none.


I'm an AML Investigations Lead with 10+ years in compliance operations at Wise, known for building high-performing teams and driving cross-functional alignment. I have a proven record of improving operational efficiency, reducing costs, and delivering high-quality outcomes. A strategic problem-solver with strong judgment and autonomy, I streamline processes that scale with growth and regulatory demands.

Overview

9
9
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

AML Investigations Area Lead

Wise
06.2024 - Current
  • Leading two global functions (AML Investigations & Surveillance) spanning 200+ operational staff across six locations: Tallinn, Budapest, Kuala Lumpur, São Paulo, Singapore, and Austin.
  • Directly managing and coaching 6 Senior Team Leads responsible for the Service Delivery and Intelligence & SME pillars.
  • Translating Risk, Cost, Speed, and Convenience OKRs into actionable strategies and day-to-day execution.
  • Partnering cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Data Science, and Compliance to manage operational risk and surface opportunities to improve customer experience, drive automation, and boost efficiency.
  • Driving quarterly operational planning to align teams with strategic goals, resource constraints, and delivery milestones.

AML Investigations Senior Team Lead

Wise
01.2022 - 07.2024
  • Led and developed AML Investigations teams and Team Leads across multiple regions, ensuring regulatory compliance and high-quality case outcomes.
  • Oversaw daily operations, managing workload distribution, SLA performance, and quality assurance across diverse case types.
  • Partnered with Compliance, Product, and Operations to design scalable, efficient workflows aligned with regulatory and business needs.
  • Monitored key operational metrics and implemented data-driven strategies to boost productivity and investigation effectiveness.
  • Supported capacity planning, hiring, and onboarding to scale team operations in line with business growth.
  • Contributed to defining investigation standards, launching training programs, and building a culture of knowledge-sharing across global teams.

AML Investigations Team Lead

Wise
06.2018 - 02.2022
  • Led a cross-regional team of 10 AML professionals, ensuring operational consistency and high-quality case decisions across jurisdictions.
  • Developed and maintained documentation for AML workflows and strategic initiatives, reducing onboarding time and improving alignment across functions.
  • Coached team members to analyze KPI and quality data to close performance gaps, boost productivity, and increase decision accuracy.
  • Planned and facilitated team engagement initiatives to strengthen morale and foster a cohesive, high-trust team culture.
  • Owned end-to-end hiring processes, including resume screening, interviewing, onboarding, and mentoring new team members.

AML Investigator

Wise
10.2016 - 06.2018
  • Conducted investigations on alerted accounts by analyzing internal/external data, payment activity, and behavioral patterns to assess potential ML/TF risk.
  • Collected and evaluated supporting documentation to mitigate red flags and escalate suspicious activity in line with regulatory and internal standards.
  • Owned end-to-end case investigations, applying sound judgment and maintaining audit-ready documentation.
  • Collaborated with Product and Engineering teams to provide compliance feedback that directly informed product improvements and risk mitigation strategies.

Education

Graduate Certificate - Legal Administration

Saskatoon Business College
Canada
01-2011

Skills

  • Compliance Operations (10 years)
  • Operations Strategy & Management
  • Leadership Development & Team Coaching
  • Cross-Functional Stakeholder Management
  • Process Optimization & Scaling
  • Quarterly & Strategic Planning
  • Capacity Planning & Resource Allocation
  • Regulatory Risk Mitigation (AML/KYC/TF)
  • Looker (Data Analytics)
  • Jira / Confluence (Project & Knowledge Mgmt)
  • G Suite / Microsoft 365
  • Internal Case Management & Investigation Tools

Certification

ACAMS

Timeline

AML Investigations Area Lead

Wise
06.2024 - Current

AML Investigations Senior Team Lead

Wise
01.2022 - 07.2024

AML Investigations Team Lead

Wise
06.2018 - 02.2022

AML Investigator

Wise
10.2016 - 06.2018

Graduate Certificate - Legal Administration

Saskatoon Business College

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Chantele Ford