Katharina Sobczak - Senior Policy and Regulatory Advisor

Q: Where is Katharina based?

Katharina is based in Frankfurt, Germany .

Q: What languages does Katharina speak?

Katharina speaks the following languages: German (Native), Polish (Native), English (Advanced) .

Q: How many years of experience does Katharina have?

Katharina has at least 18 years of experience. During this time, Katharina has worked in at least 9 different roles and for 8 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 2 years . Note that Katharina may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Katharina's latest experience?

Katharina's most recent position is Senior Policy and Regulatory Advisor .

Q: What companies has Katharina worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Katharina has worked for Visa and Citigroup .

Q: Which industries is Katharina most experienced in?

Katharina is most experienced in industries like Banking and Finance and Government and Administration .

Q: Which business areas is Katharina most experienced in?

Katharina is most experienced in business areas like Finance , Project Management , and Research and Development . Katharina also has some experience in Legal , Strategy , and Accounting .

Q: Which industries has Katharina worked in recently?

Katharina has recently worked in industries like Banking and Finance .

Q: Which business areas has Katharina worked in recently?

Katharina has recently worked in business areas like Legal , Strategy , and Project Management .

Recommended expert

Frankfurt, Germany

Experience

Jan 2024 - Present

2 years 3 months

Senior Policy and Regulatory Advisor

Work on high-impact transformation initiatives within the banking sector, helping financial institutions adapt to new regulations, modernize their operations, and implement innovative technologies.
Lead and manage strategic transformation projects, ensuring successful execution within scope, time, and budget.
Develop and implement structured change management approaches to improve banking processes and operations.
Advise clients on key industry trends, regulatory developments, and technological innovations.
Engage with senior stakeholders, building strong relationships, and providing expert guidance on business transformation.
Help startups to raise capital, partnering with institutional clients in United Arab Emirates.

Jan 2022 - Dec 2024

3 years

Frankfurt, Germany

Payment Policy Manager– Central Europe (DACH and the Netherlands)

Visa

Establish a European government affairs and regulatory strategy that furthers Visa’s business interests, and enhances awareness of Visa’s mission, products and services with the executive and legislative branches and regulatory agencies.
Establish and maintain productive relationships with government officials, trade associations, policy organizations and other relevant partners in Europe.
Analyse industry trends and payment regulations (PSD2, SEPA, SWIFT, ISO 20022, Open Banking) and help clients navigate regulatory complexities.
Develop and execute payments strategies covering instant payments, cross-border transactions, digital wallets, and embedded finance.
Collaborate with key stakeholders (banks, PSPs, fintech, regulators) to improve payment processing, fraud prevention, and customer experience.

Jan 2021 - Dec 2022

2 years

Frankfurt, Germany

Finance and Regulatory Advisor

Citigroup

Act as a senior regulatory project manager for regulatory reporting: recovery and resolution reporting for the broker dealer entity.
Coordinate projects and change initiatives for the local German regulatory reporting group.
Manage implementation of new regulatory rules and requirements as well as respective tailored reporting requirements to internal and external stakeholders. Draft Financial Market Infrastructure playbooks including collateral capacities.
Work with senior leadership on strategic planning, establishing guidelines, implementing controls, and executing strategic plans.
Represent the bank’s main point of contact with resolution authorities and submit the resolution plan and reporting to BaFin and/or the SRB.
Manage implementation of the local recovery plan and coordinate the plan with the ECB/SSM.

Jan 2020 - Dec 2020

1 year

Policy Advisor

Institute of International Finance

Analyze new initiatives of international significance by global regulatory entities and national regulatory agencies and other global supervisory groups.
Act as a senior manager for significant projects such as cyber resilience with focus on adoption of internationally accepted standards.
Prepare drafts of consensus documents for working groups on cyber resilience, cross-border resolution, and central clearing counterparties (CCP) to support advocacy on behalf of IIF members.
Lead and participate in conference calls and working group meetings to achieve consensus among participants.
Provide ad hoc regulatory and policy advice to key stakeholders including members, regulatory authorities, and trade associations.

Jan 2018 - Dec 2018

1 year

Frankfurt, Germany

Deputy Project Management Office - Secondment

European Central Bank

Contribute to the 2018 EU-wide stress test by the European Banking Authority, particularly the top-down, model-based part of the quality assurance process and related model-based macroprudential analyses.
Critically review bottom-up test results prepared by banks by comparing them with peer banks and top-down stress test results.
Liaise with other stakeholders in the process, including the Single Supervisory Mechanism, National Competent Authorities, and the EBA.
Manage a team of financial stability experts.

Jan 2016 - Dec 2020

5 years

Frankfurt, Germany

Senior Expert – Resolution Planning for SRB Home Banks

Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin/FMSA)

Steer, coordinate and contribute to several integrated resolution teams to ensure timely deliverables for regular resolution planning work.
Organize and chair interactions with relevant external stakeholders to ensure appropriate information exchange and foster cooperation and relationships.
Represent BaFin in international task forces regarding resolution reporting with the SRB, EBA, European Commission, and other EU central banks.
Work closely with U.S., UK, Swiss and APAC financial regulatory authorities through regular Crisis Management Group meetings.

Jan 2014 - Dec 2016

3 years

Associate Director - C&IC Finance (CFO Advisory)

UBS

Oversee fiscal operations, ranging from monthly management accounts to budget oversight and general accounting.
Develop and maintain a financial forecast, ensuring accurate KPI tracking and communication.
Report regularly to the CFO and executive team on key bank metrics and performance indicators.
Proactively manage ongoing regulatory and strategic requirements designed to mitigate risk through the economic cycle.

Jan 2009 - Dec 2014

6 years

Frankfurt, Germany

Associate Analyst - Sub-Sovereign Group

Moody's Investor Service

Cover a portfolio of top 22 municipal issuers including regional and local governments and municipal companies and banks in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Poland.
Engage with policymakers in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Poland.
Prepare and present key rationales of rated entities to internal rating committees and write in-depth, high quality, insightful research on credit trends and specific topics.
Lead due diligence and annual rating meetings with existing and potential issuers.
Participate in conferences and discussions with investors and potential issuers.
Serve as team leader for the Global Volunteer Council and co-chair of the Women’s Network.

Jan 2008 - Dec 2009

2 years

Munich, Germany

Associate - Residential Mortgage Department

PlanetHome AG (UniCredit Group)

Evaluate pricing systems for different types of residential loans including KfW products with various amortization methods and fixed and variable interest rates.
Collaborate with over 35 banks to provide mortgage products to clients via an internet platform.

Industry Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.

Experienced in Banking and Finance and Government and Administration.

Banking and Finance

Government and Administration

Business Area Experience

See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.

Experienced in Finance, Project Management, Research and Development, Legal, Strategy, and Accounting.

Finance

Project Management

Research and Development

Legal

Strategy

Accounting

Summary

Globally experienced, results-focused and versatile Senior Regulatory and Policy Expert.

In depth knowledge in regulatory interpretation, liaison and implementation, broad risk management experience.

Worked for leading international financial regulators and various G-SIBs.

Committed to delivering exceptional results in a fast-paced environment, serving as a trusted senior advisor.

Languages

German

Native

Polish

Native

English

Advanced

Education

Oct 2001 - Jun 2007

University of Bielefeld

Master of Science in Business Administration, Major: Statistics Minor: Finance · Business Administration · Bielefeld, Germany

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 9

Experience in Banking and Finance 16 y

Avg length 2 y 9 m

Longest experience 5 y 11 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 1 (Germany)

Primary country Germany

Expertise

Recent roles Senior Policy and Regulatory Advisor, Payment Policy Manager– Central Europe (DACH and the Netherlands), Finance and Regulatory Advisor

Main industries Banking and Finance, Government and Administration

Main business areas Finance, Project Management, Research and Development

Qualifications

Highest degree Master

Profile

Created

December 2025

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.

Where is Katharina based?

Katharina is based in Frankfurt, Germany.

What languages does Katharina speak?

Katharina speaks the following languages: German (Native), Polish (Native), English (Advanced).

How many years of experience does Katharina have?

Katharina has at least 18 years of experience. During this time, Katharina has worked in at least 9 different roles and for 8 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years. Note that Katharina may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Katharina be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Katharina would be well-suited for roles such as: Senior Policy and Regulatory Advisor, Payment Policy Manager– Central Europe (DACH and the Netherlands), Finance and Regulatory Advisor.

What is Katharina's latest experience?

Katharina's most recent position is Senior Policy and Regulatory Advisor.

What companies has Katharina worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Katharina has worked for Visa and Citigroup.

Which industries is Katharina most experienced in?

Katharina is most experienced in industries like Banking and Finance and Government and Administration.

Which business areas is Katharina most experienced in?

Katharina is most experienced in business areas like Finance, Project Management, and Research and Development. Katharina also has some experience in Legal, Strategy, and Accounting.

Which industries has Katharina worked in recently?

Katharina has recently worked in industries like Banking and Finance.

Which business areas has Katharina worked in recently?

Katharina has recently worked in business areas like Legal, Strategy, and Project Management.

What is Katharina's education?

Katharina holds a Master in Business Administration from University of Bielefeld.

What is the availability of Katharina?

Katharina is immediately available for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Katharina?

Katharina's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.