Permanent Head of APAC Digital Office Singapore, Singapore

Position Purpose

The role sits within the APAC COO Function and reports directly to the APAC Chief Operating Officer.  It combines senior strategic leadership of the regional digital agenda with hands‑on evangelism of digital transformation across the Business Lines and Functions.

Strategic remit – define, execute and govern the Bank's end‑to‑end digital strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives, technology adoption, risk & regulatory requirements, and the global digital vision.

Operational remit – champion the adoption of digital tools, AI, and emerging technologies; create and nurture a community of digital/AI Ambassadors; and develop coordination oversight of all Digital Officers embedded in APAC Business Units and Functions.

The incumbent will work closely with Architecture, IT teams (Development, Production, Security etc.), RISK, Compliance and the Global CIB Data & Digital Office to integrate use‑case reviews, develop rapid prototypes, accompany the ones that are successful and prioritize to be implemented at scale, and thereby drive measurable business value creation.

Key Responsibilities

Digital Strategy & Governance

• Co‑create, continuously refine and execute the APAC digital roadmap (incl. GenAI, digital assets, fintech collaborations) in collaboration with APAC Business Lines / Functions and Global digital teams (e.g. Global CIB and ITO Data & Digital Offices).
• Own the regional digital governance framework, including but not limited to the APAC AI Board, APAC Digital Working & Digital Assets Strategic Committee, and any ad‑hoc governance bodies.
• Produce and maintain KPI dashboards on digital/AI risk, performance metrics, cost‑savings, revenue uplift and client‑experience impact.
• Ensure all digital and AI initiatives comply with APAC regulatory requirements, BNP Paribas policy, and cybersecurity standards; liaise with APAC RISK and LOD2 as required.
• Analyse market and technology trends (e.g. AI, cloud, fintech) in partnership with Global teams and recommend strategic pivots.

Oversight of Digital Officers & Community Building

• Provide oversight, mentorship and performance management for the network of Digital Officers across APAC COO perimeter.
• Standardise practices, share best‑practice repositories and drive consistency in digital‑tool selection and usage.
• Establish a Digital & AI Ambassadors Community (including non‑technical staff and IT support) to foster knowledge‑sharing, peer‑learning and rapid dissemination of new capabilities.
• Coordinate internal communications (newsletters, webinars, events) with Brand & Communication, ITO CCCO and Global CIB Data & Digital Office to reinforce the digital vision.

Integration of Use‑Cases & Prototype Development

• Partner with the Architecture team and each Business‑Unit's IT organisation to review, prioritise and integrate digital use‑cases.
• Lead a Use‑Case Review Board (Architecture, IT, Risk, Business) that evaluates feasibility, regulatory fit and ROI.
• When a use‑case is deemed relevant, drive rapid‑prototype development (Proof‑of‑Concept, sandbox, MVP); define success criteria, allocate resources and oversee hand‑off to production teams.
• Maintain a prototype‑pipeline dashboard and report outcomes, adoption rates and lessons learned to senior leadership (APAC COO, AI Board, Digital Committee).

Digital Advocacy & Training

• Design and execute communication strategies that align employees with the Bank's digital and AI roadmap (newsletters, internal portals, town‑halls).
• Build and deliver training programmes (in collaboration with Global CIB Data & Digital Office and HR) covering digital‑banking tools, AI fundamentals, responsible AI, and emerging fintech solutions.
• Work with the IT Digital Officer to monitor adoption metrics, capture success stories and user feedback, and feed insights back into the strategy loop.

Market Intelligence & Fintech Collaboration

• Continuously monitor APAC market intelligence, fintech developments and regulatory changes; surface and recommend partnership or acquisition options.
• Advise on fintech collaborations, ensuring they align with internal Innovation governance and risk frameworks.

Other Contributions

• Lead or contribute to ad‑hoc projects that require digital expertise or cross‑functional coordination.
• Represent BNP Paribas in external forums, regulator meetings and industry bodies concerning digital transformation and AI.

Competencies (Technical / Behavioral)

Technical attributes

• At least 10 years of experience in digital strategy, transformation, and innovation (financial services preferred)
• Proven track record in leading large-scale digital projects (e.g. AI initiatives)
• Demonstrated ability to oversee a network of Digital Officers and manage prototype centric delivery models (design thinking, agile MVP, sandbox).
• Experience in representing a financial institution in discussion with external stakeholders (notably auditors, regulators and industry bodies)
• Expertise in digital banking, agile methodologies, cloud platforms, and Fintech partnerships
• Knowledge of APAC regulatory requirements pertaining to AI and digital
• Ability to interpret regulatory notices, guidelines or policies and map them with BNP Paribas framework is desirable
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (MS Excel, PowerPoint and Word)

Personal attributes

• Self-motivated, results driven, resourceful and independent with the ability to follow through
• Methodical, analytical and organized, with strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Ability to manage change and complexity with confidence
• Flexible to address a wide variety of topics simultaneously and in a structured manner
• Excellent communication and stakeholders' management skills
• Ability to lead and influence stakeholders across the organization with proven experience of interaction with C-suite e.g. Territory CEOs/COOs, Business / Functions representatives
• Strong influencing and interpersonal skills, with ability to effectively influence and work with stakeholders at all levels and to cultivate positive working relationships across functions

About BNP PARIBAS

As the leading European Union bank, and one of the world's largest financial institutions with an uninterrupted presence in the region since 1860, BNP Paribas offers a wide range of financial services for corporate, institutional and private investors spanning corporate and institutional banking, wealth management, asset management and insurance.

We passionately embrace diversity and are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where all employees are valued and encourage applicants of all backgrounds, including diversity of origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion applicants who may be living with a disability. We have a number of internal employee networks in place to empower our staff to act and challenge the status quo.

• BNP Paribas PRIDE is highly active in favour of the LGBTQIA+ community

• BNP Paribas MixCity which fosters better representation of women at all levels of the organization

• Ability, the mutual aid network for employees with a disability or a disabling or chronic illness

• BNP Paribas CulturAll which celebrates diverse backgrounds

BNP is committed to financing a carbon-neutral economy by 2050. The Group is a founding member of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance and has set up its own Low Carbon Transition Group to support its clients through their energy transitions.

More information

You must accept the "Social media and content sharing cookies" to see this content.

Cookies settings

You must accept the "Social media and content sharing cookies" to see this content.

Cookies settings

Award Obtained

BNPP has won Top employer Europe award in a 10th consecutive year