MD, Governance Planning Department, Asia Pacific Division

Headquartered in Tokyo, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) is a leading global financial institution and a core member of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMBC Group). Built upon our rich Japanese heritage since 1876, we put our customers first and provide seamless access to, from and within the Asia Pacific region.   SMBC is one of the largest Japanese banks by assets and maintain strong credit ratings across our global integrated network.  We work closely as one SMBC Group to offer personal, corporate and investment banking services to meet the needs of our customers.

With sustainability embedded within our strategy and operations, we are committed to creating a society in which today’s generation can enjoy economic prosperity and well-being, and pass it on to future generations.

Strategic & Operational Planning (APAC Regional):

• Translate APAC-wide operational strategies into concrete action plans and ensure consistent execution across regional entities.
• Lead end-to-end operational planning across APAC, including policy creation, policy revision, and rollout of group-wide operational initiatives.
• Design and drive initiatives to improve operational efficiency, effectiveness, and standardization across countries and entities.
• Establish governance mechanisms for approving and managing exceptional or non-standard operational handlings across APAC.
• Ensure alignment between Head Office policies and regional operations, while appropriately reflecting local business and regulatory environments.

Policy Management & Operational Control:

• Own the lifecycle management of regional operational policies, standards, and procedures, including drafting, review, approval, and change management.
• Coordinate cross-functional input (Business, Technology, Risk, Compliance, Operations) in policy formulation and operational rule-setting.
• Oversee implementation of approved policies and initiatives, ensuring clarity of roles, responsibilities, and escalation paths.
• Monitor adherence to approved operational policies and frameworks, and drive remediation where gaps are identified.

Operational Excellence & Transformation:

• Lead and oversee APAC-wide operational efficiency and transformation initiatives, including process re-engineering and automation programs.
• Collaborate closely with Technology and Operations teams to improve end-to-end processes, system utilization, and operating models.
• Oversee regional delivery of large-scale operational and regulatory programs (e.g. BCBS239-related operational changes).
• Lead the formation, expansion, and coordination of Global Capability Center (GCC) teams to support APAC operational execution and optimization.
• Drive effective use of offshore and shared service models to enhance scalability and cost efficiency.

Stakeholder Engagement & Leadership:

• Act as a key partner to business leaders, IT, Risk, Compliance, and Operations teams to ensure operational initiatives are practical and well-adopted.
• Provide leadership and guidance on operational best practices, emerging regulatory expectations, and industry trends impacting operations.
• Facilitate cross-entity alignment through committees, working groups, and regular senior-level forums.
• Engage Head Office and regional management on operational priorities, resourcing, budget planning, and execution status.

Risk, Compliance:

• Ensure APAC operations are conducted in line with global and local regulatory requirements and internal control expectations.
• Oversee operational risk identification and mitigation, including risks arising from third-party service providers and outsourcing arrangements.
• Review, assess, and approve exceptional operational requests, ensuring appropriate risk assessment, documentation, and senior-level visibility.
• Act as an escalation point for material operational issues, coordinating timely resolution across functions and entities.

Essential Experience & Qualifications

• 20+ years of experience in financial services, with substantial senior-level exposure to operations, transformation, or internal management functions.
• Bachelor’s degree or above from an accredited university is required. Postgraduate qualifications will be an advantage
• Proven track record in leading large-scale operational, IT-enabled, or regulatory transformation programs across multiple countries.
• Strong understanding of banking operations, end-to-end processes, systems, and operating models used across the bank.
• Deep understanding of regulatory expectations impacting banking operations across APAC.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives involving Business, Technology, Risk, and Operations.
• Experience in policy development, operational governance frameworks, and exception management.
• Experience in building, scaling, and managing multinational teams.
• Experience leveraging offshore centers and shared service models for operational execution and efficiency.
• Experience managing sizable budgets, including planning, tracking, and optimization.
• Proficiency in Japanese language is advantageous as the role requires frequent communication with Japanese stakeholders in Tokyo Head Office.