Regular gym-goer
KATHERINE LAI
Hong Kong
Summary
A private banking professional with almost 20 years of industry experience. A self-starter and problem-solver specializing in sales management, business strategies, business performance improvement, organizational structuring, business management & planning, operational management, project management and team building. A creative mind who can work beyond set boundaries and be able to innovate solutions for business development. A highly recognizable team leader with long track record of developing and acquiring talents, collaborating within and across departments, and motivating team members through think-tank and team building approaches.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
3
3
Languages
Work History
Director, Market Head of Emerging Wealth Team & Business Development Partner, North Asia
DEUTSCHE BANK Private Banking
10.2021 - Current
- Drove initiatives and innovation solutions in getting new lines of revenue for the region, particularly for China market
- Managed team of 3 private bankers under Emerging Wealth team and focused on growing HNW client relationships with existing AUM between EUR2-10mil; total number of clients as of Apr 2024 is 108 with total AUM of EUR650mil
- Initiated projects for business growth in various aspects – including new acquisitions of EAMs onto the platform, strengthening collaboration with other internal divisions for one-bank solutions, strategizing new market entrance by setting up Asia desk in New York booking center
- Drove greater penetration on mid-tier clients by 30% and increased their overall share of wallet via account planning exercise, client mapping analysis, teach-in sessions for RMs on products and other one-bank solutions
- Drove other new business initiatives based on market trends such as adoption of private fund accounts, family offices, private equity pipelines etc.
Director, Global Tribe Lead of Sales Enablement, Agile Transformation
DEUTSCHE BANK Private Banking
02.2020 - 09.2021
- Drove global transformation and change context with focus in sales enablement area globally; created business innovation mandates to improve sales revenue, tighten sales discipline, increase pipeline generation, and regularize sales performance management
- Managed team of 4 Product Owners as direct reports, and other 60+ non-direct reports sitting in Germany, US, Switzerland, Singapore, and India carrying out functions as Business Analysts, Technical/Integration Analysts, Testers, Devops Engineers, Scrum Masters and Enterprise Architects; full team set-up in Agility with limitless and remote team engagement 24/7
- Set up business priorities with each region’s stakeholders (Regional Heads of Business, Regional COOs, Regional Heads of Sales Management, and Regional Change Leads) to formalize system change blueprints with purpose to increase revenue generation and monitor sales progress
- Minimized cost impact from external vendors e.g. Salesforce by implementing changes on vendor management structure, portfolio alignment with revenue priorities and formation of system implementation protocols at global level
- Generated extra revenue of EUR7.5mil from Q1 to Q3 2021 by implementing few key sales applications in EMEA, US and APAC; these new functionalities provided more effective enabling tools and interfaces for Frontline staff to perform account planning, pipeline generation and follow-up, sales discussions with supervisors and clients, as well as facilitation of portfolio reviews with Investment Advisors and Product Specialists
- Chaired Agile ceremonies at tribe level on bi-weekly basis to drive sync-up discussions on project mandate, development timeline and progress, technical optionality, resources planning, budgeting, people management and training/cultural development progress
- Secured key projects including launch of sales campaign planner and tracker on Salesforce APAC, launch of pipeline management tool for Investment Managers and RMs in US, launch of new pricing module in Germany, automation of direct email marketing initiatives globally; all these projects successfully maximized revenue streams and created ultimate sales discipline in organization
Executive Director, Head of Change Delivery, GCNA
STANDARD CHARTERED Private Banking
09.2018 - 01.2020
- Managed team of 100 Client Services Managers under GCNA region including 7 team leaders as direct reports; these 100 CSMs are supporting around 103 RMs under 5 marketing teams
- Managed another team of 5 as direct reports under GCNA Change Delivery team focusing on driving change initiatives for local business
- Directed project initiation and spearheaded executions of all transformation inputs
- Communicated and ensured alignment with business heads/COO/local & global stakeholders on project prioritization, implementation discussions and assessment on business impacts
- Conducted management oversight on team performance and output; participated in key stakeholder meetings and change forums for insight sharing and competitive landscape analysis
- Provided visions on developing client journeys and enhanced client experience by implementing workable solutions
- Reformed people strategies and development plans for all staff for increasing productivity and performance continuity
- Executed major paradigm shift on organizational structure and governance framework within the first 3 months of joining for greater work and cost efficiency
- Restructured the original platform manager model to player-coach model with 7 new team leaders appointed within internal talent pool; created better support system for front office bankers overall
- Initiated and launched the first-ever Monthly Change Governance Forum in Hong Kong since Dec 2018 to oversee, prioritize and gate-keep all local and global change mandates; provided standardized framework on gap analysis, project playbook and timeline, implementation plan and training structure for all stakeholders to follow
- Chaired Monthly Change Governance Forum together with other quorum members and guest members to provide proper approvals on project ideas tabled
- Initiated the adaptation of Agile and Human Centered Design models at the working level by conducting workshops with the stakeholders from Front Office, Business Management, Operations, Risk Management, Compliance, Legal as well as Control & Supervision functions for the purpose of applying the most relevant priorities and change mandates to business
- Spearheaded new regulatory initiatives and project management based on requirements from local and overseas regulators under wide variety of topics including Complex Product Regime, Handling of Mis-Transfer of Funds, Handling of Misconduct in Selling of Investment Funds, LEI, FCA CCA etc
- Represented local business in participating in SCB Country level forums including New Product Initiatives Committee, Operational Excellence Committee, Business Risk Forum as well as Conduct Forum.
Director, Chief Operating Officer, North Asia
DEUTSCHE BANK AG Wealth Management
07.2005 - 09.2018
- Facilitated oversight of business management, risk control, sales management and business integrity of local business franchise in Hong Kong, as well as onshore business in Shanghai and Taipei
- Led and shaped COO office with three mainstreams – Business Management team with 3 staff, Business Integrity team of 7 staff, and entire Service Assistant team of 62 staff in Hong Kong
- Appointed as Head of Business Management North Asia since 2011 till Nov 2017; acted as Deputy of Head of Wealth Management North Asia in both roles on day-to-day Management of 85 relationship managers, 25 investment advisors and 6 FX advisors on top of the entire COO office
- Participated in regular Executive Committee meetings with all senior management and act as delegate of Head of Wealth Management North Asia in approving business cases and various exceptional requests
- Drove and advocated for COO mandates through 5 main pillars: Sales Management, One-Bank Collaboration, Operational and Sales Control, System Projects and Enhancement, Hiring and Training
Assistant Operations Officer, Wealth Management Department
SHANGHAI COMMERCIAL BANK
12.2003 - 06.2005
- Managed projects on various areas within wealth management business in related to product development, system development, MIS reports, and middle office operations
- Titled as system owner to outline service scope and user requirements for system development plan
- Monitored system developing process and functioned as coordinator between all participating parties including Treasury, Securities, Settlement, Wealth Management, and Loans Departments
- Designed calculation methods to keep track of frontline performance for better sales planning
Education
Master of Arts - Applied Economics
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI 04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Boston University
Boston, MA 04.2001 -
Skills
Organizational Structuring
undefinedInterests
Big fan of crime & thriller books and movies
Part-time makeup artist
Art collector & appreciator
Timeline
Director, Market Head of Emerging Wealth Team & Business Development Partner, North Asia
DEUTSCHE BANK Private Banking
10.2021 - Current
Director, Global Tribe Lead of Sales Enablement, Agile Transformation
DEUTSCHE BANK Private Banking
02.2020 - 09.2021
Executive Director, Head of Change Delivery, GCNA
STANDARD CHARTERED Private Banking
09.2018 - 01.2020
Director, Chief Operating Officer, North Asia
DEUTSCHE BANK AG Wealth Management
07.2005 - 09.2018
Assistant Operations Officer, Wealth Management Department
SHANGHAI COMMERCIAL BANK
12.2003 - 06.2005
Master of Arts - Applied Economics
University of Michigan
04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Boston University
04.2001 -
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