Standard Chartered prides itself on being a skills-based organisation. To this end, the Bank will accelerate generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) and data-related training among its workforce in Singapore and globally, as part of its vision to harness the power of technology to drive innovation, improve efficiencies and create new skills pathways for its employees. Doing so will ensure the Bank, which is present in all 10 ASEAN markets, continues to lead in key areas across Cross-border and Affluent banking.

To reap the benefits AI technology brings, the Bank is investing S$4.5 million to fund various AI and data learning initiatives to ensure employees are equipped to navigate and lead in a data and AI-driven world. Through this, Standard Chartered wants to empower its people to think differently, act decisively, use AI safely and to lead responsibly, while raising the bar on customer engagement and risk management and compliance, among others.

More importantly, the Bank sees this push as not just a technology or operational story; rather, it is a people story. As a skills-first organisation, its employees play an important role, and the Bank have been upskilling our talents through AI literacy programmes, workshops and certifications, in collaboration with partners such as the Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore (IBF SG). For example, its AI literacy programme was recently accredited by the IBF, demonstrating the quality and rigour of the programme in ensuring participants gain skills and knowledge that are beneficial for their careers.

One of the employees who have benefitted is Marcus Wee. Marcus joined the Standard Chartered in 2023 and focus on performance monitoring, reporting, insights generation and governance in his role as Senior Manager, Technology & Operations Performance Analytics Management team. After completing the foundational AI literacy course offered by the Bank, Marcus now leverages his newly-acquired skills and AI tools such as Tableau and DataIKU to analyse large data sets in real time and produce deeper, more timely insights and accurate forecasting models to aid him in his day-to-day tasks. AI has also helped him complete daily tasks more efficiently, allowing him to focus on the more strategic matters. He and his team has also implemented AI-powered chatbots to provide better customer support, reducing wait times and improving customer satisfaction.

Marcus’ experience exemplifies the Bank’s people-focused AI and data strategy: Providing opportunities for continuous learning so every employee can work faster, better and smarter to stay ahead of the ever-changing landscape.