Executive Director Head of Business T&O Trade and Loans

Company: 1011 United Overseas Bank Ltd

About UOB

United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) is a leading bank in ASEAN with a global network in Southeast Asia, Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. Operating through our head office in Singapore and banking subsidiaries in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, we have a global network of about 430 branches and offices in 19 markets. At the heart of UOB is our culture, shaped by the UOB Way and anchored on our four values – Honourable, Enterprising, United and Committed. For more than 90 years, these values have guided how we do right by our customers, collaborate with one another and create long-term value for the communities we operate in. As One Bank, we are committed to helping our colleagues build sustainable careers grounded in purpose, supported by strong values, and enriched with meaningful opportunities to grow.

Job Description

As a seasoned leader, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Bank's Trade Services and Wholesale Commercial Lending landscape by driving strategic initiatives across trade finance, working capital, and lending ecosystems.

With Trade Services as the primary focus, you will lead the modernization and transformation of Financial Supply Chain Management (FSCM), Open Account Trade, Documentary Trade, Guarantees, Receivables Finance, Factoring, and Digital Trade capabilities. In parallel, you will drive strategic initiatives across Wholesale Commercial Lending, supporting the evolution of lending operating models, digital credit journeys, and integrated working capital solutions.

You will work across Business, Operations, Technology, Risk, Finance, and Product teams to deliver innovative, scalable solutions that respond to evolving client expectations, regulatory requirements, and emerging technologies while positioning the Bank as a leader in Transaction Banking and Corporate Financing.

Strategic Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the trusted advisor and primary point of contact for senior stakeholders across Trade Services, Wholesale Commercial Lending, Transaction Banking, Corporate Banking, Operations, Technology, Risk, Compliance, and Finance.
• Align the transformation portfolio with business strategy, growth objectives, and client needs across both Trade Services and Wholesale Lending domains.
• Foster strategic partnerships across business leadership, product management, operations, technology, and support functions to drive enterprise-wide change.
• Lead prioritization of strategic initiatives and oversee management of the transformation pipeline to maximize value realization and return on investment.
• Collaborate closely with Business CIOs, Product Heads, Architecture teams, and Operations leaders to shape future-state capabilities and operating models.
• Influence decision-making at executive governance forums and act as a strategic advisor on transformation opportunities and industry developments.

Trade Services Leadership

• Lead strategic transformation initiatives across:
• Financial Supply Chain Management (FSCM), Open Account Trade, Documentary Trade, Letters of Credit, Documentary Collections, Bank Guarantees and Standby Letters of Credit, Receivables Finance, Payables Finance, Factoring Solutions, Trade Asset Distribution, Trade Operations Modernization, Digital Trade Platforms
• Drive end-to-end transformation of Trade Services capabilities, operating models, and client journeys.
• Lead digitization initiatives including electronic trade documentation, workflow automation, straight-through processing, and AI-enabled operations.
• Modernize trade platforms to improve scalability, operational resilience, risk controls, and client servicing capabilities.
• Support the development and commercialization of innovative trade and working capital solutions.
• Lead initiatives that simplify trade processing, enhance customer experience, and improve operational efficiency.
• Drive adoption of industry standards and emerging digital trade ecosystems.

Wholesale Commercial Lending

• Lead strategic initiatives across:
• Corporate Lending, Commercial Lending, Working Capital Financing, Trade Loans, Revolving Credit Facilities, Syndicated Lending, Bilateral Lending, Loan Origination, Lending Operations, Credit Workflow Transformation, Collateral and Covenant Management
• Drive modernization of lending platforms, operating models, and end-to-end lending processes.
• Partner with Lending Product, Credit Risk, Relationship Management, and Operations teams to improve servicing and financing journeys.
• Lead initiatives involving:
• Digital Credit Origination, Workflow Automation, Loan Servicing Transformation, Covenant Monitoring, Credit Process Simplification, Data and Reporting Enhancements
• Support integration between lending and trade ecosystems to deliver holistic working capital solutions for corporate clients.
• Ensure lending transformation initiatives are aligned with risk, regulatory, and control frameworks.

End-to-End Change Leadership

• Drive the full lifecycle delivery of complex, cross-functional programmes across Trade Services and Wholesale Lending.
• Lead preparation of investment proposals, business cases, and transformation roadmaps.
• Establish forward-looking resource plans aligned to strategic priorities.
• Define measurable success criteria, benefits realization frameworks, and business outcomes.
• Conduct comprehensive initiative assessments considering:
• Scalability, Maintainability, Commercial viability, Risk and control implications, Regulatory compliance, Operational impact, Technology architecture alignment
• Lead business readiness and organizational adoption activities to ensure sustainable transformation outcomes.
• Proactively identify programme risks, dependencies, and implementation challenges.

Governance & Portfolio Oversight

• Establish and maintain governance frameworks for strategic programmes and initiatives.
• Lead Steering Committees and Programme Steering Committee (PSC) forums.
• Implement enterprise-wide standards for planning, monitoring, reporting, and benefits realization.
• Provide transparent reporting of status, risks, issues, financials, and decision requirements to executive stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with governance standards, regulatory obligations, and internal control requirements.

Sustainable Delivery & Continuous Improvement

• Champion delivery excellence across Trade Services and Lending transformation portfolios.
• Drive investment optimization through effective resource allocation and dependency management.
• Promote automation, digitization, and process simplification across business and operational functions.
• Establish measurable frameworks for realizing financial, operational, and client benefits.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Build organizational capability through coaching, mentoring, and development of future transformation leaders.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business, Finance, Banking, Technology, Engineering, Economics, or a related discipline.

• Relevant professional certifications in Project Management, Change Management, Trade Finance, Lending, or Banking are advantageous.
• 18+ years of banking experience with significant leadership exposure across Trade Services, Transaction Banking, Wholesale Commercial Lending, and large-scale business transformation.
• Proven track record delivering strategic programmes across:
• Financial Supply Chain Management (FSCM), Open Account Trade, Documentary Trade, Receivables Finance, Factoring, Trade Digitization, Working Capital Solutions, Commercial Lending, Corporate Lending, Credit Process Transformation, Lending Platform Modernization
• Experience managing global or regional transformation portfolios involving multiple stakeholders, business units, and technology platforms.
• Functional Expertise
• Trade Services
• Deep expertise in:
• Supply Chain Finance, Open Account Trade, Documentary Credits, Documentary Collections, Bank Guarantees, Receivables and Payables Finance, Factoring, Trade Digitization, Working Capital Solutions
• Wholesale Commercial Lending
• Strong understanding of:
• Credit Origination, Credit Underwriting, Loan Lifecycle Management, Syndicated and Bilateral Lending, Working Capital Financing, Collateral Management, Covenant Monitoring, Lending Operations, Credit Risk Frameworks
• Exceptional executive stakeholder management and influencing capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to align business, technology, operations, risk, compliance, and finance stakeholders toward common objectives.
• Proven success leading large, cross-functional teams through complex transformation programmes.
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to balance strategic ambition with execution discipline.
• Experience operating effectively across diverse markets, cultures, and geographies.
• Thought leader with a strong understanding of the future evolution of Trade Finance, Supply Chain Finance, Digital Trade, Working Capital Solutions, and Commercial Lending.
• Strong grasp of emerging technologies, digital ecosystems, automation, AI, and market trends shaping transaction banking and corporate financing.
• Ability to translate strategic opportunities into executable transformation roadmaps that drive client value, operational excellence, and sustainable growth.

Additional Requirements

Be a Part of the UOB Family

UOB is an equal opportunity employer. UOB does not discriminate on the basis of a candidate's age, race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or other non-merit factors. All employment decisions at UOB are based on business needs, job requirements and qualifications. If you require any assistance or accommodations to be made for the recruitment process, please inform us when you submit your online application.

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