Digital and challenger banks – making progress?

Karsten Kemna joined CREALOGIX Asia Pacific in April 2020 as Managing Director for the region. Based out of Singapore, his main area of responsibility is the strategic business development of CREALOGIX in this exciting and challenging growth market, especially in the areas of front-end digitalization and hybrid advisory services. Prior to CREALOGIX, he spent most of his career in the Financial Services Industry including stints with Wealth Management and Retail Banking solution providers, always having a strong focus on business transformation towards software and services. During the last 14 years, Karsten spent significant time with highly prolific banks across Asia Pacific to help define their digital initiatives and drive their innovation agenda to stay on top of the innovation chain. With his long history in helping banks and financial institutes enhance their offerings, Karsten is a true leader in the digital banking industry.

Kimberley is Digital Wealth Lead (Consumer Banking Group) at DBS Bank. In this role, she is responsible for the bank’s digital wealth platform across the region, covering strategic platform advancements, digital client experiences and digital sales. Since joining DBS in 2017, Kimberley has led the growth of the digital wealth business with a focus on digital acquisitions, client adoption and digital sales. Leveraging her expertise and experience in digital advocacy and data, Kim was a pioneer in spearheading internal advocacy for the DBS iWealth platform when it first launched in 2017, and part of the core team that positioned DBS iWealth as a globally acclaimed wealth platform. Prior to joining DBS, Kimberley was a manager in the Accenture Interactive practice for over seven years, helping clients across the region to advance their digital capabilities. She specialised in digital strategy, transformation and adoption, and oversaw large-scale digital transformation rollouts across industries.

Adam Reynolds is CEO of Saxo Markets APAC and has overall responsibility for growing the business for active traders, investors and wholesale clients and for positioning Saxo as a leader in digital transformation and major player in the institutional financial brokerage market. Adam Reynolds joined the Saxo Bank Group in 2014 and has more than 30 years’ experience in financial markets as a macro trader and manager of financial markets trading, sales and portfolio management teams. Prior to Saxo, he was Asia CEO for the Cambridge Strategy Asset Management managing the Asia trading team, business development across the region and portfolio managing their Asian Macro fund. Prior to that, Adam was Managing Director for both Merrill Lynch and Société Générale. Adam has an MSc in Finance from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Singapore Institute of Directors.

Damian Hitchen, Chief Executive Officer, Swissquote Pte Ltd Damian joined in January 2014 to drive Swissquote’s expansion strategy from being Switzerland’s largest online banking and trading platform into the Middle East & Asia region. During 2014-2019 inclusive he built a successful B2c-B2b office from the DIFC, Dubai with a major focus on the development and upgrade of the Bank existing institutional platform services. In July 2019, he relocated from Dubai to head up Swissquote’s new office in Singapore, which will act as the regional booking centre for its business development in the Asia-Pacific region, with a focus on professional, industry and institutional clients such as external asset-managers, insurance firms, securities brokerages, family offices and local - regional Banks/Private Banks. Prior to joining Swissquote, Damian worked in a number of senior roles for HSBC in the Middle East region, and as an Executive r Director for Falcon Private Bank, the Abu Dhabi owned Swiss Private Bank.

Kimberley is Digital Wealth Lead (Consumer Banking Group) at DBS Bank. In this role, she is responsible for the bank’s digital wealth platform across the region, covering strategic platform advancements, digital client experiences and digital sales. Since joining DBS in 2017, Kimberley has led the growth of the digital wealth business with a focus on digital acquisitions, client adoption and digital sales. Leveraging her expertise and experience in digital advocacy and data, Kim was a pioneer in spearheading internal advocacy for the DBS iWealth platform when it first launched in 2017, and part of the core team that positioned DBS iWealth as a globally acclaimed wealth platform. Prior to joining DBS, Kimberley was a manager in the Accenture Interactive practice for over seven years, helping clients across the region to advance their digital capabilities. She specialised in digital strategy, transformation and adoption, and oversaw large-scale digital transformation rollouts across industries.

Adam Reynolds is CEO of Saxo Markets APAC and has overall responsibility for growing the business for active traders, investors and wholesale clients and for positioning Saxo as a leader in digital transformation and major player in the institutional financial brokerage market. Adam Reynolds joined the Saxo Bank Group in 2014 and has more than 30 years’ experience in financial markets as a macro trader and manager of financial markets trading, sales and portfolio management teams. Prior to Saxo, he was Asia CEO for the Cambridge Strategy Asset Management managing the Asia trading team, business development across the region and portfolio managing their Asian Macro fund. Prior to that, Adam was Managing Director for both Merrill Lynch and Société Générale. Adam has an MSc in Finance from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Singapore Institute of Directors.

Michael is a prominent figure in the financial services industry in Asia. He is the founder and CEO of Hubbis, a renowned provider of intelligence and connectivity for the Asian wealth management industry. With a depth of experience and expertise, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the industry for over 30 years, becoming a leading industry presence in the events, professional development, and publishing space in the region. Hubbis is a multi-generational family-owned and managed business.

He has been actively involved in the Asia-Pacific region since 1993. And has lived in Asia since 1995, holding positions in Hong Kong, Sydney, and Singapore. 

For over 14-years, Hubbis has established itself as the gold standard media and events brand in wealth management thought leadership in Asia. Each year providing a very large body of cutting-edge editorial and sponsored content, organizing top-flight events. During that time Hubbis has become the platform of choice for many high-profile C-suite leaders to communicate their vision of the Asian wealth management.

Before his involvement with Hubbis, Michael founded Pacific Prospect in 2002, a financial services media company. Under his leadership, the company achieved significant success and was subsequently acquired by global business-to-business publisher Incisive Media in 2006. Michael continued to serve as the CEO of Pacific Prospect until October 2008. Prior to his entrepreneurial ventures, Michael garnered 5 years of experience in financial markets publishing.

His career in this field began in 1993 when he joined Euromoney Publications as the publisher of the quarterly magazine, International Bond Investor. In 1995, Michael joined Thomson Financial Services (now owned by LSEG) and spearheaded the conception and launch of Finance Asia magazine. During his tenure as Managing Director of Finance Asia, he also initiated the Asian Debt Review, Asian Private Capital Magazine, and the Finance Asia Conference Business. In 1997, he founded FIA Limited, further expanding his contributions to the financial publishing industry.

Born in North Wales, Michael served as the head boy of St David's College Llandudno. He holds a degree in Business Administration from Cardiff University. Beyond his professional endeavours, Michael is a family-oriented individual and is happily married with three children: Reanna, Garett, and Tarryn.