International & Regional Wealth Managers – improving their digital platform & capabilities

After a Master in Mathematics at Ecole Polytechnique de Lausanne, Sébastien Buchard began his career at Crédit Agricole (Suisse) SA in 2006 as business consultant and project manager. In 2009, he became Key Account Manager for BPO clients of Crédit Agricole Private Banking Services (CA-PBS), the IT & Back-Office services center of Crédit Agricole for Private Banking. Then, in 2013, he was named Head of Relationship Management and in 2015, Head of Relationship Management & Sales. Finally, in 2018, Sébastien Buchard joined the Management Board of CA-PBS as Chief Sales Officer. CA-PBS became, on the 1st of July 2018, Azqore, a spin-off of the Indosuez Switzerland bank. Operating as a newly independent subsidiary of Indosuez Wealth Management, Azqore is head quartered in Lausanne, with 700 people, and with Capgemini as a new shareholder. Azqore also has a branch in Singapore, with 200 people, to serve its Asian clients.

Damien Mooney , Managing Director, is Head of Aladdin Wealth Tech for Asia Pacific within BlackRock Solutions. Aladdin Wealth Tech in Asia Pacific is focused on helping BlackRock’s retail & wealth distribution partners transform their business through technology. In his role Damien is responsible for leading the firm's digital wealth strategy in the region. Damien leads the business development efforts for the firm’s wealth technology capabilities with retail distribution partners across Asia Pacific and is the senior relationship manager on a number of BlackRock’s enterprise clients in the region. Damien is also responsible for identifying tech oriented distribution partnerships and digital ventures opportunities Prior to taking up this role in January 2018, Damien led the Retail & Wealth Business for Asia Pacific for over four years and before that was Chief Marketing Officer for the region. Damien is a member of BlackRock's Asia Pacific Executive Committee and Global Operating Committee. Damien joined BlackRock in July 2011 from Fidelity International where he was Regional Head of Marketing Initiatives, Asia Pacific. After joining Fidelity in January 2003, he held senior regional European marketing positions before relocating to Hong Kong in mid 2006. Prior to Fidelity Damien held senior product management, business development and international marketing positions in London with Egg Invest (the UK's first direct to consumer fund supermarket), Zurich International (offshore funds distribution) and Prudential Assurance UK. Damien earned a combined BSc and Diploma (Hons) in Property Economics from Trinity College, University of Dublin and the Dublin Institute of Technology in 1993 and a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Limerick, Ireland in 1994.

Damien is the Regional Director Asia for Finantix. In that capacity Damien works with Banks and Insurers in finding technology oriented solutions to improve sales, advisory and relationship management processes. Despite being a trained lawyer, Damien’s love of zeros and ones drove him along a 18 year pilgrimage to the intersection of finance and technology, guiding world leading banks and insurers along the journey. He is based in Singapore and covers the major Asia banking centers.

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.

Will Lawton serves as the Global Head of QUO. Will is an experienced financial services leader in wealth management, private banking and fintech, holding several leading positions across London, New York, Zurich and Singapore. Will’s experience includes strategy formulation and its implementation, sales and business development leadership, development and delivery of propositions, marketing function leadership and mobilising fintech wealth business transformation programmes. Will has extensive executive Board committee experience. Will’s focus prior to joining Tradingscreen to Head the QUO wealth proposition has been within the Fintech arena leading Eigencat, which is a digital investment platform based in Singapore. Will has over 30 years of experience in the financial and commodity markets globally, of which 15 years have been spent in Asia. Will's most recent role was as Head of Investment Group for HSBC Private Bank in Singapore managing all discretionary, advisory and product services (including Corporate Finance). Will was with the Royal Bank of Scotland Group for 15 years. From 2005 to 2009 he was the Chief investment Officer for the Private Bank (RBS Coutts) based in Zurich and was a member of the Executive Committee. During Will's tenure as CIO, he also served as a Board Director of numerous RBS asset management funds registered in Cayman Islands. Prior roles at RBS included Head of Financial Markets, Singapore; Treasurer of RBS USA and Global Head of Futures and Options based in London. Will moved back to Singapore in 2009 with Standard Chartered as Group Head of Advisory and Solutions for the consumer bank division. Will started his career in London as a commodities trader.

Bassam Salem has always been an entrepreneur at heart, in the way he ran large private banking businesses for 37 years, and in the way he is growing Obuhi, a social platform that connects freelance talent to those who seek them. Bassam retired as CEO of Citi Private Bank Asia to set up Obuhi whose mission is to help freelancers, contract or part-time workers find jobs that meet their needs for flexibility, freedom and higher incomes. Whether it is millennials for their next challenge, women seeking part-time assignments or the silver generation looking to stay employed, Obuhi will provide them a platform to showcase their skills and seek assignments. Obuhi will also, over time, provide them with tools to re-skill or up-skill to stay relevant to the needs of the market. Obuhi’s origins are firmly entrenched in the gig economy and it is to sharpen his skills that Bassam attended a course on Digital Strategy at Harvard Business School recently. Bassam believes his lasting contribution in the banking industry has been to find talent, train them and let them add value. It is this spirit that he carries over and is putting together a team of talented individuals who share his passion and vision and are working to grow Obuhi into one of the largest platforms of its kind globally.

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.

Damien is the Regional Director Asia for Finantix. In that capacity Damien works with Banks and Insurers in finding technology oriented solutions to improve sales, advisory and relationship management processes. Despite being a trained lawyer, Damien’s love of zeros and ones drove him along a 18 year pilgrimage to the intersection of finance and technology, guiding world leading banks and insurers along the journey. He is based in Singapore and covers the major Asia banking centers.

Bassam Salem has always been an entrepreneur at heart, in the way he ran large private banking businesses for 37 years, and in the way he is growing Obuhi, a social platform that connects freelance talent to those who seek them. Bassam retired as CEO of Citi Private Bank Asia to set up Obuhi whose mission is to help freelancers, contract or part-time workers find jobs that meet their needs for flexibility, freedom and higher incomes. Whether it is millennials for their next challenge, women seeking part-time assignments or the silver generation looking to stay employed, Obuhi will provide them a platform to showcase their skills and seek assignments. Obuhi will also, over time, provide them with tools to re-skill or up-skill to stay relevant to the needs of the market. Obuhi’s origins are firmly entrenched in the gig economy and it is to sharpen his skills that Bassam attended a course on Digital Strategy at Harvard Business School recently. Bassam believes his lasting contribution in the banking industry has been to find talent, train them and let them add value. It is this spirit that he carries over and is putting together a team of talented individuals who share his passion and vision and are working to grow Obuhi into one of the largest platforms of its kind globally.

Will Lawton serves as the Global Head of QUO. Will is an experienced financial services leader in wealth management, private banking and fintech, holding several leading positions across London, New York, Zurich and Singapore. Will’s experience includes strategy formulation and its implementation, sales and business development leadership, development and delivery of propositions, marketing function leadership and mobilising fintech wealth business transformation programmes. Will has extensive executive Board committee experience. Will’s focus prior to joining Tradingscreen to Head the QUO wealth proposition has been within the Fintech arena leading Eigencat, which is a digital investment platform based in Singapore. Will has over 30 years of experience in the financial and commodity markets globally, of which 15 years have been spent in Asia. Will's most recent role was as Head of Investment Group for HSBC Private Bank in Singapore managing all discretionary, advisory and product services (including Corporate Finance). Will was with the Royal Bank of Scotland Group for 15 years. From 2005 to 2009 he was the Chief investment Officer for the Private Bank (RBS Coutts) based in Zurich and was a member of the Executive Committee. During Will's tenure as CIO, he also served as a Board Director of numerous RBS asset management funds registered in Cayman Islands. Prior roles at RBS included Head of Financial Markets, Singapore; Treasurer of RBS USA and Global Head of Futures and Options based in London. Will moved back to Singapore in 2009 with Standard Chartered as Group Head of Advisory and Solutions for the consumer bank division. Will started his career in London as a commodities trader.

Damien Mooney , Managing Director, is Head of Aladdin Wealth Tech for Asia Pacific within BlackRock Solutions. Aladdin Wealth Tech in Asia Pacific is focused on helping BlackRock’s retail & wealth distribution partners transform their business through technology. In his role Damien is responsible for leading the firm's digital wealth strategy in the region. Damien leads the business development efforts for the firm’s wealth technology capabilities with retail distribution partners across Asia Pacific and is the senior relationship manager on a number of BlackRock’s enterprise clients in the region. Damien is also responsible for identifying tech oriented distribution partnerships and digital ventures opportunities Prior to taking up this role in January 2018, Damien led the Retail & Wealth Business for Asia Pacific for over four years and before that was Chief Marketing Officer for the region. Damien is a member of BlackRock's Asia Pacific Executive Committee and Global Operating Committee. Damien joined BlackRock in July 2011 from Fidelity International where he was Regional Head of Marketing Initiatives, Asia Pacific. After joining Fidelity in January 2003, he held senior regional European marketing positions before relocating to Hong Kong in mid 2006. Prior to Fidelity Damien held senior product management, business development and international marketing positions in London with Egg Invest (the UK's first direct to consumer fund supermarket), Zurich International (offshore funds distribution) and Prudential Assurance UK. Damien earned a combined BSc and Diploma (Hons) in Property Economics from Trinity College, University of Dublin and the Dublin Institute of Technology in 1993 and a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Limerick, Ireland in 1994.

After a Master in Mathematics at Ecole Polytechnique de Lausanne, Sébastien Buchard began his career at Crédit Agricole (Suisse) SA in 2006 as business consultant and project manager. In 2009, he became Key Account Manager for BPO clients of Crédit Agricole Private Banking Services (CA-PBS), the IT & Back-Office services center of Crédit Agricole for Private Banking. Then, in 2013, he was named Head of Relationship Management and in 2015, Head of Relationship Management & Sales. Finally, in 2018, Sébastien Buchard joined the Management Board of CA-PBS as Chief Sales Officer. CA-PBS became, on the 1st of July 2018, Azqore, a spin-off of the Indosuez Switzerland bank. Operating as a newly independent subsidiary of Indosuez Wealth Management, Azqore is head quartered in Lausanne, with 700 people, and with Capgemini as a new shareholder. Azqore also has a branch in Singapore, with 200 people, to serve its Asian clients.

Mark Smallwood has been involved in wealth management for 32 years in London, the Caribbean, Switzerland, Singapore and Hong Kong. He was an IFA in the UK, owned and operated a life insurance company and trust company in the Caribbean and spent 14 years as a Managing Director with Deutsche Bank’s asset and wealth management businesses in various roles including Head of Wealth Planning APAC, Global Head of Insurance Solutions and Head of Strategic Initiatives APAC. He now provides independent advice to UHNW families and their family offices on family office and wealth structuring, helping them to effectively co-ordinate their activities with bankers, asset managers, professional advisers and fiduciaries. He has been a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners for 20 years. He is now based in the UK.