Standard Chartered Pushes Bank-Wide Skills Revolution
British banking giant Standard Chartered is turbocharging its transformation into a skills-based organisation, rolling out a multi-million-dollar training initiative focused on generative AI and data literacy.
The move reflects the bank’s ambition to equip every employee with the tools to thrive in an increasingly digital, fast-evolving financial landscape. Standard Chartered has invested more than S$4.5 million to accelerate training in next-generation technologies such as generative AI and data analytics, according to a media release sent on Monday.
The goal: empower all employees to work faster, smarter, and more creatively. «We aim to enable our people to transform the work they do, stay ahead of the changing landscape, and help the Bank deliver on our business and people goals,» said Patrick Lee, CEO for Singapore and ASEAN.
Structured Learning and Industry Recognition
To turn its skills vision into reality, the Bank launched a comprehensive learning ecosystem, including an AI Learning Hub and a suite of IBF-accredited training programmes. Its AI literacy course, aligned with the Institute of Banking and Finance’s (IBF) Future-Enabled Skills framework, has already reached more than 15 percent of the Singapore workforce.
Employees can deepen their expertise via the SkillsFuture@SC initiative, while new tools like SC GPT – one of the largest enterprise deployments of its kind in banking – help staff boost efficiency and client engagement.
From Data Marathon to Generative Intelligence
Standard Chartered’s latest innovation, the Data Management Learning Marathon (DMLM), offers employees a hands-on journey through concepts like data quality, the data life cycle, and responsible AI.
Combined with SC GPT, launched earlier this year across multiple markets, the initiative reinforces the bank’s commitment to embedding digital intelligence into every corner of its operations.
IBF Awards Highlight the Bank’s Leadership
The bank’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. Standard Chartered received the IBF Advance Award for Skills Development (Sustainable Finance) in recognition of its training excellence. Three senior leaders – Jaclyn Dove, Lee Woei Shiuan, and Richard Sykes – were also named IBF Fellows for their contributions to Singapore’s financial industry.
«As a key global market central to our cross-border and affluent banking strategy, we will continue to invest in our talents in Singapore,» Lee said, adding that these leaders exemplify the spirit of innovation and collaboration driving the bank forward.
Transforming Work – One Skill at a Time
Employees are already seeing tangible impact.
- Marcus Wee, a senior manager in Technology & Operations, now uses AI tools like Tableau and DataIKU to extract real-time insights and streamline decision-making.
- Joshua Ang, a Product Wealth Specialist, integrated a GenAI capability into the Bank’s MyWealth Advisor platform to craft personalised client emails and identify portfolio gaps.
- Thaddeus Sim, a business analyst, leverages SC GPT to decode complex data and enhance code development.
These stories illustrate how the Bank’s investment in learning translates directly into improved productivity and customer experience.
Rooted Vision for a Digital Future
With 166 years of history in Singapore and a deep regional presence across all ten ASEAN markets, Standard Chartered is reinforcing its long-term commitment to innovation and talent.
As the only bank awarded «Significantly Rooted Foreign Bank» status by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), its latest move underscores a simple message – transformation begins with people.
