Our client is a premier, tier-one financial institution with a significant and long-standing presence in Asia. We are seeking an exceptional and highly hands-on Technology and Transformation Leader to spearhead a critical Core Banking Transformation initiative for their Hong Kong operations. This is a high-stakes, high-visibility role that requires a leader who is not only a strategic thinker but is also deeply involved in the day-to-day execution. You will be the primary driver for the end-to-end delivery of this complex program, ensuring alignment with regional standards, local regulatory mandates, and business objectives.

You will be the key champion driving the adoption of regional and industry best practices. You will serve as the crucial bridge between the Country and the Region, ensuring the successful implementation of regional solutions while fiercely safeguarding local business and regulatory interests. This role demands a leader who is willing to roll up their sleeves to navigate complex challenges, manage vendor relationships, and lead a multi-disciplinary team through a major technological and operational shift.

Key Responsibilities:

• Hands-On Program Leadership: Own the country-level delivery from initiation to go-live. You will not just delegate but actively manage planning, resource allocation, budgeting, and risk mitigation. You will be directly accountable for the program's success.
• Governance & Stakeholder Management: Chair or co-chair key steering committees and working groups. Ensure seamless alignment between country leadership (General Managers) and the regional program office. You will be the central point of contact for all program-related matters in the country.
• Execution & Delivery: Lead program planning and execution, meticulously managing dependencies, especially with legacy systems and data migration. You will directly oversee vendor engagement and System Integrator (SI) activities, ensuring they deliver on time and within scope.
• Cross-Functional Orchestration: Provide decisive leadership by coordinating delivery across business, operations, IT, and control functions. You will facilitate collaboration and remove roadblocks to ensure all teams are moving in unison.
• Change Management & Communication: Own all communication narratives for leadership and steering committees. Lead country-level training, UAT (User Acceptance Testing), and business cutover planning to ensure operational readiness and smooth transition.
• Reporting & Controls: Rigorously track KPIs, deliverables, and compliance. Proactively escalate risks and issues, providing clear recommendations to program governance bodies.

Key Interfaces:
You will work closely with Country GMs and senior leadership, the Regional Core Banking Program Team, Country Business and Operations heads, Regional Technology and Architecture teams, and external platform vendors/system integrators.

Requirements:

• Experience: Over 20 years of professional experience, with at least 10 years dedicated to complex, large-scale program management within the banking sector. A proven track record of leading major IT transformation or migration projects is essential.
• Expertise: Deep understanding of core banking and corporate banking operations, coupled with strong familiarity with Hong Kong banking regulations.
• Methodology: Strong proficiency in both Waterfall and Agile project management frameworks.
• Leadership: A proven leader with exceptional influencing skills, capable of navigating complex matrix structures and driving results across diverse, cross-border teams.
• Mindset: Must be dedicated to active, on-site participation in Hong Kong and possess a deep appreciation for local nuances. This role requires a hands-on leader who is comfortable with both strategic oversight and tactical execution.
• Education: Bachelor's degree or above in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related discipline. Professional certifications like PMP, Prince2, PgMP, or SAFe are a distinct advantage.
• Languages: Must be fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.