'I enjoy seeing how the world is changing'

What does your job entail?

Driving client engagement and frontline efficiency for the bank’s staff by ensuring that they are equipped enough at the point of contact with the client.

Get me into the space of a digital mind…

We are curious about how we want our customer to behave and the ever-changing behaviour needs of our customer. Digital people are curious about how the world is going to change and ensure that we are on top of the game. We look around for the best tools and solutions.

These could be technology-driven or process-driven. Digital people also start running predictive models because history has taught us that society will change anyway and there are certain factors that trigger that change, so we try to use historical things, existing events and try to predict how personal behaviour will look like. After digital people have understood all that, we will go and look for appropriate technology for the changing needs of the customer.

How did you get to where you are?

There are certain guiding blocks but curiosity, attitude, being daring, pushing for results and engagement are very important. I joined as one of the most junior employees in Uganda as a teller, then secured lending, became head of marketing, ran our consumer bank in Qatar, went to Singapore Group office and returned to Dubai to build digital banking as the head of digital banking for Africa in our banks.

How did you get your buoyancy in playing on the international corporate arena?

There are certain things that do not change about humans. My attitude as an individual and Standard Chartered as an organisation that is result oriented has enabled me rise through the ranks up to international level. I derive value from what I do. The whole element about curiosity has seen me go through ranks.

What is that one thing you wish you could do differently?

I still have to do a little more in terms of coaching and inspiring another generation of leaders from Africa. I need to use the platforms that have been presented to me to inspire.

Who is that one person, dead or alive, you would invite for a cup of tea, and what would you talk about?

The guy who invented the bulb. I would really want to have a chat with Humphry Davy to understand his thought process, his idea that needed him to come out of the dark world, was quite fascinating to me.

What kind of literature do you read and how has it impacted your professional life?

I have read a lot of literature related to how this world evolves not necessarily in the financial industry but a wide range of things; it widens my thought process and also gives me an opportunity to choose. I am also a big fan of biographies of people whom I think have changed the world. I want to enter their life and learn about how they changed the world and the kind of values they espoused. I find that kind of literature very interesting.

I enjoy seeing how the world is changing, be it in books, documentaries and magazines. Think about how financial sectors have been changing, we had no idea of how non-financial entities can come and provide financial services.

Look at how technology is shaping the sector to increase food production. I get curious about education systems. It has been the slowest in terms of evolution than anything because we are still transiting from the old industrial revolution format of education to modern day curious thinkers.

Apart from yourself, who else do you live for?

I am a family man and that is part of the inspiration that wakes me up to go and work every day. The bigger story is inspiring my children to be much better human beings than my wife and I. It calls for being exemplary in the way we live our lives, being able to show them what working smart is and transfer those values that we have so that they can use them.

They have been a little lucky to be global citizens at an earlier age than some of us. The second thing that inspires me is my personal background.

Who and what shaped you?

I am a spiritual man, which I believe shapes the soul and that shapes me personally so that I do not let myself down. I am not perfect. I make mistakes but my relationship with God, family and accountability to them on a personal level, keep me in shape.