SMBC India Division was established in April 2025 as one of SMBC Group's strategic divisions that drives the formulation and execution of growth strategies in India - a rapidly expanding market. Beyond SMBC's core banking operations, it oversees investments, enabling SMBC Group to deliver a full suite of financial services and enhance its value proposition. The Division spearheads initiatives such as establishing Global Capability Centers, serving as the central hub for long-term planning, governance, and strategic partnerships to strengthen SMBC Group's footprint in India.
This position leads the strategic planning, governance, and operation of IT for the Division, with a particular focus on strengthening the infrastructure and oversight. A key focus area includes evaluating and transforming to align with SMBC's global system architecture and regulatory requirements. The role requires a deep understanding of SMBC's global foundational modules and applications setup to ensure seamless integration and consistency across geographies. A critical responsibility is to leverage the Global Capability Center (GCC) to enhance SMBC's technological and operational capabilities across both IT and nonIT domains. Prior involvement in legal entity transformation-especially in regulated markets-is highly valued.
Responsibilities:
Strategy & Architecture (incl. Digital Transformation)
- Formulate and execute the Division IT strategy aligned with SMBC's global architecture and business goals.
- Drive cloud migration, data governance, and automation tailored to India's regulatory/operational landscape.
- Ensure interoperability of core applications (core banking, risk, compliance, finance, data platforms).
GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance), Security & Resilience
- Ensure compliance with regulations (e.g., RBI, SEBI) and SMBC policies/standards maintain audit readiness and drive remediation.
- Establish and oversee IT risk frameworks, including incident response, change management, information security, and DR/BCP.
- Liaise with regulators and internal audit to ensure transparency and accountability of IT operations.
IT Portfolio, Delivery & Operations
- Approve and allocate the IT budget following the business budget.
- Approve, prioritize, and govern the project portfolio across selection, acquisition, development, rollout, and service transition.
- Define corporate plans, policies, and standards for acquiring, implementing, and operating IT applications measure performance via SLAs/OLAs and KPIs.
- Ensure resilient service delivery and proactive incident/problem management monitor trends and total cost of ownership and continuous improvement.
Organization & Ecosystem (GCC, Vendors, Talent)
- Leverage GCC scale/expertise for development, maintenance, and innovation.
- Optimize resourcing and delivery via crossfunctional collaboration promote knowledge sharing across IT and nonIT domains.
- Manage vendors and technology partners negotiate contracts and SLAs aligned with strategy and regulatory standards pursue master agreements.
- Lead direct/indirect teams (incl. vendor resources) recruit, develop, and retain talent mentor future leaders promote diversity & inclusion.
Stakeholder & Enterprise Management
- Report IT matters to the Head of Division and keep relevant SMBC Group site heads informed.
- Liaise with Tokyo Head Office, regional divisions, regulators, and internal audit to ensure transparency and alignment.
- Develop, track, and control annual OPEX/CAPEX assess and communicate risks associated with IT investments.
- Define and monitor KPIs/KRIs communicate progress and outcomes to executives recommend organizational improvements or reengineering as needed.
Expectations and Measurement:
- Strategic Execution: Delivery of an IT roadmap aligned with business and regulatory goals KPIs on performance, cost efficiency, and risk mitigation.
- Operational Excellence: High availability and resilience proactive incident/problem management audit readiness.
- Regulatory Compliance: Full adherence to local/global standards effective engagement with RBI and relevant authorities.
- Vendor & Resource Management: Optimized vendor performance and cost effective utilization of GCC and contract staff.
- Team Development: High performing team with clear development plans and succession readiness.
Requirements:
- 10+ years in Information Technology strategy, system planning, and governance within financial services in a global capacity
- Strong understanding of IT architecture and governance frameworks in a global organization
- Hands on experience with legal entity transformation in regulated markets.
- Familiarity with regional regulators (RBI, SEBI, FSA), knowledge of DR/BCP and information security controls.
- Proven cross functional and cross border leadership vendor negotiation and portfolio governance.
- Japanese language proficiency is preferred for communication and coordination with Tokyo Head Office.
