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DBS deploys AI-driven ‘Alpha’ squads to blend legal, compliance, risk roles

Against a backdrop of global bank layoffs, the lender is focusing on reskilling and multidisciplinary teams

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Renald Yeo

Renald Yeo

Published Tue, Apr 21, 2026 · 07:00 AM
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    • Lam Chee Kin, managing director and head of legal and compliance at DBS, says Alpha is a "very, very active" programme to transition employees into a multidisciplinary workforce.
    • Lam Chee Kin, managing director and head of legal and compliance at DBS, says Alpha is a "very, very active" programme to transition employees into a multidisciplinary workforce. PHOTO: DBS

    [SINGAPORE] Since last July, squads of “multidisciplinary” professionals have been roaming about the legal and compliance halls of DBS under a programme called Alpha.

    Despite the name, these are not military units, but teams comprising legal, compliance and financial crime specialists – part of a broader push to break down silos as regulatory work becomes more complex and intertwined.

    In practice, each five-member squad – there are 10 of these, or 50 employees in total under Alpha – takes on elements of one another’s roles.

    DBSArtificial IntelligenceSingapore lawComplianceSingapore banksBanking

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