DBS' group head of technology and operations to retire

Singapore

DBS' group head of technology and operations David Gledhill is departing the bank to return to the United Kingdom.

In a LinkedIn post on Monday evening, Mr Gledhill said he had announced his retirement from DBS. The 57-year-old is a British citizen, according to his bio posted on DBS' website.

"We understand many have been speculating on 'Glexit'," Mr Gledhill wrote in a LinkedIn post.

"After 29 years in Asia and 11 years at DBS we decided it's finally time to move on and replant our roots back in the UK. So, after almost two years of planning, today we announced my retirement from DBS, and the packers moved in at home."

Mr Gledhill's departure was confirmed by DBS, and his retirement will be effective Aug 1. DBS said he will be returning to the UK to settle down close to his family.

He will be succeeded by Jimmy Ng, who has been deputy group head of technology and operations at DBS since January 2018.

Calling his departure a "soft Glexit", Mr Gledhill said he will stay connected with DBS in a part-time advisory role.

Mr Gledhill said he will also be back in Singapore with SIA every three months. He is an independent director with the Singapore carrier.

Prior to joining DBS in 2008, Mr Gledhill worked 20 years at JP Morgan, holding senior regional positions in technology and operations.

DBS told BT that Mr Gledhill has been a leading figure in the bank's transformation.

This is both in respect of technology - standardising the bank's systems, creating reliability and resilience, and most recently, taking DBS down the path of agile and cloud - and also in respect of the bank's culture, a spokesman said.

Mr Ng joined DBS in 2009. An information systems graduate by training, Mr Ng started his career briefly as a system analyst in Singtel before joining the technology audit function in JP Morgan. He subsequently worked in various functions including operations, risk management and product control at ABN Amro. (see amendment note)

"Jimmy has been able to leverage technology as a force multiplier in the various roles since joining DBS consumer banking operations in 2009 and subsequently group audit in October 2012," said the DBS spokesman.

In his new capacity as group head of technology and operations, Mr Ng will also be appointed a member of the group executive committee.

Amendment note: DBS has clarified that Jimmy Ng worked in various functions at ABN Amro, and not JP Morgan as earlier reported. The article has been amended to reflect this change.