HSBC has combined the roles of chief information officer and chief operating...

HSBC has combined the roles of chief information officer and chief operating...
HSBC has combined the roles of chief information officer and chief operating...

10/07/2008, 10:04     [Computer Weekly]    


HSBC has combined the roles of chief information officer and chief operating officer, in a move designed to bring the bank's technology and customer services strategies closer together.

CIO Ken Harvey will take on the new role of chief technology and services officer in October, replacing David Hodgkinson, who will retire at the end of this year.

The bank said the reshuffle supports its strategy to move towards different common computer platforms across business units and region, dubbed One HSBC,

Michael Geoghegan, CEO at HSBC, said, "By combining our technology and worldwide operations more closely we can re-engineer customers' experience of HSBC and at the same time drive down the unit cost of production."

For example, the bank has a single platform known as HSBC Cards, which manages three-quarters of the company's credit card users. The platform helps HSBC achieve a single view of customers, which is one of the main IT challenges facing banks.

Chris Skinner, CEO at financial services think-tank Balatro said the move made sense. "The operational people have a better understanding of the frontline business needs than the IT people."

The combined IT and operations workforce will account for 100,000 out of 350,000 employees worldwide.