Macquarie Bank's digital chief to join Westpac

Macquarie Bank’s chief digital officer of almost a decade Luis Uguina is set to join Westpac in January next year.

Uguina’s departure was effectively flagged in a statement by Macquarie where it added responsibility for digital to existing chief data and AI officer Ashwin Sinha’s role.

Sinha is now the chief data, digital and AI officer, a combined remit that the bank expected would result in lessons “from data and AI [being] further integrated into the design and delivery of Macquarie’s digital banking experiences.”

“These efforts will enable the continued evolution of functionality while providing an even greater level of personalisation and responsiveness for customers,” it said.

“Data gives AI context, and AI gives data purpose. When used effectively together, we know they can transform digital experiences from static interfaces into intelligent and personalised services that evolve over time and anticipate customer needs,” Macquarie Group’s head of banking and financial services Greg Ward said in a statement.

“That’s the journey we’ve been on in recent years, and I know Ashwin’s vision and deep experience will help us further accelerate our efforts as we look to the future.”

Meanwhile, Uguina is set to become Westpac’s general manager of digital, data and AI for consumer banking, reporting to chief digital and AI officer Andrew McMullan, himself formerly of CBA.

Announcing the appointment to staff yesterday, Westpac's consumer chief executive Carolyn McCann said that a key priority for the consumer division "is to embed a digital-first channel strategy - transforming our channels to exceed customer expectations, moving simple sales and service interactions online, and empowering our exceptional bankers to have more meaningful, data-driven conversations."

"This role is central to achieving that vision, and I’m thrilled to welcome Luis, whose track record in driving digital transformation and innovation is exceptional," she said.

Until Uguina joins, the digital, data and AI and consumer executive functions at Westpac will receive support from Emma Prentice.