Avtar Sehmbi
Global COO & CTO | Board Director
& NED | Regulated Financial Services
Driving global change across borders, cultures and sectors
Driving global change across borders, cultures and sectors
Global COO & CTO leading enterprise-scale transformation across business, technology, risk and operations within highly regulated, complex environments. Accountable for building and running AI-enabled, platform-driven operating models that deliver performance at global scale.
Operating models are being fundamentally reshaped by technology, regulation and structural economic shifts. AI is accelerating this change, compressing processes, redefining roles and shifting accountability beyond traditional structures.
Organisations that succeed do so at the architectural level, not just the strategic level. I operate at that intersection, aligning technology and business to deliver execution at global scale.
I have led global roles across 40+ countries spanning technology, operations, risk and enterprise transformation across investment banking, capital markets, telecoms, energy, insurance, healthcare and global trade finance. My work includes directing $26B+ of M&A and divestitures, shaping operating models impacting over 180 million customers, and leading transformation across organisations of 330,000+ employees.
I am trusted in environments where governance, security and execution are critical. This includes delivering programmes under U.S. Treasury and Bank of England supervision, leading high-security government initiatives, and designing technology and regulatory frameworks that influence international operations.
I partner directly with boards and executive teams at organisations including HSBC, Deloitte, Cigna, Verizon, Centrica, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, Daimler/Mercedes-Benz, Intel, Rio Tinto and the London Stock Exchange, navigating complexity, risk and scale.
My leadership philosophy is human-first. Technology and operating models should serve people, not the other way around. This principle underpins both commercial transformation and social impact initiatives, including building cash-management platforms for global charities and supporting national sustainability goals such as the UK’s 2035 carbon-emissions targets.
I work directly with boards, CEOs and investors to lead enterprise transformation and execute at scale in an AI-enabled, platform-driven economy.
Accountable for operating platforms across 30+ jurisdictions within a $235B enterprise. Delivered market entry across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, directed $13B in cross-border M&A integration and governed AI programmes generating $220M+ value per use case.
Stabilised HSBC’s $43B revenue platform across 67 countries under concurrent DOJ, OCC and PRA consent orders — navigating 14 supervisory bodies while rebuilding technology, operations and risk infrastructure at global scale.
Reduced structural OpEx by 24% and released 25% trapped capital across a $15B energy trading platform — modernising critical infrastructure, reducing risk exposure by 34% and supporting national smart-metering delivery aligned to the UK’s carbon reduction roadmap.
Built trading infrastructure and technology platforms across banking and capital markets in the UK and Switzerland — leading post-merger integration and securing regulated market-infrastructure mandates.
Led post-acquisition integration across 60 countries — reducing costs 18%, increasing network capacity 30% and strengthening resilience for critical national infrastructure.
Co-founded Currency Times LLP, managing fixed-income and FX portfolios while building risk monitoring frameworks grounded in stress testing and scenario analysis.
Delivered AI and digital operating models with governance aligned to sovereign data, model risk and regulatory requirements.
Led operational transformation across 40+ countries, including market entry, integration and large-scale platform build-outs.
Strengthened cyber, resilience and critical infrastructure controls under board, regulator and national-security scrutiny.
Directed $26B in cross-border M&A and regulatory remediation across career, including preservation of HSBC’s $43B revenue platform.
Aligned operating architecture with capital efficiency, balance-sheet resilience and measurable cost reduction.
Advised Audit, Risk and Remuneration Committees on transformation, resilience, AI governance and regulatory confidence, including building 2LoD frameworks across credit, market, liquidity, operational, technology and model risk.
Delivered double-digit OpEx reductions, reduced cycle times by 34% and retired 26 legacy platforms through large-scale operating model redesign, automation and platform simplification across global regulated businesses.
Built and scaled new markets and operating platforms delivering $400M in revenue with 28% CAGR, including greenfield expansion across India, the Middle East and Africa.
Preserved HSBC’s $43B revenue platform under concurrent DOJ, OCC and PRA consent orders — navigating 14 regulatory bodies across 67 countries while maintaining business continuity throughout multi-year remediation.
Driving AI-enabled operating models, overseeing $220M in AI value creation per use case, accelerating deployment by 35% and embedding model risk governance to align innovation with regulatory standards.
Transformation succeeds when incentives, culture and accountability move together.
Leaders create value by simplifying difficult decisions and turning them into action.
Board-level accountability demands uncompromising standards. Risk, compliance and ethical governance must be embedded into every operating model from day one.
The greatest legacy a CxO can leave is the leaders they develop. Mentorship and talent development are non-negotiable at every level of the organisation.
Technology is a means to an end — not the end itself. AI, digital transformation and emerging tech must serve a clear human and business purpose.
Featured by the London Stock Exchange Group in The Digital Banker, July 2025.
From Green Street to Global Boardrooms, 2025.
Beyond Borders, Beyond Banking, August 2025.
From Markets to Movements, September 2025.
Featured by the London Stock Exchange on the growing role of technology leaders in shaping the future of banking.
The strategic evolution of India's Global Capability Centres and their role in next-generation operating models.
Leadership perspectives on adaptability, resilience and execution across complex, regulated organisations.
How financial services is shifting from retrospective reporting to predictive, AI-driven intelligence.
International Business Times recognised leadership delivering large-scale transformation, innovation and organisational change across global markets.
How a career spanning fixed-income trading to global COO leadership shaped a new model of technology executive.
CEO Magazine highlighted leadership operating at the intersection of innovation, strategy and organisational transformation.
Featured by the London Stock Exchange on how technology leaders are redefining the CEO role through cybersecurity strategy.
Operating model transformation, AI governance and global platform leadership.
Discussion on regulation, resilience, AI governance and enterprise execution.
Advisory support for boards navigating transformation, risk and technology governance.