This appointment represents a significant leadership opportunity for a seasoned Operations executive with fluent Mandarin and a strong track record within wholesale or corporate banking. With a minimum of 10-15 years’ experience in complex banking operations, the successful candidate will step into a strategically critical role supporting the COO and senior management team in shaping, strengthening, and future‑proofing the Bank’s operational platform in the UK.
My client is a well‑established Chinese corporate bank with a strong footprint in London and an ambitious roadmap for growth. The Deputy Head of Operations will play a pivotal role in ensuring operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and high‑integrity execution across all core banking processes.
The Role
This is a senior, influential, and highly visible position requiring a leader who can combine deep technical authority, sound risk and control judgement, and strong people leadership. The role offers the scope to drive operational standards, uplift capability, and directly influence the Bank’s governance environment.
You will be responsible for the effective oversight of all day‑to‑day operational activities across:
Payments Operations (domestic & international)
Treasury Settlements
Trade Finance Operations
Loan Administration (bilateral & syndicated)
Reconciliations, Correspondent Banking & Custodian Services
Alongside core delivery, you will champion a robust operational risk and control framework, oversee CASS‑related responsibilities as a delegated SMF individual, and own key elements of the Bank’s UK regulatory reporting landscape including EMIR, MiFID II, SFTR, SCV, SMMD and CASS.
The Deputy Head of Operations will also play a critical role in leading and supporting strategic change initiatives, from systems enhancements and UAT governance to business continuity planning and regulatory reviews.
Close partnership with Front Office, Compliance, Risk, Finance, Internal Audit and governance committees is essential to success.
Candidate Requirements
* Minimum 10-15 years’ experience in operational leadership roles within corporate or wholesale banking
* Broad and hands‑on expertise covering Treasury, Clearing, Corporate Banking and Custodian Operations
* Strong understanding of UK regulatory requirements and their impact on Operations
* Proficiency with SWIFT, Treasury booking/settlement systems (e.g. OPICS) and core operational platforms
* Demonstrated people leadership and experience uplifting team capability
* Proven ability to operate confidently with Compliance, Risk, Audit and senior management
* Excellent communication skills in English; Mandarin essential for collaboration with head office
* Exceptional organisational discipline, accuracy, and the ability to perform under pressure
Summary
This is a rare opportunity to join a respected Chinese corporate bank at a senior level, shaping and delivering the operational backbone that enables business growth, regulatory integrity, and client trust. It is ideally suited to an experienced Operations leader who brings both technical depth and strategic foresight, combined with the cultural fluency to operate seamlessly between London and China.