Taking advantage of an explosion in data volume to automate and scale data governance processes will reduce cost, lessen risk, and enable new business opportunities.

Chris Barford

EY Hong Kong Financial Services Consulting AI & Data Lead

Data evangelist. Passionate about financial services enabling social value. Believes in diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace. Avid traveler.

Chris is a technologist and is responsible for projects driving the strategic transformation of his client's businesses using artificial intelligence (AI), analytics and data in Asia-Pacific. Chris began his career in London, before moving to Asia in 2016.

His purpose is to build powerful platforms that help enable innovative customer insights, regulatory risk management, advanced data science and AI.

Chris is involved in various aspects of the future of finance, which includes Web 3.0 (digital assets and blockchain), the sustainability agenda (ESG data collection, disclosure and reporting) and helping organizations become resilient in an increasingly complex world.

He works closely with banks and insurers to apply his technical knowledge on how technology and digitalization can help deliver business value. He has a proven track record of providing technological upgrades in large business transformation projects.

He holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.

How Chris is building a better working world

“I am helping FinTechs and other financial services firms in conjunction with professional associations of Hong Kong to develop new data strategies and approaches to using AI and data in the Greater Bay Area of China. I work as an elected board director of the association to identify potential FinTechs, then work with regulators and industry bodies on technology, platforms and regulations that can support and drive the next generation of financial innovation.”

Chris's latest thinking

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