DBS’ NEAL CROSS RECOGNISED AS THE MOST DISRUPTIVE CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER GLOBALLY

DBS Chief Innovation Officer Neal Cross (right) with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, at the Talent Unleashed awards. Wozniak was on the panel of judges that named Cross the most disruptive CIO globally.

SINGAPORE, 30 August, 2016 – A
panel which consists of prominent business innovators including Apple
co-Founder Steve Wozniak and Virgin Group Founder, Sir Richard Branson, has
judged DBS’ Chief Innovation Officer, Neal Cross, as the most disruptive Chief
Innovation Officer (CIO)/ Chief Technology Officer (CTO) globally.

In a recent Talent Unleashed competition,
which recognises exceptional individuals and organisations who are unleashing
technology in the workplace and community, Cross edged out competitors from across
UK, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand to be recognised as the most
disruptive CIO.

The judging panel was impressed with
Cross’ authenticity in catalysing innovation, enabling it to permeate the
organisation, as well as his down-to-earth and practical approach in helping to
roll out innovation across the bank.

Led by DBS CEO Piyush Gupta and his senior leadership team,
together with Cross and DBS employees from virtually every part of the
organisation, the bank has made re-imagining banking a significant part of its
agenda. In July, DBS received worldwide recognition for its digitisation
efforts and was the first bank to be named “World’s Best Digital Bank” at the
prestigious Euromoney Awards for Excellence. In so doing, it pipped BBVA, Citi and
ING to this highly coveted award.

Said Gupta: “At DBS, we have spent the last three years intently
pursuing a digital agenda. At the heart of this is our belief that with the
rapid changes upon our industry, we need to transform the bank, and to turn it
into a 22,000-person fintech. To be globally recognised at an organisational
level by Euromoney, and now again as having the most disruptive CIO, is
validation that our digital transformation is seen as being among the best in
the world.”

In recent years, DBS has undertaken an
extensive innovation programme that includes the introduction of lean start-up
thinking and human-centred design methodologies.

In 2015, DBS also enhanced its engagement
with the start-up community with the launch of DBS HotSpot, a pre-accelerator
programme for fintech, social enterprises and digital start-ups to encourage
entrepreneurialism. The pre-accelerator was well received with over 250
applications made in the second run of the programme.

Wozniak, who led the panel selecting the
Global winners, said: “The Talent Unleashed awards represent people who have
had ideas, started companies and created products that either do good for
society, help people or give us more in our life.”  He has been supporting
the awards for the past three years.

Said Cross: “To be recognised at the
global level is truly a great honour both for my team and myself. As a bank,
DBS has been constantly driving innovation to re-imagine how banking can be
done, so that customers can live more and do the things they want to do. We are
honoured that the international community recognises these efforts.”

The other winners at Talent Unleashed included:

–       ODOCS as Best Start-Up
– Social Impact

–       CleverTar as Best
Start-Up – Tech Innovation

–       TherapyBox as Best
Digital SME

–       ResApp Health for Best
Tech IPO/Venture Capital Raising

The five winners will travel to Silicon Valley for an
exclusive tour of some of the world’s leading technology companies and receive
individual time with Wozniak to be guided on their continued innovation
journey.