ZhongAn International's Ken Lo joins panel at the 2019 ABF Digital Payments Summit

He will discuss key strategies on how players can adapt amidst the emergence of virtual banks.

Ken Lo is currently the head of strategic partnership at ZhongAn International, where he was one of the founding members. As an experienced thought leader, he has more than 10 years of financial industry experience, ranging from banking, consulting, and fintech.

Ken started his career as a management trainee across retail and corporate banking businesses, where he managed relationship managers and established digital and strategic partnership teams for Hong Kong and APAC, driving innovation and investment opportunities with global tech firms and fintechs. He also specialises in serving banking and insurance companies on digital transformation and fintech strategies.

He currently serves as a board member of the FinTech Association of Hong Kong and as an adjunct assistant professor with the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is also a regular speaker at internationally recognised events and conferences.

In an interview with Asian Banking & Finance, Lo discussed his previous work experience, as well as how banks can stay ahead in a rapidly evolving payments industry.

What were your previous experiences and positions that contributed to who you are as a banker/expert today?

I was the head of strategic partnership at HSBC prior to joining ZhongAn International as a founding member and head of strategic partnership. I am also a board member for Hong Kong FinTech Association and an adjunct assistant professor for Master of Fintech Programme at the Chinese University of HK; that reflects my credential in this field.

How can banks in Asia capture the opportunities arising from a rapidly evolving payments industry and what are the best practices and strategies to stay ahead?

There are three suggestions:

1. Banks should design overarching payment strategies (retail and corporate banking) on how to work with different fintech payment companies (they can be a friend to corporate banking using their FX and remittance rail, but a foe to retail banking as revenue erosion potential). 
2. Banks should start investing in key capabilities in payment (i.e., security, authentication) or invest in potential fintech. 
3. Banks should establish an open API strategy to accelerate the partnership with fintech, and thus, capabilities to conduct faster testing and POC can be one key capability to build.

Can you give us a glimpse of what you will share at the ABF Digital Payments Summit 2019?

It will be about how banks and fintechs should react towards the emergence of virtual banking.

The 2019 ABF Digital Payments Summit will take place on 28 August in Hong Kong. To learn more about the event, click here. To register, click here. For inquiries, you may contact Andrea at [email protected] or at +65 3158 1386 ext 212