The Head of Applications, APAC IT is responsible for leading the strategy, governance, delivery, and lifecycle management of enterprise applications across APAC region. This role oversees the stability, scalability, and modernization of the application landscape, ensuring alignment with business priorities, enterprise architecture, and global technology standards. Combining strategic leadership with operational excellence, the role drives application transformation initiatives, optimizes vendor partnerships, and ensures secure, resilient, and high-performing platforms that support business growth, while working closely with business leaders, IT teams, and external partners to deliver measurable outcomes and sustainable technology capabilities.
In addition to the responsibilities outlined above, this role also encompasses the duties of the
Head of IT for Hong Kong. In this capacity, the incumbent will provide strategic leadership and oversight of the organization's IT functions in Hong Kong, ensuring that technology initiatives are aligned with business objectives, operational priorities, and the overall IT strategy.
This role reports to APAC Head of IT and is based in Hong Kong (Regional travel is required).
Key Responsibilities:
Application Strategy & Roadmap
- Define and execute the APAC application strategy aligned with global technology direction and regional business objectives.
- Develop and maintain multi-year application roadmaps covering core systems, digital platforms, and supporting enterprise solutions.
- Rationalize and modernize the application portfolio to reduce technical debt and improve agility.
- Ensure alignment with enterprise architecture, cybersecurity, data, and cloud strategies.
Application Delivery & Transformation
- Lead end-to-end delivery of application initiatives, including new implementations, enhancements, integrations, and decommissioning.
- Drive modernization programs such as cloud migration, API enablement, microservices adoption, and legacy transformation.
- Ensure scalable, secure, and resilient system design across markets.
- Oversee regional rollouts of global platforms, ensuring localization while maintaining standardization.
Application Operations & Governance
- Ensure high availability, performance, and service reliability of business-critical applications.
- Establish strong IT governance, change management, and release management practices.
- Monitor and manage SLAs, KPIs, and operational metrics to drive continuous improvement.
- Enforce compliance with regulatory requirements and internal control standards across APAC markets.
Stakeholder & Vendor Management
- Act as the primary point of accountability for application services.
- Partner closely with business leaders to prioritize initiatives and manage demand.
- Manage strategic vendor relationships, system integrators, and outsourced service providers.
- Oversee budget planning, cost optimization, and contract governance for application services.
Team Leadership & Capability Development
- Lead and develop a regional applications team, including solution leads, business analysts, developers, testers and support personnel.
- Foster a high-performance, customer-focused, and delivery-oriented culture.
- Build regional capabilities in modern application development practices (Agile, DevOps, CI/CD).
- Support talent development and succession planning across APAC markets.
Head of IT – Hong Kong
- Provide overall leadership for Hong Kong IT operations.
- Align local IT strategy with regional and business objectives.
- Partner with local business leaders to understand strategic priorities and deliver technology solutions.
- Ensure stable, secure, and efficient IT services supporting Hong Kong operations.
- Oversee IT governance, operational excellence, cybersecurity, risk management, and regulatory compliance.
- Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, corporate policies, and internal control standards.
- Manage local IT budgets, resource planning, and vendor relationships.
- Oversee local infrastructure, workplace technology, end-user computing, and operational support through collaboration with regional technology teams.
- Lead local technology initiatives and coordinate regional project implementation within Hong Kong.
- Support business continuity, disaster recovery, and operational resilience planning.
- Represent IT in local management forums and governance committees.
- Act as the primary escalation point for significant technology incidents affecting Hong Kong operations.
Key Deliverables:
- Development and execution of a regional application strategy aligned with business goals.
- Implementation and optimization of core business applications across the APAC region.
- Seamless integration of applications with enterprise systems and data platforms.
- Compliance with regional regulatory requirements and global IT standards.
- Improved application performance and user experience through ongoing optimization.
- Enhanced reporting and analytics capabilities within applications.
- Successful implementation of change management and end-user training initiatives.
Qualifications:
- Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field.
- Experience: 12+ years of experience in business application management, with at least 5 years in a leadership role. Proven track record in managing and optimizing enterprise applications in the insurance or financial services sector. Experience in leading large-scale application implementation and rollout projects across multiple countries. Experience in leading or managing end-to-end IT functions, including IT operations, infrastructure, cybersecurity, governance, and vendor management, is an advantage.
- Technical Skills: Expertise in enterprise applications such as policy administration systems, claims management platforms, CRM tools, and finance systems (e.g., Guidewire, Salesforce, SAP). Strong understanding of integration technologies, API-first architecture, cloud-based platforms, and modern DevOps practices. Knowledge of Agile and Waterfall methodologies for project management.
- Problem-Solving Skills: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a focus on continuous improvement and innovation.
- Leadership Skills: Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills to engage with diverse teams. Strategic thinker with the ability to balance short-term priorities with long-term objectives.
