TLDR: Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) has appointed Ahmed Mazhari as its Groupwide AI Transformation Advisor and is concurrently launching a new agentic AI venture in Singapore. This strategic move aims to significantly advance SMFG’s AI integration and capabilities, with the new venture developing enterprise agentic AI solutions for both the SMBC Group and broader corporate clients.
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) announced a significant leap in its artificial intelligence strategy with the appointment of Ahmed Jamil Mazhari as its Groupwide AI Transformation Advisor. Concurrently, SMFG, in partnership with Mr. Mazhari, is establishing a new agentic AI solutions company headquartered in Singapore. This dual approach underscores SMFG’s commitment to becoming an ‘AI-leading Financial Institution’ and to fundamentally reforming its core business operations through generative AI .
SMFG’s vision is to embed AI across all its operations, from internal processes to customer-facing interactions, aiming to enhance efficiency and deliver more personalized and meaningful experiences. The long-term objective is to eventually offer these advanced AI capabilities as services to its customers and the wider ecosystem .
To realize this ambitious vision, SMBC Group is adopting a ‘dual-engine approach.’ Firstly, Mr. Mazhari will serve as Executive Advisor for AI Transformation, spearheading deep internal changes. His role will involve leading group-wide AI transformation initiatives across key hubs including Tokyo and Singapore, supported by the Group Management Committee and a dedicated internal AI team .
Secondly, SMFG and Mr. Mazhari will jointly launch the new agentic AI venture in Singapore. This startup is designed to create a new intelligence layer for enterprises, where AI agents can learn, reason, and act autonomously in complex business environments. The venture will initially serve SMBC Group as ‘customer zero’ for the deployment of AI agents before expanding its services to the broader market. Mr. Mazhari will also assume the role of CEO for this new company, with a focus on attracting top global AI talent and rapidly developing scalable solutions .
SMFG has committed substantial investment to its digital transformation, allocating an initial JPY 800 billion. Specifically for generative AI, JPY 50 billion has been earmarked until the next medium-term management plan. Foundational programs like SMBC-GAI and AI-CEO have already laid the groundwork for this transformative journey .
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Mr. Mazhari brings over two decades of global leadership experience to his new role, having held significant positions at organizations such as GE Capital, Genpact, and Microsoft. As a founding member of Genpact, he was instrumental in its growth from a nascent stage to a publicly listed company on the New York Stock Exchange. At Microsoft Asia, he oversaw business operations in the APAC region and developed the AI solutions delivery framework, contributing significantly to the company’s rapid expansion .
