Standard Chartered

ED, Hive Technology Leader - Treasury Liquidity and IRRBB

Leading delivery excellence for Functions (Finance, Financial Crime, Digital Foundations, Strategy and Talent, Risk, Legal, Audit).

Head, Functions Delivery Excellence

❉ Led the strategic change program for Regulatory Liquidity and was responsible for the onboarding CFMR, LCR, NSFR, OLAR, Survival Horizon, HKMA, LRF Forecasting, IRRBB, Recovering and Resolution Planning, Funding In Resolution, Fund Transfer Pricing, Data Quality Monitoring - Financial Market Reconciliation, CDE Profiling, LCR DQ and DLRR,. Led the program that delivered the strategic group Regulatory Liquidity platforms covering 19 major markets with cross functional teams across 4 hubs. 

❉ Successfully transitioned Financial Markets Treasury Strats application into Liquidity to generate board metric (OLAR SH, MCO, MWS, NSS, FIR and Recovery and Resolution Planning) reports across 19 markets. Designed, procured, setup the infrastructure and productionized the entire application which was built using Haskell, Mu and GHC.

❉ Leading Technology Obsolescence initiative to decommission legacy platforms in phases, driving efficiencies and savings across financial reporting platforms.

❉ Led the optimization and transformation of the way we work; created strategy, provided structure, building teams and ensured progress. This resulted in my teams having clear autonomy, clear priorities, certainty and space to complete their work to the best of their ability.

❉ Led the setup of the Functions Scrum Master Community of Practice, bringing together 90 - 120 participants each month sharing best practices, case studies and data. A platform that standardized knowledge, awareness, created excitement and enthusiasm including participation and space for proof-of-concepts.

❉ IGNITE Coach and mentor for women across various domains. Coaching is key to empower an individual to reach his/her full potential, overcoming fear and doubt, embracing constant change.

Head of Change Delivery and Transformation, Liquidity, IRRBB, FTP

❉ Led and delivered IFRS9 reporting to the regulator

❉ Led teams to Implement modeling and analytics, self-service reports,  financial 
aggregation and unified workflows using SAS

❉ Delivered and stabilized Liquidity Regulatory reporting across legacy platforms for IRRBB, LCR and MNE.

Senior Technology Project Manager

❉ Established processes for vendor management office in the Malaysia GBS hub. This role requires working closely with China, Singapore and India vendor management and supply chain management offices.

❉ Onboarding and management of vendor resources into GBS Malaysia hub.

❉ Managing costs, rates, RFQ, RFP, vendor headcount and contracts for GBS Malaysia.

Senior Manager Strategy and Vendor Management Office

❉ Led a geographically dispersed engineering team consisting of Technical Architects, Developers, Project Managers, Solutions Managers and Testers

❉ Delivered solutions across Online Banking, SMS banking, Online Rewards and Recognition, CASA, Deposits, Mortgages and Credit Cards

❉ Managed the end-to-end life cycle of engineering projects, ensuring that they fall within budget and on schedule.

❉ Worked with Product and Business Teams to align the engineering efforts with Business Goals

❉ Improved operational efficiencies, including creating processes and best practices.

Head of Channels (Internet Banking, Online Reward and SMS Banking)

Voices of Change

As the host of Voices of Change, I lead meaningful conversations with leaders who are driving transformation, innovation, and leadership across industries.

This podcast is a platform to highlight real stories, inspire growth, and empower people at all stages of their leadership journey. 

I speak with changemakers, trailblazers, and everyday leaders about how they navigate challenges, lead with purpose, and create impact in their careers and communities.

Every episode is a chance to learn, reflect, and lead differently because real change starts with real stories.

Podcast Host

-Conceptualized and implemented innovative customer engagement, revenue management, and payment solutions, achieving a 30% rise in customer satisfaction and increased market visibility.

-Served as a vital link between Sales Directors, Projects, and Human Resources, optimizing resource allocation across the APAC region and driving a significant 22% productivity increase.

-Amassed in-depth domain knowledge in Telecommunications, particularly in Billing and Routing, resulting in a 15% enhancement in operational efficiency in these sectors

Regional Project Services Manager, APAC

Mahindra Satyam BPO

-Responded to the $2M GE RFP, improving Hangzhou plant efficiency by 30% and market footprint by 25% via a subsequent $3.5M contract with Pfizer in the U.S.

-Established a Business Intelligence & Data Warehousing Centre in Malaysia, boosting skilled job opportunities by 20% and growing fresh graduate hires by 30% annually via university programs.

-Enhanced team productivity & operational efficiency by training & onboarding 15 staff under high-stress conditions.

Head, Datawarehousing and Business Intelligence

CV SOFT Sdn. Bhd.

-Mastered new programming languages (Java, VB, SQL, Oracle, Access) and developed an Access Management System, which was adopted by 3 local universities and 5 small companies, increasing their system efficiency by 40%.

Senior Software Developer

Change Management Leader | Executive Director in Treasury Tech | 20+ Years in Banking Innovation | Keynote Speaker | Empowering Women to Lead & Thrive

I help banks navigate complex treasury transformations without breaking operations.

Most regulatory system migrations are disasters. Mine aren't.

Recently, I led a complete Treasury Regulatory Group Reporting overhaul at Standard Chartered Bank—new platform, new/upgraded applications, new regulations/policies, new processes. Result: zero business disruption, 100% compliance with regulatory deadlines, and stakeholders who were "pleasantly surprised" it went so smoothly.

That's what 20+ years of change management expertise looks like in practice.

What I do today

As Executive Director of Treasury Liquidity & IRRBB (Interest Rate Risk in Banking Books) Technology at Standard Chartered Bank, I design and implement strategic technology systems that keep operations running while we transform them.

Results that matter: • Led cross-functional teams and programs that reduced operational costs by $42M - optimizing yearly • Improved project completion rates by more than 90% and efficiency by 95% • Founded the CIO Scrum Master Community of Practice changing perception and increasing capabilities • Transformed 37 teams across 10 domains into New Ways of Working and much more.

Beyond the day job

I speak at conferences on change management and women's leadership. I've also coached 100+ professionals through major career transitions—because navigating change is what I do best.

Let's connect

Looking for a change management expert who delivers results without the drama? 
Let's talk: niraseethacristian@gmail.com

I thought my team hated change.

Turns out, they just hated how invisible it made them feel.

A few years ago, I started a new project.
It was supposed to make things better.

New tools.
New ideas.
New goals.

But something felt wrong.
People stopped sharing their thoughts.
Deadlines were missed.
Meetings went quiet.

At first, I thought they were not ready for change.
But later I saw it was not the change they feared.
It was the fear of losing their place.

One team lead told me,
“It feels like what we built doesn’t matter anymore.”

That line stayed with me.

They were not fighting the new plan.
They were fighting the feeling of being unseen.

Every change shakes people a little.
It takes away what they know.
It makes them doubt what they bring to the table.

That day I learned something important.
When people resist change, they are not being stubborn.
They are trying to hold on to what once gave them value.

Now, when I lead change, I do one thing first.

I make people feel safe.
I remind them they still matter.
Because people don’t fear change.
They fear being left behind by it.

P.S. - When your team pulls back during change, do you listen to their fear or push past it?
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Seetha Cristian

Change Management Specialist | Zero-disruption regulatory transformations for banks & fintechs | I make complex treasury migrations look effortless | Executive Director & Speaker

They said empathy would make me a “soft leader.”

But it became the reason my team never left my side.

I learned this lesson years ago.

One of my team members started missing deadlines.
Back then, I would have called her in and talked about performance.

But that day, I stopped myself.
Instead, I asked, “Are you okay?”

She broke down.
Her mother was in the hospital.
She was trying to manage everything alone.

If I had spoken about targets that day, I would have lost her trust.
But I chose to listen.

A week later, she came back stronger, more focused, and more loyal than ever.

That moment changed how I see leadership.

Empathy doesn’t make you weak.
It makes your people feel safe.

And when people feel safe, they do their best work not because they have to, but because they want to.

Empathy is not a soft skill.
It’s a strong one.

And the leaders who understand that never need to raise their voice to be respected.

💬I’d love to hear from you:
What’s one moment that changed how you lead with empathy?
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They told her she wasn’t ready for leadership.

She showed them you don’t need permission to lead.

A young woman once asked me, “How do I act like a leader when I don’t feel like one yet?”

I smiled and said, “Stop acting. Start deciding.”

Because being a leader isn’t about acting strong.
It’s about showing up when it feels hard.
It’s about making choices and learning from them.

When I first mentored her, she kept asking for approval.
She wanted someone to say her idea was good before she spoke up.

So I told her something simple:
“Make the call. Then make it right.”

From that day, she stopped waiting to feel ready.
She started trusting her own voice.
And that changed everything.

A few months later, she was leading her team with calm strength.
People followed her because she was honest, not perfect.

Here’s what I tell every woman stepping into leadership:

You don’t have to be fearless.
You just have to stop making yourself small to make others comfortable.

Confidence doesn’t come first.
It grows when you start moving, even when you doubt yourself.

Tell me this - What one thing you wish someone had told you before you stepped into leadership?

(Your story might be the one another woman needs today.)
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The one lesson I’ve learned from every audience I’ve spoken to


Most people think speaking is about delivering the “perfect talk.”

But what no one tells you is this:
The audience is shaping the talk with you, in real time.

Here’s what I’ve learned from them over the years:

Silence speaks louder than applause.
When an audience goes quiet, it usually means you’ve touched something deep. That silence is feedback.

Energy tells you if you’re connecting.
It’s in the eyes, the nods, the body language. If you pay attention, you’ll know whether to slow down, explain more, or share a story.

Questions show the real needs.
It’s not always your planned words that matter most. It’s the answers you give when someone asks from the heart.

The stage may give you the mic.
But the audience gives you the wisdom.

Speaking is not one-way.
It’s a mirror.

And if you listen closely, every audience will leave you with lessons worth keeping.

Tell me, what is one time when listening to others taught you more than speaking?
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Monday doesn't have to feel this heavy.

I get it. 

The weekend disappeared in a flash, and now you're staring down another week feeling like you're already behind.

You're not alone. 

63% of us in Southeast Asia are burnt out Hiring Pain Points in 2025: Key Challenges & Fixes. 

60% of Singaporeans are living paycheck to paycheck Burnout Report 2025 reveals generational divide in levels of stress and work absence - Mental Health UK. 

77% are stressed about rising costs 35 Work Life Balance Statistics [2025]. 

We're tired, stretched thin, and honestly? Just trying to keep up.

But here's what I've learned: how we show up on Monday matters more than we think.

When we drag ourselves into the week with frustration or apathy, we're not just having a slow start. 

We're making it harder on ourselves. Tasks pile up. The week feels impossible. 

And by Friday, we're exhausted but no closer to where we actually want to be.

What if we flipped it?

What if Monday became the moment we choose momentum over survival mode? 

Not fake positivity. Just intention. 

A quiet decision to bring energy instead of dread. To focus on what moves us forward instead of what weighs us down.

You've already made it through tougher weeks than this one.

So today, choose to step into Monday strong. 

Choose motivation over resignation. 

Choose to believe this week can be different—because it starts with how you decide to feel right now.

You've got this. Let's go.

If someone in your network needs this reminder today, share it with them. Sometimes we all need that Monday reset. 🔄
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I've led 20+ transformations. 

The ones that fail all make the same mistake in step 3.


After leading everything from $42M treasury migrations to helping drowning project managers, I've developed a 13-step framework that turns chaos into clarity.

My change management framework 👇 

1. Why - Start with purpose, not process 

2. Who is this impacting? - Map your stakeholders first

3. Is there clarity? - If you're confused, they're confused ⬅ This is where most fail

4. Who drives decisions? - Find the real power, not the org chart

5. Who supports vs. resists? - Know your allies and obstacles

6. How do your strengths help? - Play to your natural abilities

7. What's the plan? - Draft with stakeholders, not for them

8. Give clarity at all levels - Senior leaders need it too

8. Offline influence work - The real decisions happen in hallways

9. Communicate through resistance - Pushback means they're listening

10. Understand the resistance - It makes your plan stronger

11. Shape your team - Remove hurdles, add motivation

12. Track tangibly - What gets measured gets trusted

Why step 3 matters 👇 

Yesterday, I coached Andrea—a project manager drowning in constant change with zero stakeholder buy-in. 

She thought she had communication problems.

The real issue? She had clarity but assumed everyone else did too. One conversation about step 3, immediate transformation.

This same principle is why my treasury regulatory overhaul succeeded while others crash spectacularly.

What specific step do you skip most often in your change initiatives?
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If your success is stressing you out, read this.

I wish someone told me this earlier.

There was a time I thought stress was proof I was growing.

If I wasn’t busy, I felt behind.
If I wasn’t chasing something, I felt lost.
I thought rest meant weakness.

So I kept running.

Meetings. Deadlines. More goals. More hustle.

I remember sitting on the couch, lights off…
and asking myself - Why does everything feel so heavy?

That was my wake-up call.

I wasn’t chasing dreams anymore.
I was running from fear.

💥 Fear of being left behind
💥 Fear of not being “enough”
💥 Fear of slowing down

That’s when I saw it.
Ambition had quietly turned into anxiety.

So I made two small changes
And each one gave me a piece of my peace back 👇

1️⃣ I stopped proving and started choosing.
 
I asked myself 👇
Am I doing this because I want to… or because I feel I should?
That one question changed everything.

2️⃣ I wrote this one sentence on a sticky note

I don’t have to earn my worth.
It sounds simple, I know.
But seeing it daily reminded me 
I’m not here to keep proving. I’m here to keep becoming.

Now, I still have big goals.

But they no longer cost me my peace.

And if you’re reading this feeling heavy,
like ambition is wearing you down instead of lifting you up

Please hear me 👇

✅You don’t need to do more to matter more.
✅Your rest is just as powerful as your hustle.

P.S. What helps you slow down - without guilt?
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I have seen change efforts fail even when the process looked perfect.


The plan was clear.
The system was ready.
The timeline was managed well.

On paper, it all made sense.
But the people were not ready.

Some were worried about losing their role.
Some felt they were not heard.
Others stopped trusting the leaders who were driving the change.

And slowly, the effort broke apart.

This is the real reason many change efforts fail.
It is not about poor planning.
It is about forgetting the people who must live through the change.

A process cannot resist change.
But people can.

And when fear or doubt grows, no plan can save it.

So what should leaders do?
Start with people before process.

👉Try this:
Have short weekly talks with your team.

Ask only one question:
“What feels hard about this change right now?”

Then listen.
Act on what you hear.
And repeat it.

That is how trust grows.
And trust is what makes change last.

I’ve shared one reason why change fails. 

Now it's your turn from your own experience, what else makes change so hard for people? 
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The moment I thought I was doing great as a leader was the moment I almost lost my team’s trust.


I used to believe a leader should always have the answers.
So in meetings, I spoke first.
I explained what we would do and why.

I thought I was helping.
But my team saw something else.

One day, a teammate pulled me aside and said,
“Seetha, we want to be heard too. Sometimes it feels like the decision is already made before we walk in.”

That was a hard truth.
I never meant to silence anyone.
But my actions made them feel that way.

Here is what I learned:
Speaking too much can close doors.
Asking and listening can open them.

Since then, I’ve changed my approach:

I speak last in meetings.
I ask more questions than I answer.
I give silence a chance, so others can step in.

The result?

Stronger ideas.
More trust.
And my team feels like we are building together.

P.S. What is one small change you made as a leader that earned more trust from your team?
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When teams lose their way, I don’t rush to fix them.
I use something called the Change Compass.

Because most of the time, the problem is not the people.
It’s the direction.

Here’s a simple 3-step tool I use to help teams get back on track.

✅Step 1: Recenter on the North Star

Start by asking one question.
Why are we doing this in the first place?

You’ll be surprised how often teams forget the real reason behind their work.
When the “why” is not clear, even a good plan can feel lost.

✅Step 2: Check the Compass Points

Every team has four points:

↳ Strategy
↳ Structure
↳ Mindset
↳ Momentum

If one point slips, the others shake too.
Find the weak point and focus there first.

✅Step 3: Realign through Small Wins

You don’t build alignment in meetings.
You build it through small wins that show everyone,
we are moving again.

The Change Compass is simple.
But it brings calm when things feel messy.

And that calm often shows what true leadership looks like.

If your team feels a little off track,
which point do you think needs your attention right now?
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37 teams later, I stopped trying to lead change.

I started learning from it.

When I began working on transformation, I thought my job was to push people to change.

To make things move faster.
To fix what wasn’t working.

But after working with 37 different teams, I learned something else.

Change doesn’t happen because you push harder.
It happens when you start to understand people better.

Here are 3 lessons that changed how I lead 👇

1️⃣Clarity before speed.

↳ In the beginning, I thought speed was the goal.

↳ But most teams move fast without knowing where they’re going.

↳ Now, I slow things down until everyone knows why we are doing something not just how fast we can do it.

2️⃣ Empathy before execution.

↳ You can’t lead people if you don’t see what they feel.

↳ Change is scary. It brings fear, doubt, and loss of comfort.

↳ When I started asking simple questions like, “What feels hard about this change?” everything got easier.

3️⃣Consistency before celebration.

↳ Real change isn’t one big win.

↳ It’s doing small things every day until they become normal.

↳ Now I don’t rush to celebrate results, I celebrate steady effort.

These lessons didn’t come from books.

They came from real people.
From teams that taught me that transformation starts within us first.

I’d love to hear your take - Which of these three lessons speaks to you the most?

Drop your thoughts in the comments.

And if this post made you pause or reflect,
share it with someone who’s leading change right now.
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I walked into that meeting ready to prove myself.

I walked out realizing I didn’t have to anymore.

That moment made me think deeply about what confidence really means.

When I started leading teams, people would tell me,
“You’re so confident, Seetha.”

But what they really meant was,
“You look calm. You sound sure.”

And that’s where many women fall into a quiet trap.

We start to believe that confidence means we must be perfect.
That we can’t make mistakes.
That if we’re unsure, we should hide it.

But real confidence isn’t about being right all the time.
It’s about trusting yourself even when you’re not sure.

Here are a few things that helped me change how I see confidence:

1️⃣Confidence isn’t the same as knowing everything.
You can be confident and still learning.
It’s okay to say, “I don’t know yet.”

2️⃣Perfection slows you down.
When you wait for everything to be perfect,
you stop yourself from moving forward.

3️⃣Being strong doesn’t mean hiding your fears.
True strength is being honest, kind, and aware of what you feel.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re pretending to be confident,
you’re not missing confidence.
You’re just defining it in the wrong way.

P.S. What’s one thing about confidence you had to unlearn in your own journey?
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