Cynthia

2019 Graduate Talent（Trainee）

Relationship Manager, TMT，Corporate Banking

This year marks Cynthia’s 6th year with OCBC Bank China. Since joining the OCBC Graduate Talent Program in 2019, she has never stopped moving forward. Starting with the headquarters training under the Graduate Talent Program, Cynthia went through rotation in Shanghai before returning to Shenzhen to become a Relationship Manager. In 2023, she joined the newly established TMT (Technology, Media, and Telecommunications) industry team within Corporate Banking. At the end of March 2025, Cynthia embarked on a brand-new career journey at OCBC Bank by heading to the WCM TMT team at the Singapore headquarters for a six-month short-term assignment.

The idea of seizing opportunities and embarking on a second growth curve through cross-regional career development began in May 2024, when Cynthia had the chance to participate in the Graduate Talent Learning Week held in Jakarta, Indonesia. This experience not only broadened her horizons but also deepened her understanding of OCBC Bank’s presence and influence in Southeast Asia. This experience lit a fire in her, sparking a short-term goal: overseas work opportunities! Thanks to the open and friendly culture at OCBC China. Thanks to the open and friendly culture and its talent development philosophy in OCBC China, as well as the timely opportunity in the Singapore headquarters’ TMT team, she received support from management after communicating her development expectation to seize the opportunity in the Singapore TMT team. As a new mum, the support of her family also became a strong backing for her to take this brave step. Then Cythia embarked on this adventure with full of excitement and a humble heart!

Short-term Assignment: Growth and Challenges Coexist

The cross-region short-term assignment allowed Cynthia to deeply experience the significant differences between China and Singapore in banking operations. Although she was mentally prepared before departure, the actual exposure revealed that differences in product structure, business scale, risk appetite, compliance requirements, client communication methods, and internal and external collaboration mechanisms were far broader than expected. Even within the same OCBC Group and the same TMT team, the business models and cultures in the two locations were noticeably different. Facing this steep learning curve, she abandoned her previous habits, by immersing herself in the local culture, understanding the nuances of how business is conducted here, and adapting her mindset to align with the practices of Singapore’s banking sector. She aims to be flexible and open to new ways of thinking.By writing bi-weekly work journals, she documented her thoughts and growth, regularly reviewed her experiences, and systematized the knowledge she acquired. Although full of challenges, this experience also brought tremendous growth opportunities. She maintained an open mind, treating each day as a chance to learn and adapt, hoping to transform these valuable experiences into a broader professional vision in the future.

Diverse Projects Accelerate Business Understanding and Personal Growth

At the same time, Cynthia is involved in a project focused on revenue diversification and differentiation. This project aims to explore new business opportunities and cooperation models for OCBC China. Its strategic goal is not only forward-looking thinking but also strategic initiatives and execution, designed to uncover new cross-selling opportunities from multiple angles and expand more flexible business opportunities and cooperation models to meet the evolving needs of clients. 

Against this backdrop, Cynthia realize the STA journey is not just about personal growth; it’s also about learning from the best, from the headquarters and understanding how these innovative strategies can be integrated into the Chinese banking sector.She hopes to seek innovative paths suitable for OCBC China while respecting the existing practices in both locations.

As Cynthia continues to navigate this landscape, she is excited about the potential to bring fresh insights back to her home market, ultimately enriching both her personal experience and the broader organization.

If you are also aspired to make your mark on an international platform like Cynthia and carve out your own career path, choosing to join OCBC will lead you to boundless opportunities. 

OCBC China places great importance on employee development and career advancement, offering various training programs, mentorship schemes, and clear promotion paths to help employees grow continuously both personally and professionally.