Director, IT Architecture, Modernization, and AI Innovation

Prudential’s purpose is to be partners for every life and protectors for every future. Our purpose encourages everything we do by creating a culture in which diversity is celebrated and inclusion assured, for our people, customers, and partners. We provide a platform for our people to do their best work and make an impact to the business, and we support our people’s career ambitions. We pledge to make Prudential a place where you can Connect, Grow, and Succeed.

This role is responsible for shaping and executing Prudential’s enterprise technology architecture, driving core system modernization, and advancing the AI‑driven innovation agenda.It ensures that:

1. Technology platforms are secure, scalable, cloud‑ready, and future‑proof
2. Legacy systems are modernized in alignment with business growth and regulatory requirements
3. AI is adopted responsibly at scale, delivering measurable business value while adhering to governance and risk standards

The role serves as a strategic bridge between business ambition and technology execution, enabling faster time‑to‑market, strengthening operational resilience, and supporting data‑driven decision‑making.

Job Responsibilities:

Enterprise Architecture & Technology Strategy

• Define and maintain Prudential’s enterprise architecture blueprint, including:
  • Business, application, data, integration, cloud, and security architectures
• Establish architecture principles, standards, and guardrails to guide delivery teams
• Ensure technology decisions align with Prudential strategy, risk appetite, and regulatory obligations
• Own technology roadmaps covering core platforms, digital, data, and AI

Application & Core System Modernization

• Lead the modernization of legacy platforms, including policy admin, claims, CRM, distribution, and back‑office systems
• Drive adoption of:
  • Cloud‑native and composable architectures
  • API‑first and event‑driven integration
  • DevSecOps and automation
• Balance modernization speed with operational stability, ensuring zero compromise on customer or regulator impact
• Partner with Product Journeys to enable faster and safer product innovation

AI & Advanced Analytics Innovation

• Define and execute Prudential’s AI architecture and innovation roadmap, covering:
  • GenAI, ML, NLP, intelligent automation, and decision intelligence
• Ensure AI solutions are:
  • Secure, explainable, ethical, and compliant (Responsible AI)
  • Aligned with actuarial, underwriting, distribution, service, and operations use cases
• Partner with Data, Security, Legal, and Risk teams to embed AI governance by design
• Enable reusable AI platforms, models, and accelerators across the enterprise

Architecture Governance & Execution Excellence

• Chair or co‑chair Architecture Review Boards (ARB) and modernization forums
• Provide architectural assurance for major investments and transformation programs
• Resolve cross‑domain design trade‑offs (cost, risk, speed, scalability)
• Ensure architecture documentation and decisions are clear, pragmatic, and delivery‑oriented

Leadership & Capability Building

• Build and lead high‑performing architecture and innovation teams, including:
  • Enterprise, solution, cloud, data, and AI architects
• Develop future capabilities in:
  • Cloud engineering
  • AI engineering
  • Platform thinking and reusable assets
• Mentor senior technologists and influence delivery leaders without direct authority

Stakeholder & Partner Management

• Work closely with:
  • Business Leaders & Product Owners
  • CIO / CITO Office
  • Risk, Compliance, Legal, and Cyber Security
• Act as Prudential’s technology authority with strategic vendors, cloud providers, and system integrators
• Support ExCo‑level discussions on major technology and AI investments

Job Requirements

• University Graduate and above from Information Technology discipline
• 15+ years in enterprise technology, architecture, or large‑scale digital transformation
• Proven leadership in core system modernization within regulated industries (insurance / financial services preferred)
• Deep knowledge of:
  • Cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP/AliCloud)
  • Microservices, APIs, integration patterns
  • Data platforms and AI/ML architectures
• Proven records in applying and implementing AI in business use cases at scale
• Strong experience balancing innovation, risk, and operational stability
• Excellent command of English and Chinese (written and spoken)

 

Prudential is an equal opportunity employer. We provide equality of opportunity of benefits for all who apply and who perform work for our organisation irrespective of sex, race, age, ethnic origin, educational, social and cultural background, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, disability or part-time / fixed-term work, or any other status protected by applicable law. We encourage the same standards from our recruitment and third-party suppliers taking into account the context of grade, job and location. We also allow for reasonable adjustments to support people with individual physical or mental health requirements.