Director of Data & AI Transformation

Director of Data & AI Transformation – Hong Kong

Location: Hong Kong

Oliver James is partnering with a high-growth international client to appoint a senior Director of Data & AI Transformation in Hong Kong.

This is a newly created leadership opportunity for someone who can combine deep expertise across data, analytics, AI and technology-enabled transformation with the commercial judgement, stakeholder presence and delivery discipline required to build a high-performing capability across Hong Kong and, over time, the wider APAC region.

The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping how the business develops and delivers Data & AI-led transformation solutions, works with enterprise clients, builds senior relationships, develops specialist capability, and creates measurable business outcomes.

This is a particularly strong opportunity for a senior leader who wants more than a narrow delivery role. The client is looking for someone who can help shape the strategy, develop the proposition, build trusted market relationships, and provide credible leadership across complex transformation opportunities.

The role

As Director of Data & AI Transformation, you will lead the development of a Data & AI capability in Hong Kong, working closely with senior leadership to identify opportunities, shape solutions, and ensure high-quality execution.

You will be responsible for engaging with senior stakeholders, understanding business challenges, translating those challenges into practical Data & AI-led transformation approaches, and helping to build the right delivery model around each opportunity.

The role will require a balance of strategic thinking, commercial awareness and hands‑on leadership. You will need to be comfortable operating in a growth‑stage environment where the opportunity is significant, but where the proposition, operating model and market approach will still need to be shaped and refined.

Key responsibilities

You will be responsible for:

• Leading senior conversations around Data, AI, analytics, automation and digital transformation opportunities.
• Understanding client challenges and shaping practical, commercially viable transformation solutions.
• Developing trusted relationships with senior business, technology, data and transformation stakeholders.
• Building and managing a network of specialist Data, AI and transformation capability across Hong Kong and APAC.
• Shaping solutions across areas such as data strategy, AI adoption, analytics, automation, data platforms, governance and operating model change.
• Supporting the development of propositions, go‑to‑market messaging and commercial models.
• Providing delivery oversight to ensure quality, governance, client satisfaction and measurable outcomes.
• Working with internal teams and external partners to bring together the right capability for each opportunity.
• Helping to establish standards, methods and repeatable approaches as the capability scales.
• Acting as a senior market representative for the business across Data & AI‑led transformation.

What we are looking for

The client is looking for a senior professional who can demonstrate:

• Strong experience across Data, AI, analytics, digital transformation or technology‑enabled business change.
• A track record of shaping and delivering complex solutions for enterprise clients or senior internal stakeholders.
• Credibility in areas such as data strategy, AI adoption, analytics, automation, cloud data platforms, data governance or operating model transformation.
• Strong commercial judgement and the ability to identify, qualify and shape opportunities.
• Confidence operating with C‑suite and senior leadership stakeholders.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams, specialist communities, delivery groups or partner ecosystems.
• Strong knowledge of the Hong Kong market, with wider APAC exposure highly desirable.
• The ability to translate ambiguity into structured plans, credible solutions and practical execution.
• An entrepreneurial mindset, with the appetite to help build and scale a capability from an early stage.

Why this opportunity?

This is a rare opportunity to join a business at an important stage of growth and play a visible leadership role in one of the most strategically important areas of the market.

The successful candidate will have the chance to shape a Data & AI transformation capability from an early stage, influence the regional growth agenda, work with senior enterprise stakeholders, and build a platform across Hong Kong and APAC.

The role offers the backing of an established international business, access to senior relationships, and the opportunity to build something with genuine ownership and long‑term value.