DBS Launches Gen AI-Powered Coaching Tool to Future Proof Its Workforce
While most corporations reserve coaching[1] for their top executives or high potential talent, DBS believes that employees at all levels would benefit from coaching by receiving expert advice on career development as well as topical issues such as work-life balance, personal and small team leadership, or mental wellness. However, the main challenge has always been scaling coaching in an efficient and cost-effective manner – coaching is usually done on a one-to-one basis and can be costly.
With the advent of Gen AI, DBS saw an opportunity to leverage the technology to overcome these challenges, enabling the bank to avail coaching to employees across its network.
Lee Yan Hong, Head of Group Human Resources, DBS, said, 'As the world of work continues to evolve, building career resilience has become more important than ever. At DBS, we are committed to helping our people thrive by equipping them with future-ready capabilities through our comprehensive Triple E framework – Education, Exposure and Experience. iCoach is a powerful new addition that complements these efforts, leveraging Gen AI to offer personalised, on-demand career guidance to help every employee confidently navigate and grow in the future of work.'
Betty Lam, Head of Human Resources, DBS Hong Kong, said, 'DBS continues to entrench our standing as a Responsible AI leader and bring our employees along this responsible AI journey where AI is used ethically and effectively. iCoach is a powerful tool that allows our employees to focus on personal and career growth. At the same time, we also encourage our employees to equip themselves with the necessary AI skills, which will be crucial for our collective success.'
iCoach's knowledge base was developed in partnership with Marshall Goldsmith, a leading coaching expert with over four decades of experience working with top CEOs and executives, including those from Fortune 500 companies. Dr Goldsmith was inducted by Thinkers50[2] into its Hall of Fame in 2018 and is the only two-time Thinkers50 #1 Leadership Thinker in the World. He was also the inaugural winner of the Lifetime Award for Leadership by the Harvard Institute of Coaching.
iCoach is always-on and available 24/7 to provide employees with just-in-time personalised career guidance. It is tailored to each employee, drawing on the context of the bank's roles, functions and internal mobility pathways to deliver relevant and actionable career advice. Data from International Coaching Federation and Better Up Career Coaching showed 70% of people in organisations who underwent coaching benefitted from improved work performance, relationships and more effective communication skills. 80% of people who received coaching reported increased self-confidence.
iCoach further reinforces the bank's commitment to upskilling its employees and building career resilience, and complements other DBS initiatives including:
--> iGrow, an AI / machine learning-powered platform that offers personalised career advice by matching employees to tailored learning and job opportunities based on their career and training history.
--> DBS Mentoring Programme, which connects employees with leaders and peers, enabling them to gain practical guidance, career insights and support at critical points in their professional growth.
--> DBS Learning Hub, which provides employees with more than 10,000 curated courses, to learn and pick up new skills.
--> Be My Guest Programme, where employees have the opportunity to participate in job shadowing, workshops and projects across departments. Last year, over 4,000 such opportunities were taken up by employees.
The bank's commitment to supporting employees with career development has contributed to its recognition as an employer of choice. In 2025, DBS was ranked first in TIME's 500 Best Companies in Asia Pacific, while in 2024, the bank was named among Forbes World's Best Employers. In Hong Kong, DBS Hong Kong was also recognised at the 'Bloomberg Businessweek - Financial Institutions 2025 Awards', winning the 'Training Academy – Excellence Performance' and 'Training Program of the Year – Outstanding Performance' awards. Additionally, DBS Hong Kong was honoured with the 'Employer of the Year', 'HR Team of the Year', and the 'Grand Award of Recruitment' at the Jobsdb Hong Kong HR Awards 2024/25.
[1] Coaching focuses on achieving specific, short-term goals through structured guidance, while mentoring emphasises long-term personal and professional growth through a supportive relationship. For more info here.
[2] Thinkers50 is the world's pre-eminent global ranking of management thinkers and has been described by The Financial Times as 'the Oscars of management thinking'.
About DBS
DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia with a presence in 19 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS is in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank's 'AA-' and 'Aa1' credit ratings are among the highest in the world.
Recognised for its global leadership, DBS has been named 'World's Best Bank' by Global Finance, 'World's Best Bank' by Euromoney and 'Global Bank of the Year' by The Banker. The bank is at the forefront of leveraging digital technology to shape the future of banking, having been named 'World's Best Digital Bank' by Euromoney and the world's 'Most Innovative in Digital Banking' by The Banker. In addition, DBS has been accorded the 'Safest Bank in Asia' award by Global Finance for 16 consecutive years from 2009 to 2024.
DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region's most dynamic markets. DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, as it banks the Asian way. Through the DBS Foundation, the bank creates impact beyond banking by supporting social enterprises: businesses with a double bottom-line of profit and social and/or environmental impact. DBS Foundation also gives back to society in various ways, including equipping communities with future-ready skills and building food resilience.
With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com.
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