Financial Services

Empowering Financial Services Leadership in a Digital Age
In a world of accelerating change, the financial services sector requires leaders who can navigate complexity, drive innovation, and build trust.

The Financial Services Industry: A Sector in Transformation

The financial services sector plays a critical role in the global economy, providing indispensable services that empower individuals, businesses, and governments to prosper. However, the industry is confronting unprecedented hurdles, including technological transformation, shifting customer needs, evolving regulatory landscapes, and the pressing need to address environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concerns. As the sector adapts to these challenges, innovative leadership and strategic thinking will be essential to navigating this complex landscape and building a resilient future.

Leading the Future of Financial Services

The financial services industry is at a critical juncture, with technological innovation, changing customer expectations, and evolving regulatory requirements driving transformation. To succeed, financial institutions need leaders who can navigate complexity, drive innovation, and build sustainable growth.

Navigating the Future of Financial Services

In a rapidly evolving landscape, the financial services industry requires leaders who can drive innovation, resilience, and growth. At Selion Global, our Financial Services practice combines deep expertise with a global perspective to help clients navigate challenges and seize opportunities.

Trends Shaping the Industry

  • Digital Transformation: Embracing technology to enhance customer experience and drive operational efficiency

  • Sustainability: Integrating ESG considerations into investment decisions and business strategies

  • Regulatory Complexity: Navigating evolving regulatory requirements and ensuring compliance

  • Talent Revolution: Attracting, developing, and retaining diverse, digitally savvy leaders to drive business success

Our Expertise

Our team of seasoned consultants offers a range of services tailored to meet the unique needs of financial services organisations:

  • Executive Search: Identifying and attracting top talent for critical leadership positions

  • Board Consulting: Building high-performing boards that drive strategic growth and effective governance

  • Leadership Development: Unlocking the potential of existing leaders to tackle complex challenges and drive business success

  • Talent Development Strategy: Collaborating with CHROs to design and implement comprehensive talent development strategies that drive business success

  • Family Office Advisory: Providing specialised guidance to family offices on leadership, succession, governance, and talent management

Sector Focus

We have extensive experience serving clients across the financial services ecosystem, including

Wealth Management

  • Private Banks: We help private banks navigate the challenges of digital transformation, regulatory complexity, and talent acquisition while identifying opportunities for growth and innovation.

  • Asset Management Institutions: Our team supports asset managers in developing strategies to address changing investor preferences, embracing ESG considerations, and building diverse and inclusive leadership teams.

  • Investment Banks: We advise investment banks on talent development, regulatory compliance, and strategic growth initiatives, helping them stay competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Insurance

  • Life Insurance: Our team works with life insurance companies to address changing customer needs, develop digital distribution channels, and build leadership teams that can drive innovation and growth.

  • Non-Life Insurance: We support non-life insurance companies in navigating regulatory changes, developing risk management strategies, and identifying opportunities for expansion and diversification.

  • Reinsurance: Our team advises reinsurance companies on strategic growth initiatives, talent development, and risk management strategies, helping them stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Capital Markets

  • Investment Banks: We advise investment banks on talent development, regulatory compliance, and strategic growth initiatives, helping them stay competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

  • Asset Managers: Our team supports asset managers in developing strategies to address changing investor preferences, embracing ESG considerations, and building diverse and inclusive leadership teams.

  • FinTech: We help FinTech companies identify and develop leaders who can drive innovation, navigate regulatory complexity, and build strategic partnerships with traditional financial institutions.

A Partnership Built on Trust

At Selion Global, our expert advisors bring decades of experience, insights, and perspectives to the global financial community. We foster collaborative relationships with our clients, working closely with stakeholders to understand their unique needs and goals. Our unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity, and discretion has earned us the trust of leading financial institutions worldwide.

Meet our consultants

  • Phaik Sim Khaw
    Singapore

    Phaik Sim Khaw (Phaik Sim) is a highly experienced finance professional who serves as Finance Manager at Selion Global. With a career and positions spanning esteemed organisations, including as Finance Manager at Amrop Hofer Tan Singapore and in various capacities at the Central Bank and multinational corporations in Malaysia, Phaik Sim brings a wealth of expertise to her role.

    Phaik Sim is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of financial management, ensuring the seamless adoption of accounting principles, and adhering to a strict code of ethics. Her commitment to professionalism has earned her the respect of her peers and the trust of management.

    Outside of her professional pursuits, Phaik Sim advocates for a balanced lifestyle, prioritising regular exercise and finding joy in cooking for her loved ones, nurturing a sense of community and connection.

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  • Cristina Caramizaru
    Romania

    Cristina Caramizaru brings over 20 years of expertise in senior executive search to her role as a Partner at Selion Global Romania. Throughout her distinguished career, Cristina has built an impressive track record by working across leading firms in Romania - including Stanton Chase International, Pedersen & Partners, and Amrop - where she developed her own distinctive approach to delivering exceptional results for clients.

    With a reputation for leading complex, high-stakes projects with a strategic and creative mindset, Cristina’s experience spans a wide range of industries, including FMCG, Retail, Technology, Financial Services, Manufacturing, and Professional Services. Her ability to align leadership solutions with the unique needs of her clients is solid evidence of her expertise and independent vision.

    Cristina’s career has been defined by her commitment to personal growth, continually advancing her skills and knowledge in executive search, management advisory, and career management. Her capacity to drive strategic value for clients and leaders reflects her own proactive journey to excellence.

    A trained psychologist, Cristina is also a certified Coach and International Assessor with a profound understanding of human dynamics and leadership.

    Her reputation for efficiency, creativity, and transparency speaks to her personal integrity and ability to foster long-term relationships based on trust. Cristina’s direct and straightforward approach ensures that all parties involved receive lasting, meaningful solutions, while her passion for development fuels her drive to make a positive impact.

     

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  • Drs. Katja de Jong
    The Netherlands

    Katja de Jong is Associate Partner Selion Global BeNeLux, and Director and Regional Manager BeNeLux at Board Connect GmbH, based in the Netherlands. With over twelve years of expertise in executive search, she excels in delivering international and pan-European mandates.

    Throughout her distinguished career, Katja has held various senior roles at prominent management and personnel consultancies, including Kienbaum and Amrop. She has developed a broad range of skills, including project management, client acquisition, and cross-sector expertise.

    Katja holds a degree in Criminology from Erasmus University Rotterdam, with a focus on "Crime & Organisations." Committed to promoting diversity and inclusion, Katja is dedicated to advancing women in management and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across cultures. Her industry expertise spans High Tech, Consumer Goods/Retail, Financial Services, Life Sciences, and Telecommunications, with a focus on placing top executives, managers, and senior-level experts.

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  • Dr. Tiemo Kracht
    Germany

    Dr. Tiemo Kracht is Associate Partner in Germany and Managing Partner and CEO of Board Connect GmbH. With nearly 25 years of experience in executive search in Germany, Dr. Kracht has established himself as a trusted advisor to organisations across various industries. Following his academic career in Germany, the USA, and Slovakia, as well as professional and leadership roles in the private and public sectors, Dr. Kracht transitioned into executive search in 1995. Over the course of his career, he has collaborated closely with family businesses and owners, supervisory, administrative, and advisory boards, as well as boards of directors and managing directors to fill executive and leadership positions.

    Dr. Kracht has also conducted insightful management audits and has successfully overseen more than 1,600 cross-industry placement processes at the executive level and in upper management.

    His expertise spans various industries, including Financial Services and Real Estate, the Public Sector, Family-owned and medium-sized businesses, and Industry. His functional expertise includes placing supervisory board members, members of the board / C-level functions, and managing directors.

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  • Yves-Pascal Pelcener
    Singapore

    Yves-Pascal Pelcener is an accomplished Senior Executive and Team Coach, renowned for guiding leaders and teams to unlock their full potential and deliver exceptional results. With over 38 years of global experience - including 22 years of experience in the financial markets and investment industry at a leading French bank and as the Managing Director and co-founder of a distinguished international equities fund management company, Yves-Pascal masterfully blends business acumen with transformative coaching expertise.

    Since 2010, Yves-Pascal has been based in Singapore, where he has partnered with C-suite executives, senior leaders, and expatriates from over 55 nationalities across diverse industries. Fluent in French and English, he brings a profound understanding of cultural nuances and organisational dynamics, creating a trusted environment for leaders to tackle complex challenges, align their teams, and achieve lasting impact.

    Yves-Pascal specialises in three key areas:

    ·       Leadership Transitions: Helping leaders step into new roles with confidence, clarity, and an actionable roadmap for success.

    ·       Stakeholder Engagement: Supporting leaders in fostering meaningful relationships with key stakeholders to ensure alignment and strategic buy-in.

    ·       Team Alignment: Strengthening team cohesion, trust, and performance to enable organisations to achieve shared goals.

    As a trusted advisor, Yves-Pascal acts as a sparring partner and sounding board for leaders navigating strategic dilemmas and organisational complexities. His coaching approach is deeply rooted in data and insight, leveraging psychometric assessments, 360° feedback, and systemic analysis to craft bespoke solutions. Drawing on his entrepreneurial journey and his work with more than 1,000 global leaders, he provides practical insights and actionable strategies that inspire bold, confident decision-making and deliver breakthrough results.

    Industry Expertise and Clientele

    Yves-Pascal’s extensive industry expertise spans Aerospace, Banking, Education, Energy, Luxury Goods, Technology, and beyond. His clients represent a broad spectrum of sectors, including Media, Healthcare, and Public Administration. This breadth of experience enables him to tailor his approach to the unique challenges of each individual and organisation, equipping them to thrive in a rapidly evolving business environment.

    Professional Credentials

    ·       Senior Practitioner Accreditation in Individual and Team Coaching (EMCC)

    ·       Professional Certified Coach (ICF)

    ·       Member of the Hogan Coaching Network

    As a Partner of Selion Global, Yves-Pascal’s mission is to empower leaders and organisations to navigate transitions, overcome challenges, and achieve transformative growth. With a passion for unlocking human potential, he partners with leaders to cultivate clarity, resilience, and long-term impact.

     

     

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  • Petra Pavlik
    Germany

    Petra Pavlik, an Associate Partner at Selion Global Germany and a Senior Client Partner at Board Connect GmbH, has established herself as a trusted project partner, delivering executive search excellence for over 20 years. Her expertise lies in placing high-calibre professionals in management and specialised roles within the insurance industry and recruiting lawyers, non-legal executives, and senior experts for national and international law firms and tax consulting companies.

    With a unique understanding of her clients' needs, stemming from her background in insurance sales and economics, Petra ensures that her clients feel understood and receive the best service. She leverages her extensive experience to identify and recruit top executives, managers, and senior-level experts, fostering long-term relationships with her clients.

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