The new top trend at the earnings conference! As bank CIOs step into the spotlight one after another, how will the "brainpower" lead the future?

When AI, computing power, and data become banks’ new “means of production,” digital transformation is entering the deep waters of “technology-driven, strategic core.” A group that once worked behind the scenes is now moving in dense formation toward the spotlight—chief information officers (CIOs).

At the 2025 earnings release conference, CIOs took the stage alongside the chairman and the president, directly facing the market, becoming the new top attraction of the earnings call.

From the “caretaker” of technology operations to the “helmsman” of digital and intelligent transformation, the shift in CIO identity signals that technology has been upgraded from a bank’s “cost item” to a “growth engine.” With practical experience such as an AI full-scenario playbook, deployed results from large-model implementations, and talent development frameworks, they are conveying to the market their resolve and path for bank technology transformation.

CIOs collectively “break out” with tech buffs

At the 2025 bank earnings release conferences, a group that had rarely appeared before is now taking center stage with “tech buffs” in a collective breakout. They are the banks’ CIOs. As the “technology caretakers” who once worked behind the scenes, they are now moving in dense formation into the spotlight, conveying to the market the on-the-ground progress of bank technology transformation and future plans.

As AI technology moves from “perception and cognition” to “decision and execution,” banks’ applications of AI have gone beyond the tool layer.

When Bank of Communications vice president and CIO Qian Bin spoke, he immediately laid out an “AI full-scenario playbook.” He emphasized that by using AI to transform technical elements, intellectual property, and digital assets into credit assets, and by optimizing equity, bonds, loans, leases, and custody product portfolios through algorithmic models, banks can provide customers with comprehensive full-lifecycle services.

After a development stage marked by scale expansion and a speed race, “value first, cost controllable” has become the direction of bank transformation. The four major directions mentioned by Postal Savings Bank vice president and CIO Niu Xinzhuang—low capital, low cost, high efficiency, and high intelligence—spelled out the bank’s transformation approach. On the path of “low cost,” it “strengthens scenario empowerment by using a digital intelligence platform as the engine,” “carries out lead-generation actions targeting a funds roster,” “captures low-cost funds by relying on a ticketing and document-ecosystem,” and “reduces risk costs with comprehensive risk control as the core.”

Leading joint-stock banks are also pushing large models from laboratories to frontline business. Since 2023, when China Merchants Bank chairman Miao Jianmin proposed building the industry’s first smart bank, China Merchants Bank has begun deploying large-model applications. “By the end of 2025, it has cumulatively deployed 856 large-model application scenarios,” the bank’s CIO Zhou Tianhong demonstrated the latest results with a set of figures. China Merchants Bank categorizes the areas where large models can play a role into three types—high value, medium value, and low value—according to quantitative standards. He also previewed that in 2026, high-value work items will be fully rolled out.

When AI applications become standard, “talent support” is equally important. Minsheng Bank CIO Zhang Bin frankly said that since the beginning of 2024, the bank’s science and technology recruitment focused on three major areas: AI, security, and architecture. In 2025, it established standardized training and certification systems for AI engineers, and also formulated coordination mechanisms between business analysts and intelligent solution architects to support the shift from performance integration to performance co-creation.

CIOs are making frequent appearances at earnings releases, sending three clear signals to the capital market. In Bai Wenxi’s view, vice chairperson of China Enterprise Capital Alliance, technology investment has been upgraded from a “cost item” to a “growth engine.” In the past, technology investment in banks’ financial reports was often classified as cost expenditures. CIOs taking the stage, however, suggests that banks want investors to reinterpret these investments: AI, computing power, and data are not consumptive spending, but strategic assets that can generate “credit assets” and drive business monetization, as digital transformation enters the “deep waters.” CIOs sharing the stage with the chairman and the president indicates that the technology strategy has risen to a “top-leadership project,” conveying to the market the banks’ determination and execution strength in promoting full digital and intelligent transformation. Banks are building differentiated competitiveness in a “technology narrative.” Each bank is, through the words of its CIO, portraying a unique technology blueprint to investors, using technological capability as a new leverage point for valuation premium.

Internal promotions and cross-industry open selection increase

From the collective voices of bank CIOs, it is not hard to see that they are no longer merely managers of technology operations and maintenance. They are now formulators of technology strategy, promoters of business integration, and extractors of data value.

As the top executive in the information technology field, the CIO’s core responsibility is to lead the establishment of an efficient, secure, and continuously upgradable information technology system, fully taking on the bank’s core responsibilities in planning, building, operating, and securing information technology.

CIO teams at state-owned banks generally have senior industry credentials and extensive internal management experience, and most are core backbones who have worked within the bank for years, gradually growing into their roles. For example, Qian Bin originally came from the “ICBC system.” He served as general manager of the Information Technology Department at Industrial and Commercial Bank of China’s Shanghai branch, then deputy general manager of the Information Technology Department at the head office, and later deputy general manager of the Private Banking Department, among other positions. He then became a vice president and CIO of Bank of Communications.

Niu Xinzhuang previously served as general manager of the Technology Development Department and general manager of the Information Technology Department at Minsheng Bank, and later general manager of Minsheng Technology. He joined Postal Savings Bank in 2020 and served as general manager of the Financial Technology Innovation Department. These CIOs at state-owned banks have spent years deeply working across the banking system. They both understand the operating logic of various bank businesses and customers’ needs, and also have deep insight into the development history, as well as the existing foundations, of banking information technology.

And establishing the important position of CIO is not only exclusive to listed banks or large and mid-sized banks. Compared with state-owned banks, the selection and appointment models for CIOs in smaller and medium-sized banks are more flexible and diverse. They include internal promotions as well as open “hair selection” (public recruitment), and talent introduction from other institutions. For example, the newly appointed CIO of Beijing Rural Commercial Bank, Yi Yongfeng, previously worked for a long time along the technology line at Huaxia Bank. He served as deputy general manager of Huaxia Bank’s Information Technology Department and director of the Big Data Service Center.

Banks such as Shangrao Bank have also previously conducted open “hair selection” for head-office CIO roles, setting clear requirements for candidates, such as: having at least six years of experience in information technology work; requiring strong insight into and successful deployment experience with technologies such as big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and blockchain; and requiring foresight regarding emerging information technologies and practical capabilities to drive the implementation of digital transformation strategies.

According to incomplete statistics from Beijing Business Daily, since 2025, about 30 banks—including Rizhao Bank, Shangrao Bank, Langfang Bank, the Hebei Provincial Rural Credit Cooperatives Union, Guangxi Beibu Gulf Bank, Xiamen International Bank, Heilongjiang Bank, and Liaoshen Bank—have had CIO qualification approvals.

As Bai Wenxi said, the “internal promotion” model at state-owned banks reflects a priority consideration of “understanding banks.” Technology-line veterans are deeply familiar with banking business logic and the regulatory environment, enabling them to avoid a “two layers” problem between technology and business. Small and medium-sized banks, through internal promotions, external recruitment, and open selection, can better address structural weaknesses in talent reserves. However, attention should be paid to the CIO’s voice and influence in strategic decision-making. At the same time, technology investment cycles are long and results are slow, creating a natural tension with banks’ short-term performance assessments.

How to make CIOs truly be accountable, empowered, and effective

In the future, competition in the banking industry is no longer limited to scale, branch outlets, and traditional business. It is competition in the ability to implement technology strategy. Based on publicly available data in 2025, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and Bank of China all saw financial technology investment exceed 25 billion yuan; joint-stock banks have also kept pace. China Merchants Bank’s information technology investment reached 12.9B yuan, while Everbright Bank’s technology investment as a proportion of operating income is about 5%. Huaxia Bank and Industrial Bank’s information technology investment as a proportion of revenue are 4.29% and 3.58%, respectively. At a recent earnings release conference, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank chairman Zhang Weizhong also disclosed that over the past three years, the bank’s cumulative technology investment reached 21.7 billion yuan, with the bank-wide technology staff size stable at around 6,000 people.

As banking technology transformation goes deeper—upgrading from bottom-layer architecture, optimizing data governance, building intelligent risk control, innovating scenario-based finance, and using AI to empower operations—each link requires efficient technology coordination and execution. In this process, a CIO’s decision-making level, resource allocation capability, and execution efficiency will directly determine a bank’s long-term competitiveness.

How to enable CIOs to truly deliver “accountability, empowerment, and effectiveness”? According to analysts, on one hand, it is necessary to clearly define the boundaries of responsibilities and authority for CIOs within the bank’s overall strategy. On the other hand, it is necessary to establish assessment and incentive systems that match this.

Dong Ximiao, chief economist at Zhaolian, pointed out that for banks of all types—especially smaller and medium-sized banks—more measures are needed to effectively leverage CIOs. Clearly define authority and responsibility; empower from a high position. Commercial banks not only need to set up CIO roles, but also ensure CIOs have accountability, authority, and a platform for meaningful action. A CIO must be part of the bank’s senior management team and can serve concurrently as a vice president, and be able to enter the board of directors to participate deeply in strategic decision-making—not merely as a person in charge of the technology line. At the same time, combine internal and external approaches to cultivate talent. CIOs cannot fight the battle alone. They should adhere to the combination of “internal capacity building” and “external expertise introduction” to strengthen the construction of financial technology teams. On the one hand, encourage technology backbones to rotate into frontline business roles, and encourage business backbones to learn technical thinking to cultivate cross-functional talent. On the other hand, through methods such as “open selection,” introduce and optimize talent externally.

Bai Wenxi suggests that in terms of organizational structure, it is recommended to establish a “Technology Strategy Committee” directly chaired by the chairman, with the CIO serving as the executive director and holding veto power. Separating technology budgets from traditional financial lines, establish an independent “strategic technology fund.” The CIO should have a leading role in deciding where funds are allocated, preventing short-term performance pressure from squeezing long-term technology investment. In terms of the assessment mechanism, implement a “dual-track” evaluation: evaluate CIOs not only on technology delivery efficiency, but also on the effectiveness of how technology enables business. Introduce “technology investment return ratio” as a core KPI so that CIOs are accountable for the commercial returns of technology investments.

On the talent mechanism, Bai Wenxi further pointed out that it is necessary to break the constraints of banks’ traditional compensation systems on technology talent and grant CIOs a certain proportion of compensation autonomy, to bring in top algorithm engineers and architects. At the same time, establish a “two-way rotation” system between technology and business departments to cultivate a pipeline of cross-functional talent who understands both technology and business, fundamentally addressing the talent bottleneck of technology-business integration.

Beijing Business Daily reporter Song Yitong

(Editor: Qian Xiaorui)

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