Executive: Head of Artificial Intelligence

A group-wide AI leader is required to lead the translation of Absa Group's AI strategy into enterprise-wide delivery, adoption, measurable, governed, and scalable business outcomes. The Head of AI must enable the Chief Data Analytics and Applied AI Office to fulfil its mandate as steward of the bank’s AI capabilities by leading the end-to-end delivery of the AI strategy, governance, acceptable use, platform enablement in service of the bank’s strategic and commercial objectives.

• Accountable for translating AI strategy into enterprise-wide delivery, adoption, and measurable value.
• Accountable for the enterprise AI use-case portfolio; from identification and prioritisation through to production deployment and value realisation.
• Responsible for the AI investment discipline framework, ensuring all AI spend is tied to measurable business outcomes and that ROI is tracked with the rigour required for board-level reporting.
• Responsible for the pace of AI adoption across the bank and moving the bank from experimentation to embedded, operational AI at scale.
• Accountable for the AI governance operating model, ensuring responsible AI principles are embedded into delivery, not bolted on as compliance afterthoughts.
• Align with stakeholders to evolve the AI strategy linked to clear financial and operational outcomes.
• Lead the systematic identification, prioritisation, and industrialisation of high-impact AI use cases across all business domains.
• Drive the shift from fragmented AI pilots to coordinated, product-based AI execution.
• Produce board-grade reporting and strategy papers demonstrating the results of the AI strategy execution.
• Track execution progress against key strategic initiatives and intervene to correct course where needed.
• Work directly with business teams to identify and build out high-value use cases using AI tools.
• Own the AI Governance framework, including policy, standards, guidelines, AI risk framework.
• Work with the AI Engineering Team to develop the enterprise AI platform.
• Own the AI investment portfolio through maintaining a consolidated view of all AI initiatives across the enterprise.
• Serve as the primary AI strategic partner to business domain executives.
• Build and lead a high-performing, multidisciplinary AI function.

• Postgraduate degree in a quantitative discipline such as Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, or equivalent and Professional Qualifications.
• An MBA with a demonstrated focus on technology strategy and innovation is a strong complement.
• 12–18 years of progressive leadership experience in data, analytics, AI, or technology functions within financial services.
• Demonstrable experience in a tier 1 or tier 2 bank, insurance group, or equivalent financial services institution.
• Experience reporting to C-suite executives and presenting to board committees on AI strategy, governance, and investment.
• Knowledge of retail banking, corporate and investment banking, risk management, credit, fraud, compliance, and the South African regulatory environment.
• Experience driving measurable outcomes such as revenue growth, cost reduction, or customer retention.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration experience.