Who's the boss in BCP?

updated 1 Nov 2008

A colleague asked me about the structure of responsibility for business continuity management at multinational banks in Asia. I suppose he's trying to compare his bank's structure--and how much money his department deserves--with his bank's peers in Asia.

This information would clearly be helpful for many of us in the profession in Asia, so I'm doing some informal research here.

You are invited to contribute.

My Ground Rules
None of the information posted here was confidential when I received it. The information may or may not be accurate. If the information is not accurate, I invite comments and corrections.

I don't respond to, nor will I make corrections based on, anonymous comments. Comments and their makers' names will be visible to everyone reading the blog.

If you want to contribute or comment, but don't want to post your name or employer's name in the comments, you are welcome to e-mail me directly at nforbes@calamity.com.sg. I will not post (and will not reveal) the source of information when I update the research. I will only update if I can be confident the information is accurate.

If I receive reliable information from 15 institutions (an entirely arbitrary number I dreamed up), I'lll create a table and make it publicly available online.

I have listed the headquarters country of each institution for reference. Here's what I have today:

ABN Amro Bank (Netherlands) The bank's IT is outsourced globally to EDS; the bank and EDS both have people responsible for BCM. There is an AAB Global BCM head for business lines in Amsterdam, an AAB Global BCM Manager for IT Services in Chicago, and EDS BCM team. There is one AAB North Asia Pacific BCM Manager, one South Asia Pacific BCM Manager, and BCM Managers in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia. EDS has a BCM Coordinator in Singapore. AAB BCM Coordinators in Asia are employed by ACES, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the bank based in India that provides IT and back-office services to the bank.

Bank of America (USA) has three (3) full-time BCP people in Asia. There is a VP in Singapore, a VP in India and an BCP analyst in Singapore.

Barclays Capital (United Kingdom) has a Regional Director of BCP in Singapore, and country VP's of BCP. The IT department has relationship VP's and divisional VP's responsible for technology aspects of BCP.

BNP Paribas Security Services (France) BNPSS is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas. BNPSS has a Head of Business Continuity Management, who reports to the CEO of BNPSS. The Head of BCM directs a BCP team of six (6) people in Paris, supported by a network of over 100 business unit BCP coordinators in each location in France, Europe and North America.

The BNP Paribas Group also has a head of BCP ("Responsable Continuité d'Activité Groupe"), who directs a team of four (4) people that coordinates BCP policy for the bank and its subsidiaries.

Citigroup (United States) An Asia regional BCP coordinator and coordinators in each country where Citigroup has a presence. There are BCP coordinators in all business units. Most coordinators have line management responsibility, and therefore do BCP part-time in line with the bank's policy to "embed" BCP responsibility.

Credit Suisse (Switzerland) Regional Director of BCP, Vice Presidents of BCP in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Australia. BCP is a responsibility of each operating division (e.g., investment banking). At least one AVP in Singapore for BCP in Greater China (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan). One Asia regional person solely for BCP/DR testing.

BCP now reports to Information Technology. BCP was previously a function of Operational Risk, and before that function of Corporate Services.

Deutsche Bank (Germany) Regional MD of Corporate Security & Business Continuity (CSBC), North Asia VP of CSBC, South Asia VP of CSBC. Directors of Corporate Security & Business Continuity (CSBC) in Japan (team of 3 people) and India (team of 3 people), and a VP of CSBC in Australia (team of 2 people). Those Directors and the VP report to the MD in each country. Specialists (e.g., for crisis management) in the CSBC teams also have reporting lines to global specialists. The bank is working to combine the BCM and CS functions.

Fidelity Investments (United States) Fidelity has a lead BCP person in China, Hong Kong, India,J apan, Korea, Taiwan, Australia. Most do not do BCP full-time, but some of them have BCP responsibility in their job descriptions.

BCP reports to a Regional Head of Continuity (a Senior Manager) who is responsible for BCP, security and travel oversight. That person reports to the Head of Corporate Security for Asia, who manages fraud risk and information security in addition to BCP.

Goldman Sachs (United States) The global BCP Manager is a VP in Technology Risk, with regional managers in Asia and Europe. The Asia BCP team is four (4) people in Japan and Hong Kong with part-time coordinators in all business lines. Responsibility for crisis management at Goldman Sachs is shared by Technology Risk and Global Security.

Hongkong & Shanghai Bank (United Kingdom)
HSBC has a Global Head of Business Continuity & Crisis Management in London. There are regional Senior Managers in Europe, Asia and the Americas. The Asia-Pacific Head of BCP in Hong Kong has a team of five (5) people: two (2) VP's, one (1) AVP, two (2) clericals. They cover twenty (20) territories. Key countries in Asia have individuals with responsibility for BCP.

BCP is part of HSBC's Security & Fraud Risk department.

ING Bank (Netherlands)
ING Bank manages BCP in an Information Protection & Business Continuity Management (IPBCM) function in the Information Technology & Operations division. In Asia the bank has one (1) person responsible for both BCP and information security. Each branch office in Asia has a part-time BCP Coordinator.

JP Morgan Chase (United States) Regional Director of BCP in Asia and full-time BCP Managers in Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo. BCP Managers each cover multiple countries. Each business unit has a BCP coordinator.

BCM reports to JPMC Corporate Services.

Merrill Lynch (United States) ML has a regional director for BCM and a BC Manager in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore. All of them are assigned full-time to BCM, and all cover more multiple countries. There are also BCP coordinators in all business units.

BCM reports to ML Corporate Services.

Morgan Stanley (United States): BCM reports to Managing Director of Global Operational Risk in New York.

Global head of BCM in New York is supported by three (3) regional BCM heads in Europe, Asia and the USA. There are five (5) permanent BCP managers in Asia, including Tokyo. Each business unit in Asia has a BCP coordinator, usually the Chief Operating Officer.

Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp (OCBC) (Singapore): VP of BCM reports to Head of Operational Risk Management (ORM), who is also a VP. VP ORM reports to EVP of Risk Management.

Two (2) AVP's and a clerical assistant report to VP BCM. VP BCM has global responsibility for OCBC and subsidiaries of which the bank owns more than 50%. Two (2) full-time AVP's BCM in Malaysia who also report to VP BCM. There is a BCP coordinator in each business unit.

UBS (Switzerland): Regional Director of BCM in Asia Pacific and a Business Continuity Manager in each of the major centers. BC Managers cover more than one country. BC Managers are Directors, who are equivalent to VP's in other banks. There is a regional BC Manager for Wealth Management business.

This post is updated as I receive reliable information. I reply to signed comments or suggestions; I do not respond to anonymous comments.

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Nathaniel Forbes

Nathaniel Forbes is the director of Forbes Calamity Prevention, a Singapore-based consulting firm providing business continuity, crisis management and emergency response advice and training to multinational companies, with a focus on companies with offices in Asia. The firm is 10 years old. FCP's current and past clients include Singapore Exchange Ltd, OCBC Bank, AXA Insurance, The Gillette Company, Siemens and ABN Amro Bank. A former President of the Singapore Computer Society’s Business Continuity Group, Nathaniel passed the DRII’s Certified Business Continuity Planner (CBCP) examination in 1997. He has lived, traveled or worked in Asia since 1973.