OCBC mortgage specialists to become wealth advisers as well through upskilling programme

SINGAPORE - Mortgage specialists at OCBC Bank will be able to provide wealth advisory services to customers as well after a four-month upskilling programme.

As certified wealth advisers, they will be able to offer advisory services to home loan clients on a full spectrum of investment and insurance products – a move which OCBC said will expand the individuals’ areas of expertise and help boost the bank’s premier banking proposition.

Singapore’s second-largest bank by assets on Oct 6 said 15 senior mortgage specialists have been selected for the programme so far.

The first batch of nine – with an average tenure of nine years as a mortgage specialist – have completed the programme and stepped into their expanded roles on Oct 1.

Participants of the programme will attain the Capital Markets and Financial Advisory Services certification administered by the Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore.

They will go through classroom training and on-the-job coaching. During initial client meetings, they will be accompanied by supervisors who will guide them on advisory conversations and engagement strategies.

They will also undergo annual refresher courses to stay current on developments in both mortgage and wealth management.

In the banking sector, mortgage specialists are limited to offering home loans while only certified financial advisers are authorised to provide wealth advisory services, including investment and insurance solutions.

OCBC data showed that home loan customers have twice as many products with the bank compared with those without a home loan and 1.6 times more assets under management.

The bank said that mortgage specialists are well-placed to support affluent customers as they can leverage their expertise in property – a key component of wealth portfolios.

They are also often the first touch point that customers have with OCBC, with one in four new-to-bank customers starting with a home loan.

OCBC head of global consumer financial services Sunny Quek noted that the initiative helps mortgage specialists grow their skill sets.

He said: “Home ownership is a major life milestone, and the financing process can be complex. As such, mortgage specialists play a key advisory role, often operating at the intersection of home financing and financial planning.

“By equipping mortgage specialists so that they can support customers holistically, from home financing to long-term wealth planning, we can deepen relationships and reinforce our position in wealth management.

“It also supports and develops the long-term career aspirations of our senior mortgage specialists.”

Mortgage specialist Belle Leow, one of the programme’s graduates, said: “Before, many clients asked if I could help with financial planning and I always wished I could do more. This programme has made that possible. It’s not just about expanding my role – it’s a chance for personal growth.”

OCBC is the latest among local banks to introduce upskilling programmes aimed at helping employees build up their skill sets amid a challenging economic climate.

Last week, UOB launched an initiative to equip employees with foundational generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) and automation skills to enhance productivity.

On Oct 1, the bank signed a memorandum of understanding with the Institute of Banking and Finance, Workforce Singapore and Ngee Ann Polytechnic to help on this front.

The initiative will build on the bank’s existing efforts such as the Better U Pivot programme – which helps staff reskill and transition into roles in growth areas through personalised skills assessments and structured career pathways.

Over at DBS Bank, a spokesperson said that thousands of employees upskilled and took on new roles in the bank over the years since it began its digital transformation in 2014.

In 2025, the bank identified 12,000 employees for upskilling or reskilling and they have commenced their learning road maps.

The spokesperson said: “These skills are not only on AI and data, but include business domain, change management such as leading teams through change, soft skills such as adaptability mindset, critical thinking as well as on-the-job training.

“As we continue to scale the use of AI and Gen AI across the bank, our people will move from being single-skilled to multi-skilled, and from single domain knowledge to multi-domain expertise.”