The Source: How outsourcing firms can partner with banks

Whenever someone mentions financial services, I get excited. That happened yesterday.

Austin is an investor for Oceans, an out staffing & outsourcing firm that specialises in talent sourcing from Sri Lanka.

Yesterday he said this:

Funnily enough, I worked in a bank (HSBC) for the best part of 11 years.

So, I cracked my knuckles and got typing.

There is an ocean of financial service opportunity for outsourcing firms.

Here we go..

First. Why Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka’s talent pool is primed for high-impact roles in banking and finance.

As Austin said:

..Sri Lanka (SL) is uniquely positioned to deliver skilled talent across sectors like technology, finance, and consulting.

These attributes make Sri Lanka ideal for global financial institutions. Especially ones going through a state of change - like HSBC.

They are in need of Asia centric professionals that:

• Know local (SL) / regional (Asia) business customs

• Specialise in Middle East and Asia sales

• Know local / regional compliance requirements

• Can transform data into actionable intelligence

• Can configure, control and wield AI / ML and GenAI systems to solve problems

But why? And how can an outsourcing firm capitalise? I present to you..

10 Steps to Connect Talent with Banks!

1. Who are our Target Audiences?

• Who: Global and Asia-centric banks (e.g., HSBC, Barclays, JPMorgan), investment service providers (IQEQ, Apex), and consulting giants (EY, McKinsey). I will focus on HSBC, as I worked there.

• Case in Point: HSBC are shaking things up. They are:

  • Focusing resources on Asia (largest inbound).

  • Prioritising Middle East and Asia trade corridors.

  • This presents a clear opportunity for firms like Oceans to connect Asia / SL based talent with internal skill gaps.

💡How can you be at the top of a banking decision maker’s mind in the next 3 months?

2. Why Now?

• Strategic Shift:

  • HSBC and other major banks are prioritizing Asia due to its significant revenue contribution. More focus = more resource needed.

  • Partnering with FinTechs remains a key priority to tap into hidden customer pockets.

  • HSBC (and a lot of banks) support hybrid or remote working. An employee in Sri Lanka can easily service the wider region.

• Timely Fit: Sri Lankan professionals are well-equipped to drive these initiatives by:

  • Supporting growth / sales efforts with Asia clients

  • Running internal change projects in both local and regional markets.

💡How can you use social proof of successful Sri Lankan outsourcing, across multiple roles, in your outreach?

3. Structural Insights: Front Office, Back Office, and Middle Office

• Front Office: Relationship teams in Asia manage revenues, drive FinTech partnerships, requiring business development and tech-savvy leaders.

• Back Office: Global Service Centres in Asia handle massive volumes of customer needs, making Sri Lanka’s talent perfect for roles in support, query resolution, and backend product setup.

• Middle Office: Cross-functional leaders in product, operations, and IT collaborate with vendors to equip front-line teams for enhanced performance, and will be prioritising a smooth re structure in the wake of the recent shake up.

💡Which opportunities do you see here that Sri Lankan talent could solve?

4. Capitalize on Service Centres and Hybrid Opportunities

• Many banks have service centres across Asia and are moving towards remote/hybrid work models.

• Sri Lankan talent can play a crucial role in these centres, managing customer queries, technical setups, and service delivery across multiple regions.

💡How can you reduce any location based doubts from a bank when hiring in Sri Lanka?

5. The Opportunity for Asia & Middle East Corridors

• Corridor Growth Potential:

  • Asia and the Middle East are essential to HSBC’s strategy.

  • With Sri Lanka positioned geographically and culturally as a bridge between the two regions, Oceans can help banks capitalize on this corridor through localized and regional sales, business development, and trade finance roles.

💡What skills does a cross-regional sales expert need in Asia?

6. Addressing Challenges with a Skilled Talent Pool

• Local Expertise: Sri Lankan professionals, with their regional knowledge, are ideal for roles such as Relationship Directors, Account Managers, and Sales experts who can support growth in Asia’s diverse markets.

• AI and Automation Specialists: There’s a significant opportunity for data and AI professionals from Sri Lanka. Those who can help banks automate processes and leverage untapped data to improve performance and service delivery.

💡What does an excellent hire look like for a bank that needs to carefully manage critical client relationships in Asia?

7. Technical and People Leaders for Digital Transformation

• Innovation Needs: Service Delivery Centres and back-office functions increasingly rely on AI, ML, and GenAI. Sri Lanka’s tech talent can lead and implement these innovations to streamline operations in support hubs across Asia.

💡How can you build confidence with a bank decision maker that technical Sri Lanka talent is right for their needs?

8. Positioning Oceans as a Strategic Growth Partner

• Value Beyond Recruitment:

  • Strategic talent partner > standard recruitment. Banks already have huge talent acquisition teams. How do we set apart? USPs.

  • USP can be to niche, high-quality talent, speed, and deep industry knowledge. Whatever it is that currently sets you apart.

💡Which USPs do you have that a big organisation will love? How can you position yourself as more than just an outsourcing partner?

9. Where to Find and Engage Decision Makers

• Engagement Tips: Reach out to:

  • COOs

  • CTOs

  • Heads of Digital

  • Talent leaders

  • Use LinkedIn forums, virtual conferences, and your personal networks to connect with decision-makers in Asia.

💡Which outreach tactics have worked best for you? How can you use these in the context of building trust with enterprise banks?

10. Leverage Vendor Relationships and Industry Networks

• Vendor Touchpoints:

  • Engage through traditional channels, such as:

    • Existing banking vendors

    • Gartner reports

    • Third-party recruitment agencies.

    • Engage genuinely with frequent decision maker posts on LinkedIn

    • Invite them to a webinar

    • Attend an event they are at (virtual) and ask a question after

    • Product content that educates and solves their pains (need for multi regional sales experts for Middle East and Asia)

    • Demonstrate to banks how Oceans can fill talent gaps in a way that complements their current strategy.

Be their friend and advisor. Genuinely.

Want to know how to access banks for your firm?
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