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The programme combines classroom training, industry certification, and on-the-job coaching, and graduates will also undergo annual refresher courses to stay updated on developments in mortgage and wealth management.
OCBC Bank has launched a four-month upskilling programme to turn experienced mortgage specialists into certified wealth advisors. The initiative will allow them to advise home loan customers on a wider range of investment and insurance products, supporting the bank’s focus on wealth management.
The programme also serves as a talent retention strategy, enabling mortgage specialists to grow their skills and remain engaged.
Traditionally, mortgage specialists can only offer home loans, while certified financial advisers provide wealth advisory services. Mortgage specialists are often the first point of contact for new clients, with one in four new-to-bank customers beginning their journey with a home loan. By equipping mortgage specialists with both capabilities, OCBC aims to deliver seamless service, reduce hand-offs, and strengthen customer relationships. The bank notes that home loan customers typically hold twice as many products with OCBC and have 1.6 times higher assets under management compared to customers without home loans.
A total of 15 senior mortgage specialists have been selected for the programme. The first batch of nine, with an average of nine years’ experience, have completed the four-month training and stepped into their expanded roles on 1 October 2025.
About the programme
The programme combines classroom training, industry certification, and on-the-job coaching:
- Classroom training: Adapted from OCBC’s relationship manager curriculum, it blends technical knowledge and soft skills through teaching, case studies, and role play. Specialists gain exposure to wealth products, portfolio construction, and fraud detection.
- Industry certification: Participants earn the Capital Markets and Financial Advisory Services (CMFAS) certifications, required of relationship managers, validating their advisory capabilities in portfolio management, asset allocation, client engagement, and compliance.
- On-the-job coaching: Mortgage specialists receive support from product experts in investments, bancassurance, and FX. Supervisors provide real-time guidance during client meetings.
Graduates will also undergo annual refresher courses to stay updated on developments in mortgage and wealth management.
Sunny Quek, Head of Global Consumer Financial Services, OCBC, said: “Homeownership 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."
He added that the initiative is designed to expand mortgage specialists’ expertise while strengthening the bank’s Premier Banking proposition. The programme also supports the long-term career development of senior mortgage specialists.
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