Bangkok Bank's Chusacultanachai maps out Thailand's cashless journey

Integrating digital payments into a larger digital economy lies in collaboration between public and private sectors.

Dr. Sudsanguan Chusacultanachai or Jiab, as she is known by her colleagues, leads the digital business team at Bangkok Bank, where the team is responsible for growing retail payments, securing new capabilities and partnerships to create digital solutions, as well as building new businesses by targeting key sectors and ecosystems in Thailand.

Prior to joining Bangkok Bank, Dr. Jiab was a consultant with McKinsey & Company, where she focused on Thailand and Southeast Asia’s payments and banking industry, whilst working with a broad range of stakeholders.

Asian Banking & Finance sat with Chusacultanachai to learn more about her experience in the industry ahead of her upcoming speaking session at the 2019 Digital Payments Summit.

What are your previous experiences and positions held that contributed to who you are as a banker/expert today?

Currently, I am leading digital business at Bangkok Bank. My teams are responsible for growing digital businesses including retail payments, securing new capabilities and partnership and building new businesses (e.g., from digital solutions targeting key sectors and ecosystems in Thailand). Prior to joining Bangkok Bank, I was with McKinsey & Company, focusing on payments and banking in Thailand and Southeast Asia. I have worked with banks, payments entities and regulators to drive payments roadmaps, e-payments and cashless initiatives, and other related strategic agenda. Altogether, I have been supporting Thailand to drive a national e-payments roadmap and cashless society for over 10 years.

What are your key business philosophies?

Our values are defined by the difference we make. As an organization, we will survive and thrive only if we continue to be “relevant” to our customers and partners.

Can you give us a glimpse of what you will share at the ABF Digital Payments Summit 2019?

Given its starting point of over 95% cash, having a “digital payments and cashless society” in Thailand is a multiyear, multifacet journey—a real journey that has just begun. Digital payments is a fragment of the journey. It will need to be an integral part of a larger digital economy—a cashless, paperless and borderless economy. This will call for collaborations from public and private sectors, both from within and outside the banking industry.

The 2019 ABF Digital Payments Summit will take place on 28 August in Hong Kong. To learn more about the event, click here. To register, click here. For inquiries, you may contact Andrea at [email protected] or at +65 3158 1386 ext 212