From investment banking to fintech: My journey to Wise Platform
Agnes Shum, Regional Commercial Director for Wise Platform, shares her unique path to joining Wise, the challenges faced along the way and how Wise’s mission to transform international money transfers continues to fuel her passion for innovation and growth 🚀
“With an extensive career in payments, I'm passionate about fair, affordable financial services for everyone, everywhere. That's why Wise's mission to make international money transfers faster, cheaper and more transparent truly resonates with me.”
Agnes Shum (She/Her)
Regional Commercial Director
Tell us about your journey before joining Wise Platform
My journey to Wise has been one of growth, both personally and professionally - moving from traditional banking to the future of financial services. I began my career in Investment Banking and Trading in FX sales at a top-tier investment bank. While these prestigious institutions offered fantastic opportunities for building my network, after six years, I yearned for more—both in terms of professional and personal development.
During my time in banking, I gained invaluable experience working on the bank's FX trading platform. This technical role sparked my interest in financial technology and eventually led me to the fintech sector, where I could immerse myself in a dynamic technology-driven environment.
Working at early-stage fintech companies, I was able to play a key part in building businesses from the ground up and learn how to establish strong regional foundations. Throughout my fintech career, I've collaborated closely with product teams to create products from scratch—an opportunity I wouldn’t have had in investment banking.
When Wise reached out about joining their Hong Kong office in the Wise Platform team, I was immediately excited. I’m passionate about building from the ground up, and Wise’s mission to make international money transfers faster, cheaper, and more accessible truly resonated with me. The speed and transparency Wise brings to the region’s remittance space is a game-changer, and I was eager to contribute to the company’s growth and expansion in the region.
How has your role evolved over-time?
When I first joined in 2023, I was the sole business development representative in the APAC (Asia-Pacific) region, managing all regions independently. Since then, our team has expanded to five members across Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, and Japan. With this growth, I've been able to focus more specifically on my core region, allowing me to build deeper relationships and provide more targeted support to key partners. For example, one of my partners is expanding into India, which coincided with Wise operationalizing its AD2 license there. This presented an exciting challenge for me to gain a more in-depth understanding of the Indian market and how we can better support our partners’ expansion into that market.
Launching Wise in India, a market as intricate as this, is a stretch goal, but it's been incredibly rewarding. Along the way, I've gained experience in marketing research, compliance, legal, banking partnerships and go-to-market strategy. Most fulfilling of all was seeing the hurdles we’ve overcome and knowing we’re getting closer to seeing the first customer go live with this product.
How has your time at Wise helped you develop both professionally and personally?
Being a part of the Wise Platform team has played a major role in enhancing my sales skills, particularly when it comes to engaging and serving some of the largest banks and tech companies in the world. I’m constantly challenged to dig deeper into each account and understand their unique needs. One of the proudest moments and most impactful experiences for me was working on our Standard Chartered deal. This partnership will allow Standard Chartered’s SC Remit customers in Asia and in the Middle East to send money in 21 currencies in a matter of seconds, all while being fully transparent on pricing - customers getting the mid-market rate with no markups. Welcoming Standard Chartered as a Wise Platform partner was a key milestone not just for me but for our entire APAC team.
Beyond Sales, I’ve also been able to take on public speaking opportunities, such as hosting our flagship event, Wise Connect in Singapore. While public speaking isn’t my strongest skill, the coaching and support I’ve received from our team has made a huge difference. What once felt daunting is now a valuable skill I can confidently rely on. This has not only boosted my visibility, but also enabled me to represent Wise and engage with external stakeholders on a larger stage.
How would you describe the culture at Wise?
Collaborative, transparent, and impact-driven. We operate with a flat hierarchy, where everyone’s voice matters, no matter their seniority. Open communication is encouraged, and we welcome challenges that push us to think creatively. This fosters strong cross-team collaboration—whether in Sales, Account Management, Delivery, or Compliance—allowing us to work together to solve complex problems.
How can individuals proactively contribute and make a meaningful impact when they join Wise Platform?
We encourage new joiners to take ownership of their regions and projects right from day one, empowering them to make an impact. For instance, when I first joined, I proactively developed a specific Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy to showcase my region’s potential for both banks and non-banks.
At Wise, this kind of initiative and ownership isn’t just welcomed—it’s encouraged, giving you the chance to make a real difference and contribute to the company's growth.
Roles you might be interested in
Salary
21.5 - 21.5 USD Hourly
Location
Austin
Team
Customer Support
Locations
Austin
Description
Your mission is to help customers have an excellent experience with Wise mainly via phone. This isn’t your normal call center – we do things differently – and our Consumer Customer Support Associates
Reference
bee60133-b0a0-47f8-96ff-533dabdfed1f
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
$110-$141k
Location
Austin
Team
People
Locations
Austin
Description
We’re looking for a talented People Tools Specialist based in Austin, to join our growing People Technology Team. This role will be instrumental in helping us to manage and optimise our People Tools t
Reference
12015da1-96a3-41f4-bfdd-74eea8ca9d91
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
84625 - 103000 USD Annual
Location
Austin
Team
Operations
Locations
Austin
Description
We are looking for a Payment Operations Recovery Product Specialist to join our team to help minimizing the impact of materialized loss on our customers and productsAs a Payment Operations Recovery Pr
Reference
aa935ebf-c599-42a5-88a3-3d5e26344f92
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
R$14,300 - R$20,100 per month
Location
São Paulo
Team
Analytics
Locations
São Paulo
Description
*Please note, only resumes submitted in English will be considered, thank you.* Your mission will be to deeply understand the needs of Brazilian customers and help your team to focus on solving their
Reference
42c99177-d184-455b-963b-221e06dff39c
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
£75,000 - £100,000
Location
London
Team
Analytics
Locations
London
Description
THE ROLEWe’re looking for a Lead Data Analyst (Individual Contributor) to join the Spend Squad. The Spend Squad enables our customers to spend from their Wise accounts in a sustainable manner, ensurin
Reference
26dfe246-236f-44f7-81f4-2a09d91644cc
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
132,000-185,000
Location
Austin
Team
Risk and Compliance
Locations
Austin
Description
Senior Regulatory Compliance ManagerWe’re looking for a Senior Regulatory Compliance Manager to join our growing Regulatory Oversight Compliance team in North America This role will be working alongsi
Reference
facdf20d-e383-4a48-8a26-bb1afaf4e883
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
132,000-185,000
Location
Austin
Team
Risk and Compliance
Locations
Austin
Description
Senior Regulatory Compliance ManagerWe’re looking for a Senior Regulatory Compliance Manager to join our growing North America Regulatory Oversight Compliance team. In this role, you’ll be a key partn
Reference
ffa1c385-8b3e-4850-bc3d-5eda7fd3c634
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
10000 - 11500 BRL Monthly
Location
São Paulo
Team
Operations
Locations
São Paulo
Description
Strategically guide the Due Diligence Team to achieve operational goals and maximize business impact. The primary focus will be on people development, processes enhancement, and productivity managemen
Reference
bb3b7f5d-fbb6-43eb-a0ab-4d2f636ca152
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
£83,-118,000
Location
London
Team
Product
Locations
London
Description
Ready to be a key driver in our global sanctions program within our cutting-edge payment products and ensure our screening solutions are best-in-class? We're seeking a passionate Senior Sanctions &
Reference
21667bc6-d3ee-44e0-9e17-5d4d1580c83c
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
€4250 - €5550 gross / month + RSUs
Location
Tallinn
Team
Technology
Locations
Tallinn
Description
About the role We are looking for a Cloud or GRC Engineer with experience or a strong interest in Cyber Security. If you are a Cyber Security Engineer with a strong interest in Cloud Engineering we al
Reference
f505c6fb-ae7e-4b32-954f-c3d14543c416
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Articles you might like
.jpeg)
Teaser
People profileContent Type
BlogPublish date
05/07/2025
Summary
Discover how Jessica Laporte, Organic Growth Lead Manager, navigates the dynamic world of content marketing at Wise 📸 “Every day is a lottery - you have to push creative boundaries

by
Sapphire Birmingham

Teaser
People profileContent Type
BlogPublish date
05/07/2025
Summary
From studying Law to transforming global payments, discover how Ollie Conetta, Senior Business Development Manager, joined Wise Platform 🚀 “At Wise, you’re not locked into a single

by
Verona Hasani
.jpeg)
Teaser
Diversity Equity & InclusionContent Type
BlogPublish date
04/16/2025
Summary
Catherine Malong, Training Coordinator (Functional Onboarding), shares reflections on Easter traditions, community support, and the positive impact of faith inclusion in the workplace 💡

by
Verona Hasani

Teaser
Diversity Equity & InclusionContent Type
BlogPublish date
04/11/2025
Summary
Jessie Apple talks us through the significance of Passover, how it is celebrated and the valuable reflections during this time 💡 “Our culture of inclusion at Wise is laudable, and a

by
Verona Hasani

Teaser
Diversity Equity & InclusionContent Type
BlogPublish date
04/10/2025
Summary
Umaid Hassan, Knowledge Management Specialist, shares insights into the significance of Eid, community initiatives, and the vital role of allyship during Ramadan 💡 “Our Muslim Wis

by
Verona Hasani

Teaser
People profileContent Type
BlogPublish date
03/27/2025
Summary
Not sure if an apprenticeship is the right path for you? Amani shares her journey from taking a gap year to landing a People apprenticeship. “I've always believed apprenticeships a

by
Sapphire Birmingham
+(1).png)
Teaser
People profileContent Type
BlogPublish date
03/20/2025
Summary
Curious about how our team members spend their paid sabbatical? We chatted with Flora to find out how she recharged and made the most of her time off 🌍 At Wise, we offer paid sabbatic

by
Verona Hasani
+(2).jpeg)
Teaser
People profileContent Type
BlogPublish date
03/19/2025
Summary
Matthew Way, Senior Product Compliance Manager, gives us an inside look at his role at Wise, sharing his day-to-day role, and offering valuable advice for anyone looking to interview for a pos

by
Verona Hasani
.jpeg)
Teaser
Diversity Equity & InclusionContent Type
BlogPublish date
03/18/2025
Summary
We spoke with our Wisers to hear their personal perspectives on neurodiversity, address common misconceptions, and explore why embracing different ways of thinking is crucial for a more inclus

by
Verona Hasani

Teaser
People profileContent Type
BlogPublish date
03/04/2025
Summary
Curious about how our Product Managers found their way into the world of Product Management? 🤔Tanya, Product Manager, takes us through her unexpected journey—from a gap year to exploring fint

by
Verona Hasani