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 🚀

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.