Working together to build AI governance

“It’s impossible to ignore the evolution of AI. It’s everywhere you look and something that I’m quite excited by. This led me to ask my stakeholders whether they are using AI for work, such as ChatGPT. This simple question took me on an interesting journey of advising on AI governance and the responsible use of AI in marketing, brand, and advertising. Through this work I connected with AMP’s Technology team and joined their AI Working Group, looking into AMP’s AI governance frameworks and AI innovation. It’s been a great opportunity to get to know the Technology team, share perspectives from across the Group and to add value as a lawyer in progressive forward-looking work.”

Modernising our core

“In support of AMP Bank’s digital growth strategy, the Bank IT team continue to invest in modernising our core Banking platform. Over the last few years, we have modernised the code-based, migrated to public cloud infrastructure, further automated our testing and deployment processes and delivered new business functionality, including a fully digital mortgage offering (approved in minutes not weeks) and real-time payments. We are continuing to leverage our strong AWS partnership to deliver cloud-first architectures and solutions for all new development, ensuring scalable, resilient and cost-effective solutions.”

Leading projects and building skills

“Getting the opportunity to work on and lead various projects and initiatives has made my time at AMP extremely valuable, the most recent of which was the release of our new Digital Mortgage channel. I was initially put onto the project as a Credit Risk Specialist; despite being new to the field, I was given the time and resources to learn quickly and positively impact the delivery of the project. I was then fortunate enough to be hired as the ongoing owner of the digital channel, which has helped me work on skills and knowledge across the entire mortgage value chain, as well as develop my leadership skills as I manage the Digital & Direct Lending team.”

Driving inclusion and diversity in the workplace

“The AMP Inclusion & Diversity Council is a representative, passionate group of employees and leaders from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience that work together to drive and advocate AMP’s commitment to inclusion and diversity. We are motivated by the belief that the power of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace is limitless.

For myself personally, it is an honour to be a member of the Council. Knowing I am helping to drive a real commitment to inclusion in the workplace has been extremely rewarding. It has also provided a valuable opportunity to build new connections and learn from others across the business who I may not interact with in my usual role.”

Becoming a Purpose & Values Champion

“Being part of the Purpose & Values working group and champions network has been a great opportunity to shape the ways we work and encourage behaviours that support better outcomes for our customers, people, partners, and community. Working in sustainability, several of our values align to the types of work I get to do every day, but I’ve really enjoyed seeing how people across the business have proposed and actioned changes that better embed each value in their areas.

With limited exposure to customers myself, I’ve particularly liked stories from our people around “Put the Customer First”. Personally, the “Be Brave” value is one that I find critical to my role so I can challenge us to try new things and engage with sustainability in different ways, like testing various ethical issues with the Youth Advisory Committee.

I look forward to seeing how our people continue to be brave and learn, and how the P&V champions network continues to role-model these behaviours.”

Driving real change for our customers

“We are brave to help simplify and drive change at AMP. During the last 9 months, we have introduced a visual analytics platform for key reports to empower business to make the most of their data, have promoted automation of processes and embarked on a journey to simplify our legal entity structure. Examples like this provide tremendous opportunities for our people to step out of their day jobs and achieve something of which they can be proud.

I joined AMP in September 2021 in the contact centre. Prior to this, I had never had an office job, having been in retail and hospitality. After struggling in these industries during the multiple COVID shut downs, I saw the stability of this role as a real blessing. It was great to be able to apply my years of customer service experience to our Master Trust members and educate them on superannuation and assist them when in need.

In 2022 I moved into a customer lead role, helping develop contact centre agents and acting as advocate for members to the business, and I have recently been successful in obtaining a secondment as Team Manager in the contact centre. I have found AMP to be a great place for growth and development, and my managers have been incredibly supportive and encouraging.

Recently I was able to participate in an awards pitch to AUSContact – initiatives in culture and engagement – where we were able to reflect on the hard work of agents, leaders, SME and L&D teams in rolling out changes that have seen such improvement to the team, both in their work and wellbeing. We attended the state awards ceremony, where we won in our category! We now advance to Nationals later this year, and I am confident in our chances – cross your fingers for us!”

Exploring the use of AI and tech in legal

“As a Senior Legal Counsel in the AMP Bank Legal team, I have always been interested in the intersection between technology and banking. I’ve become accustomed to a dynamic regulatory landscape that is constantly changing, and the pace of innovation in technology creates an additional layer of complexity. However, having the opportunity to explore how we can leverage AI and emerging technologies to improve how we do our work and deliver for our customers has been an exciting change from what I do on a day-to-day basis.” 

Anjum says the leadership team have always focused on championing diversity. “I have been privileged to have had incredibly supportive leaders in helping me progress. Working for an organisation where you are fully supported is such a source of fulfilment and pride."

Anjum is a passionate advocate for women in financial services and her proudest career moment to date, is leading the AMP Advice Women’s Network, which launched in 2021.

“Companies should look like the communities they serve, and I am grateful to be part of an organisation like AMP that champions this. This allows people of colour and other employees from marginalised communities to authentically participate in reinventing AMP and create a better future for the company.”

As a member of the LGBTQI community myself, I cannot tell our allies and friends how much it means to us all to feel embraced, respected, and able to be our full selves, especially at work. The transformation at work has been enormous during my long career (no spring chicken here!). When I started working, we had to hide our sexuality. You could certainly be discriminated for it, sometimes fired. But most importantly there was no avenue for support from our colleagues at work - this just mirrored the less inclusive stance of the community at large. But just what a transformation has taken place since. Despite the proliferation of glitter, we are now considered just like everyone else, and being LGBTI just doesn't have the stigma it used to have. This level of inclusion goes beyond LGBTI - to gender diversity, ethnic diversity, people with disabilities and so on. And our working places are so much better for it - not only do we draw talent from a far bigger pool, we enable people to be the individuals they are. Not only that but we are representative of our customer base as never before - so can truly understand them better.

AMP has a Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) that shares our reconciliation journey and our commitments on financial wellbeing, employment pathways and cultural capability with First Nations communities. I am a proud Koori woman who believes in Indigenous and non-Indigenous working together respectfully, coexisting is harmony, now and well into the future to make collaborative change.