Nan Fang Du Shi Bao·2025-05-13 23:18Core Viewpoint - The banking industry is increasingly prioritizing the recruitment and development of dual-skilled talent who understand both finance and technology, driven by policy support for technology-driven financial innovation [4][6][8]. Talent Development - Banks are focusing on hiring technology professionals, with many institutions reporting a significant increase in the number of tech staff [8][9]. - The demand for AI talent is particularly high, with banks like China Merchants Bank actively recruiting for AI-related positions [6][7]. - The average age of technology finance personnel in banks is decreasing, with many new hires coming from engineering backgrounds rather than traditional finance [11]. Performance Assessment - Banks are implementing internal due diligence exemption systems to encourage innovation in technology finance, although challenges remain in standardizing these measures [5][14]. - The due diligence exemption allows bank staff to avoid penalties if they can demonstrate that they acted responsibly in the face of risks associated with technology loans [15][17]. - There is a push for longer-term performance evaluation cycles to better assess the impact of technology loans, as short-term metrics may not accurately reflect the success of tech-driven projects [16]. Industry Trends - The proportion of technology staff within banks is generally higher in joint-stock banks compared to state-owned banks, with notable increases in recent years [9][10]. - The technology staff at major banks like ICBC and CCB has reached significant numbers, with ICBC leading at 36,000 tech employees [8][9]. - The establishment of specialized technology finance branches is becoming common, with banks setting specific standards for the number and qualifications of technology staff [12][13]. Challenges - The implementation of due diligence exemption policies faces difficulties due to a lack of unified quantitative standards, leading to subjective interpretations of responsibility [18][20]. - The complexity of assessing risks in technology finance can hinder the effectiveness of performance evaluations, as the nature of tech companies often involves high uncertainty [19][20].