Future-proofing mobility with purpose and resilience: In conversation with Standard Chartered Bank

Yang Li
Partner
Vialto Partners

Elizabeth Keller
Head of International Mobility
and Immigration,
Standard Chartered Bank

While global mobility can often sit behind the scenes, it plays a crucial role in how companies attract, deploy, and retain top talent—especially in the financial services industry, where stakes are high, and rules are ever-changing.

 
Today, we’re speaking with someone redefining what global mobility looks like within a complex financial institution. Not only is she keeping programs compliant (no small feat), but she is also finding smarter, more forward-thinking ways to support talent on the move.

Vialto Partners sat down with Elizabeth Keller, Head of International Mobility and Immigration at Standard Chartered Bank, to discuss how she and her team are navigating complexity while staying ahead of the curve—whether by leveraging smarter technology, better communication, or building programs that truly work for people. Think compliance meets creativity. It’s not easy, but they’re making it look seamless.

YANG:

As the International Mobility Leader for Standard Chartered, can you describe your role and career highlights?

ELIZABETH:

The role of International Mobility and Immigration lead at Standard Chartered requires one to be both deeply strategic and instinctively attuned. My job is to enable the movement of talent in ways that support the bank’s growth, reflect our principles, and align with the needs of our people.

I shape our global mobility strategy, oversee delivery of high-quality mobility experience, advise on complex cross-border issues, and drive innovation and efficiency. Often my role involves storytelling—helping the organization see how mobility supports growth, connection, and purpose.

Across the various organizations I’ve worked with, one consistent highlight has been the opportunity to improve things for people and to help the organizations move forward.

Moments where complexity turns into clarity typically occur when you either: simplify tangled processes, navigate ambiguity, or bring compassion into the equation. From supporting assignees during bereavement, to delivering the bank’s 2019 Belt & Road event in 44 countries, the real wins come from building trust, helping people succeed, and making global mobility accessible.

YANG:

Where do you see our industry in the next 3-5 years? How are you managing some of the industry’s apparent dichotomies, such as efficiency vs. flexibility?

ELIZABETH:

Over the next 3-5 years I see international mobility continuing to evolve as a strategic, tech-enabled, people-focused function. It will increasingly be about enabling global talent in a way that’s data-led and aligned with business priorities and employee aspirations, all in effort to help organizations navigate compliance complexity.

What won’t change, I believe, is the need for a human touch—because we’re still supporting people and their families. Perhaps it’s less about dichotomies and more about thoughtful program design. Efficiency and flexibility don’t have to be at odds; we can drive efficiency through automation and standardization, while building flexible frameworks that allow personalization in the moments that matter.

With the right data, cross-functional collaboration, and a clear focus on colleague experience, we can deliver mobility solutions that are both scalable and human.

YANG:

What are the most pressing challenges in 2025, and how is Standard Chartered addressing them? What is your strategy to deal with disruption?

ELIZABETH:

International mobility is navigating a period of significant complexity and transformation. Challenges span both longstanding and emerging issues—from rapidly changing immigration regulations and rising compliance demands to cost pressures and growing employee expectations for lifestyle-driven flexibility.

At Standard Chartered, our strategy is shaped by both external disruption and our own internal transformation journey. As we simplify, digitalize, and prepare for the future, our mobility function must evolve in parallel.

We’re currently focused on three core areas:

1. Strong vendor partnerships to stay ahead of regulatory change
2. Leveraging tech and data to drive visibility, speed, and compliance
3. A people-first approach offering inclusive, adaptive solutions aligned with our purpose

Disruption is not unfamiliar to us, nor is it something we meet with apprehension, but rather see it as a catalyst for meaningful enhancement of our services.

With the right mindset, we continually reimagine how we deliver value to the bank.

YANG:

Standard Chartered has been pioneering a shift towards becoming a skills-based organization. How do you see the bank aligning mobility with the broader organizational objectives?

ELIZABETH:

Our journey towards becoming a skills-based organization is about unlocking the full potential of our people—and international mobility plays a key role in that transformation.

We don’t just relocate talent; we’re enabling access to the right opportunities at the right time to develop the right skills. As we shift our focus from roles to capabilities, international mobility becomes a critical lever to build future-ready talent through invaluable cross-border experiences.

We are aligning mobility with broader organizational goals by:

• Matching relocation opportunities with skills and development needs
• Offering flexible options beyond traditional move types
• Using data to guide talent strategy and measure impact

YANG:

Has Standard Chartered seen any encouraging successes from its mobility programs?

ELIZABETH:

Yes, our program design has delivered real progress, not just in how we move our talent but in how we think about work.

We’ve expanded our support across the network, covering a wider range of needs—from business-critical moves to complex personal situations. We’ve strengthened compliance without sacrificing pragmatism and now approach remote and cross-border conversations earlier and more strategically.

But perhaps most importantly, we’re starting to reframe mobility itself. It’s no longer just about relocation, it’s about unlocking opportunity by challenging the traditional assumption that impact requires physical presence; it’s about enabling contribution from wherever talent is.

This shift brings necessary tension—balancing flexibility with fairness and compliance. As new models of working emerge, we’re mindful of avoiding unintended divides between the mobility of roles and people. It’s not an easy conversation, but a necessary one and we believe our mobility function is uniquely placed to lead it.

YANG:

Given today’s unpredictability—driven by GenAI and geopolitical shifts—how should regional and global financial services organizations plan their mobility strategies?

ELIZABETH:

In today’s environment, mobility strategies do need to strike a careful balance between long-term vision and short-term adaptability. At Standard Chartered, we plan with direction, not rigidity.

We can’t predict every disruption, we can design mobility strategies that are grounded in purpose and built to flex. This approach informed our pandemic response, where adaptability became essential. We value having an open communication style with our stakeholders that allows us to innovate, celebrate successes, and learn from unexpected outcomes.

Ultimately, the best preparation is building connectivity and resilience.

YANG:

Are we seeing a “new normal”? What advice do you have for organizations navigating this new world—with trade tariffs and GenAI high on the agenda?

ELIZABETH:

We’re operating in a new context shaped by the convergence of macroeconomic pressures, regulatory shifts, and transformative technologies like GenAI. These aren’t isolated disruptions, they’re the environment in which we now lead, plan, and build.

At Standard Chartered, we navigate this landscape by staying anchored in purpose and building resilience. For our international mobility function, this means designing adaptable systems and strategies while investing in intelligence—keeping pace with geopolitical developments, workforce trends, and emerging technologies to support timely, informed decisions.

Ultimately, we don’t just react to change—we see it as an opportunity to create impact, manage risk, and enable growth for our clients.

YANG:

Sustainability and DEI have long been priorities for the bank. How has your team embedded these values into the mobility program?

ELIZABETH:

We don’t treat sustainability and DEI as separate priorities—they’re embedded in how we design and deliver our mobility services.

Supporting colleagues though our programs, means understanding the full spectrum of their experiences, their wellbeing, identity, and values.

We actively engage with our employee resource groups (ERGs)— which we call Colleague Communities—to understand needs and guide support.
Some of our key initiatives include:

• Inclusive documentation: Mobility guides now clearly signpost wellbeing resources, colleague communities, and wider ESG initiatives like carbon offsetting for (relocation) flights.
• Sustainable relocation: We’ve worked with our vendors to introduce greener alternatives in shipping, accommodation, and transport.
• Education and dialogue: We actively support internal projects and information sessions on mobility inclusion–most recently focusing on mobility experiences for African colleagues and how immigration intersects with DEI, ensuring policy is shaped by lived experience.

YANG:

COVID-19 put a spotlight on the global mobility function at SCB. How did that impact the team—and has it shifted or expanded your responsibilities?

ELIZABETH:

I think the pandemic shone a spotlight on every global mobility team to be honest but yes, we were especially proud of how we stepped up when it mattered. Throughout the pandemic, we maintained a high volume of assignments while supporting colleagues displaced or needing to travel during lockdowns and border closures.

The pandemic also gave us a platform of sorts to demonstrate the progress, agility, and people-first mindset we had already been cultivating. It highlighted the value a mobility function brings when it’s not just operational, but also strategic—ready to respond, adapt, and inform the organization’s evolving global mobility needs.

Today, we manage business travel compliance, advisory support (including location planning), and a personal request to work abroad program—with approvals spanning ~120 countries each year.

This evolution reflects a broader shift: mobility is not just about relocation but enabling compliant flexibility so people can contribute from wherever they are. The pandemic showed how light on our feet we could be. It accelerated conversation and change not only for mobility but the wider organization’s approach to new ways of working.

YANG:

Can you share an example where data insights led to a strategic pivot or significant improvement in your program?

ELIZABETH:

Absolutely. Data has become one of the most powerful tools informing our work, not just for tracking, but for planning and decision-making.

One key example of this was through the COMPASS roll-out, we successfully planned ahead for our Singapore-based operations (years in advance!), through proactive stakeholder engagement using data to highlight areas for improvement, held dialogues with colleagues and found opportunities for cost savings—all through approaching our data from a strategic lens—and we haven’t looked back!

Another recent example, while never deployed, illustrates the value of being prepared.

During an unfolding geopolitical crisis in a key region, we leveraged our mobility data—including live assignment tracking, talent location mapping, and scenario modelling—to rapidly assess where our people were, what roles they were in, and how quickly and cost-effectively we could re-deploy them if needed. We built contingency models, factoring in crisis duration, relocation options, estimated costs, and compliance considerations.

This gave the business timely, data-backed options for continuity planning.

Our response was effective not just because of the data itself but because we had invested in systems, governance, and capability to activate our insights quickly. It’s a great example of how mobility– when embedded in the broader talent and risk agenda—becomes a strategic asset. As unpredictability modelling becomes the norm, our focus remains on strengthening our data foundation so we can continue to support SCB with the insight and care it needs.
 
 

Contact us

For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or the expert below:
Yang Li, Partner and APAC Immigration Leader, Vialto Partners

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