Kevin is a seasoned leader with over 15 years of international experience across strategy, digital product design, and organisational transformation. With a strong foundation in creating impactful strategies and customer-centric solutions, he has helped businesses across industries unlock growth, boost efficiency, and elevate customer experiences. His passion lies in designing meaningful, value-driven experiences that benefit both clients and organisations. Kevin’s career spans three distinct professional chapters: 8 years in the financial industry, 4.5 years in consulting, and 3 years in the startup world. This diverse journey has shaped his ability to adapt, lead through complexity, and drive change across a wide variety of contexts. An active contributor to the Singapore INSEAD alumni community, Kevin serves on the Alumni Executive Committee, where he leads clubs and interest groups. He is also President of the Business Value of Design club, championing the strategic role of design in driving business performance.
In a recent interview with CXO Magazine, Kevin Boezennec discussed his experience with NextGen, Startups, and Private Banking. He shared his views on emerging trends, risk assessment, technological advancements, and many more.
In your experience, what are the most critical factors for making sound strategic decisions in high-stakes environments?
Data is absolutely fundamental. First, external data helps assess market threats and opportunities. Then, customer data uncovers the “job to be done” by identifying needs and removing pain points along key customer journeys. Finally, testing and experimentation data are crucial to fine-tune the strategy, increase success rates, and reduce uncertainty.
How does leadership in a startup differ from leadership in private banking, and what lessons from one sector have you applied to the other?
It’s truly night and day. In private banking, decision-making often requires extensive research and stakeholder alignment. It’s about socialising ideas and gaining buy-in. In contrast, startups operate with leaner processes and prioritise speed and execution. In corporates, I use design thinking and agile practices to prototype solutions quickly, offering tangible outcomes to align teams and validate with end users. In startups, I bring a strategic lens to ensure we don’t lose sight of the bigger picture amidst the fast-paced, short-term grind.
What emerging trends in private banking and the startup ecosystem do you believe will have the biggest impact in the next five years?
AI is the clear game-changer. In private banking, it’s set to transform the entire advisory process, empowering both bankers and clients with smarter decision-making tools embedded at every touchpoint. In the startup world, AI is already accelerating everything, from research to development, enabling faster learning cycles, quicker go-to-market, and a more impact-driven approach over pure delivery.
How do you see the NextGen (next generation) of leaders and entrepreneurs reshaping business models and driving innovation?
NextGen leaders are breathing new life into traditional business models by leveraging emerging technologies to address evolving customer needs. They’re more adaptive, purpose-driven, and unafraid to challenge legacy thinking, opening up new markets, targeting underserved segments, and creating solutions that resonate with today’s dynamic world.
Both startups and private banking involve managing significant risks. How do you approach risk assessment and mitigation while fostering growth?
In private banking, the risk framework is highly structured to safeguard clients and the industry. Within those guardrails, it’s about identifying the areas with room to innovate and growing responsibly. Startups, on the other hand, have more flexibility. The key is to take calculated risks, ones that are aligned with strategic goals and offer meaningful upside.
What qualities do you believe are essential for today’s leaders, and how do you mentor the next generation of decision-makers?
Empathy, resilience, and adaptability are more important than ever. Great leaders need to understand what drives their teams and stay grounded in shared values. When mentoring, I focus on helping future leaders tap into their core motivations and learn to navigate ambiguity with confidence and clarity.
With rapid technological advancements and shifting market dynamics, how do you stay agile and future-proof your strategies?
Test, learn, iterate, that’s the foundation. Design methodologies are powerful in keeping teams agile and future-ready. Whether you’re experimenting with a new business model or integrating a new technology, design thinking equips you to move fast, learn from real feedback, and adapt continuously.
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs and leaders who aim to make a meaningful impact across industries?
Start by clearly defining the impact you want to create, who you’re serving, when, how, and to what extent. Then, break it down into actionable, short-term goals to begin executing and collecting data. Most importantly, stay hands-on and open-minded. Losing touch with reality, whether it’s the market, your customers, or your team, can be a huge risk in today’s fast-changing world.