Rebecca Southwell
Regional Head Of Transformation
Mexico City
Summary
COO/Programme Director with a background in PR/Communications/Brand/EVP. Leads large-scale, complex transformation. Sets-up and grows shared service Operations/BPOs. Designs talent and retention strategies. Owns P+L. Optimizes cost/spend. Manages large, multi-skilled matrixed functions. Turns around failing teams. Energetic. Hands-on. Reads rooms. Shapes thinking. Puts out fires. Champions kindness/curiosity in workplaces.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
10
10
years of post-secondary education
2
2
Languages
Work History
Regional Head of Transformation and ODS (Operations, Delivery and Strategy), LAM
HSBC PLC
06.2023 - Current
- Lead a COO and transformation utility of 40 FTE incorporating PMO, BMs, PMs, data analysts and developers.
- Objectives: deliver a regional plan incorporating USD 200m in cost, and USD 40m in saves, for Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay.
- Articulate cost/billing/performance to stakeholders including heads of business/CEOs/COOs.
- Deliver USD 240m cost/transformation targets for Mexico´s shared services operation and LAM markets.
- Lead global non-disclosure agreements that identify and deliver multi-million-dollar benefits for HSBC´s off-shore entities (+60,000 FTE in eight countries) via re-balancing of service catalogue and CoE creation.
- Secure global funding for LAM initiatives, eg, USD 130m for Mexico´s Control Enhancement programme resolving legacy IT infrastructure issues.
- Use Gen AI to improve operational efficiency, eg, iCash (a forecasting tool using real-time data and predictive analysis) has reduced replenishment trips to Mexico ATMs by 1k saving USD 1.2m.
- Lead regional reviews of +2,000 manual processes to maintain a multi-year investment plan that will deliver automated services for customers at lower cost.
- Write the global process intelligence strategy incorporating pilot roll-out schedule by market, utility structure and location, and customer engagement model.
- Lead Communications strategy for global transformation function with emphasis on engagement, value-stream alignment and skills for the future.
- Coaching Circles and LeadHER mentor, and sponsor of Global Operations´ graduate programme.
- Reduced ´cost to deliver´ expenses by 50% via right-sizing transformation team from 60 to 40 FTE (USD 800k/year), taking programme orchestration from 20%-8%, and RPA implementation from 200-90 days.
- Oversaw HSBC´s sale of Argentina to Banco Galicia, delivering USD 50m cost plan to target, banking USD 5m in-year benefits before transaction close.
- Rationalised Operations´ queues from 3,500-
- Designed and rolled-out ´change champion´ training certifying 60 citizen developers and 13 Lean Agents contributing USD 800k in saves.
- Increased shared services engagement in Mexico from 82%-90% in 12-months via Kindness Movement culture campaign, and upskilling initiatives via language apps and coding conferences.
COO of Operations in Canada and LAM, and CAO, GSC Mexico
HSBC PLC
06.2020 - 06.2023
- Lead CAO and COO teams incorporating 30 PMs, BMs, and data analysts in EDPM (HSBC Electronic Data Process Mexico. S.A. de C.V.), better known as ´GSC Mexico´, one of 23 HSBC shared service operations employing c. 60,000 colleagues in eight markets.
- Objectives: deliver a cost plan of c.USD 300m for GSC Mexico and the markets of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay, and ensuring an effective control environment.
- Banked c.USD 50m in benefits (with an investment of USD 27m) via the set-up of GSC Mexico in 2020 (the first shared service entity to be set-up in a new HSBC market for > 15-years).
- Designed GSC Mexico´s 2022-2025 growth strategy, expanding footprint from 900 to 3,500 FTE in 3-years via introduction of strategic utilities in MSS Operations, and Financial Operations.
- Devised new client metrics showing the true cost of a dollar over the course of a year (location salary, time to competency, productivity, over-time, shifts, and resourcing and on-boarding).
- Transferred c. 400 FTE from Technology to GSC Mexico following the sale of HSBC´s Canada business, successfully creating a co-located Operations and Technology HUB.
- Saved c. USD 5m in annual over-time costs via cross-training measures to build fungibility across queues.
- Led research for ´Operations 2030 Strategy´ on future consumer needs determined by rising demographics (millennials, mass-affluent, emerging middle class) in growth markets, and availability of new technologies (robo-advice, biometrics, digital, crypto-currencies, open platform technology/APIs).
- Designed an employer value proposition for GSC Mexico incorporating attraction and retention strategies that sped up on-boarding times from 67 to 47-days, and maintained attrition
- Secured a Great Place to Work accreditation (62/700), and Top Companies accreditation (13/700) within first 2-years of GSC Mexico set-up.
- Established culture of GSC Mexico via design and delivery of ´The Kindness Movement´ and ´Worldwide Diversity´ campaigns resulting in +90% Snapshot engagement scores for 4-years.
- Managed key audits including the US regulator (Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) resulting in positive feedback about ´the positive and supportive culture of GSC Mexico´.
- Maintained a +97% effective risk and control environment across all LAM markets.
- Established D+I, ERG and ESG framework for GSC Mexico (also assuming regional LGBTQI+ sponsor role) resulting in >500 active Allies in
COO, US, Canada and LAM Operations
HSBC PLC
07.2017 - 06.2020
Head of Communications, Global Operations
HSBC PLC
06.2015 - 07.2017
Head of Global Service Delivery Communications
HSBC PLC
08.2013 - 06.2015
Group Communications Director
IMI PLC
06.2012 - 08.2013
Communications Consultant
Capgemini PLC
10.2010 - 06.2012
Senior Communications Manager
Turner & Townsend LLC
06.2005 - 10.2010
Marketing and Public Relations Manager
Barnardo's
04.2003 - 05.2005
Account Manager FMCG
Nielsen PLC
07.2000 - 04.2003
International Business Development Executive
Nielsen PLC
07.2000 - 03.2003
Brokerage Operations Executive
Charles Schwab Europe
01.1999 - 06.2000
Sabbatical - travel throughout Africa post-graduation
06.1998 - 12.1998
Education
HSBC Operations Transformation - Mastering Change and Delivering Excellence
01.2024 - 01.2025
HSBC Leading Businesses and Functions - undefined
London Business School
01.2023 - 01.2024
HSBC Accelerating Female Leadership - development programme
01.2021 - 01.2022
Leading Teams To Greater Efficiency -
HSBC Operational Excellence Programme
01.2018 - 01.2019
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt - certification
Warwick University
01.2015 - 01.2016
Issues Management For Directors -
HSBC Communications Talent Leadership Programme
05.2015 - 01.2016
Chartered Institute of PR Internal Communications Certificate - undefined
Birmingham University
01.2008 - 01.2009
Chartered Institute of PR Higher Diploma - in Public Relations
Birmingham University
01.2007 - 01.2008
Higher Diploma - in Advertising
Cranfield School of Management
01.2004 - 01.2005
Advanced Marketing Certificate - undefined
Cambridge School of Marketing
01.2003 - 01.2004
Personal Information
Nationality: British
Timeline
HSBC Operations Transformation - Mastering Change and Delivering Excellence
01.2024 - 01.2025
Regional Head of Transformation and ODS (Operations, Delivery and Strategy), LAM
HSBC PLC
06.2023 - Current
HSBC Leading Businesses and Functions - undefined
London Business School
01.2023 - 01.2024
HSBC Accelerating Female Leadership - development programme
01.2021 - 01.2022
COO of Operations in Canada and LAM, and CAO, GSC Mexico
HSBC PLC
06.2020 - 06.2023
Leading Teams To Greater Efficiency -
HSBC Operational Excellence Programme
01.2018 - 01.2019
COO, US, Canada and LAM Operations
HSBC PLC
07.2017 - 06.2020
Head of Communications, Global Operations
HSBC PLC
06.2015 - 07.2017
Issues Management For Directors -
HSBC Communications Talent Leadership Programme
05.2015 - 01.2016
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt - certification
Warwick University
01.2015 - 01.2016
Head of Global Service Delivery Communications
HSBC PLC
08.2013 - 06.2015
Group Communications Director
IMI PLC
06.2012 - 08.2013
Communications Consultant
Capgemini PLC
10.2010 - 06.2012
Chartered Institute of PR Internal Communications Certificate - undefined
Birmingham University
01.2008 - 01.2009
Chartered Institute of PR Higher Diploma - in Public Relations
Birmingham University
01.2007 - 01.2008
Senior Communications Manager
Turner & Townsend LLC
06.2005 - 10.2010
Higher Diploma - in Advertising
Cranfield School of Management
01.2004 - 01.2005
Marketing and Public Relations Manager
Barnardo's
04.2003 - 05.2005
Advanced Marketing Certificate - undefined
Cambridge School of Marketing
01.2003 - 01.2004
Account Manager FMCG
Nielsen PLC
07.2000 - 04.2003
International Business Development Executive
Nielsen PLC
07.2000 - 03.2003
Brokerage Operations Executive
Charles Schwab Europe
01.1999 - 06.2000
Sabbatical - travel throughout Africa post-graduation
06.1998 - 12.1998
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