WRISE launches AI Labs with HKD $30m & new scientist

WRISE has launched WRISE AI Labs, appointed Dr Jeffrey Wu as Group Chief Scientist and committed HKD $30 million to the initiative.

The new unit will develop artificial intelligence tools for use across the group's wealth management business, covering client servicing, automation, support for relationship managers, analytics, digital intelligence platforms and client engagement.

The move comes as wealth managers and family offices increase spending on artificial intelligence to improve productivity and tailor services more closely to clients. WRISE presented the launch as part of a broader long-term strategy to build more AI-led processes across its operations.

Dr Wu will work with the leadership team on the group's AI roadmap and oversee the new lab. WRISE has also partnered with Guangzhou Panorama Intelligent Technology Investment, which it described as a state-backed investment vehicle aligned with Guangzhou's technology strategy.

The partnership is intended to combine WRISE's wealth management experience with technical expertise from Dr Wu and Panorama. The initial HKD $30 million commitment will fund development of the lab and early-stage AI applications across the group.

Broader push

WRISE said its AI programme would take a platform approach rather than focus on a single business line. The group intends to build systems that can be used across multiple functions, with projects assessed against stated objectives and measurable outcomes.

WRISE has a footprint across several financial centres in Asia and the Middle East, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Tokyo, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Taipei and Bangkok. It employs more than 600 people globally and works with more than 200 financial intermediaries, giving it a sizeable network through which internal systems could be deployed.

The launch also follows industry recognition for WRISE's internal transformation work. The firm said it recently received the AI-Ready Enterprise Initiative: Transformation Enterprise Award at the SGTech Industry Gala 2026.

Derrick Tan, Group Executive Chairman of WRISE, set out the group's position on the role of artificial intelligence in client-facing finance.

"AI is set to fundamentally reshape the financial industry - not by replacing human relationships, but by making them more intelligent, responsive and scalable. The launch of the WRISE AI Labs initiative and the appointment of Dr Jeffrey Wu as Group Chief Scientist mark an important milestone in our journey to build a human-led, AI-scaled and future-ready wealth management platform. Dr Wu brings deep scientific expertise, entrepreneurial experience and a global technology vision. Together with Panorama and the WRISE leadership team, he will help us translate AI innovation into practical business outcomes - empowering relationship managers, enhancing client engagement and strengthening our long-term growth capabilities," said Derrick Tan, Group Executive Chairman of WRISE.

Scientific role

Dr Wu joins with experience in enterprise AI and data projects in China and Australia. According to WRISE, he previously served as APAC Technical Director for IBM Watson Analytics in Australia, where he led regional AI and data intelligence work.

He also holds roles outside WRISE. The firm said he is Chairman of XALL Technology Investment Group, Founder and CEO of Panorama, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist of Zhongke Shiyun, and a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Suzhou Institute of Advanced Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

His academic background is in computer science, with a PhD from the University of New South Wales. That mix of research, commercial and investment experience appears to be central to WRISE's decision to appoint him to lead the technical side of the initiative.

Artificial intelligence has become a growing theme in wealth management as firms look to use software for administrative work, analysis and client communications while keeping advisers in charge of final decisions and relationships. WRISE's description of the project suggests it sees AI as an internal operating layer for a range of business tasks rather than a standalone client product.

That distinction matters in private wealth, where firms often present personal relationships and adviser trust as the core of their offering. By focusing on adviser support, automation and analytics, WRISE is positioning the lab as a way to improve existing workflows rather than replace them.

Dr Wu described the group's aim in similar practical terms.

"The future of enterprises will be AI-native, with intelligence embedded into decision-making, operations and client engagement. Wealth management is fundamentally relationship-driven, making it an ideal environment for responsible AI to enhance adviser capabilities rather than replace them. I am excited to join WRISE Group and work with its leadership team to advance the WRISE AI Labs initiative. Our goal is to combine scientific thinking, AI capabilities and real wealth management scenarios to develop practical solutions that improve efficiency, support better decisions and create sustainable value for clients and stakeholders," said Dr Jeffrey Wu.