Avtar Sehmbi’s remarkable journey from humble beginnings on London’s Green Street to the executive boardrooms of multinational corporations led him to pioneer innovation and human-centered leadership. Over three decades, Sehmbi has built a global career spanning more than 40 countries and a diverse range of industries, including technology, banking, healthcare, retail, and energy. His success and influence are rooted in a guiding principle: people are the ultimate drivers of organizational growth and transformation.

Sehmbi’s career has seen him lead transformative initiatives for Fortune 500 companies across sectors, continents, cultures, and disciplines. He has worked for global leaders like Verizon, Deloitte, Centrica, HSBC, and Cigna, running projects with DaimlerChrysler / Mercedes Benz, Lloyds Banking Group, Goldman Sachs, Barclays, Bank of England, and The London Stock Exchange. 

A Humble Start with Big Ambitions

Avtar Sehmbi’s story began in modest circumstances in the United Kingdom. The son of immigrant parents, he grew up sharing a small home with two other families. By age 11, Sehmbi was helping his father sell purses at a market stall on London’s Green Street. These formative years instilled in him the values of hard work, adaptability, and customer focus.

Sehmbi’s entrepreneurial spirit was evident early on, as he helped transform his family’s small market stall into a thriving retail business that earned credibility with global brands. 

Sehmbi expanded into wholesale, distribution, and merchandising global markets, sourcing goods from Asia, Hong Kong, Europe, the U.S., and Japan. This venture was critical in his evolution from a local entrepreneur to a global business leader. With a wealth of experience, Sehmbi transitioned into the financial sector by launching Currency Times LLP, a family-run incubation fund focused on managing currency and fixed-income securities across global markets. 

These experiences laid the groundwork for his transition into leadership roles in technology, investment banking, and other sectors.

A Global Leader Across Industries

Sehmbi has executed technology, business, and risk management activities across an estimated $26 billion in mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, impacting over 140 million customers and 60,000 employees globally. Sehmbi ran operations and transformation strategies across 330K staff, impacting over 40+ countries globally. 

Sehmbi has held senior leadership roles across a spectrum of disciplines, from Global Technology Exec to Risk Head, Board Director, Management Consultant, and Entrepreneur/CEO, and led transformative change in high-impact industries like Investment Banking, Telecoms, Consulting, Energy, Healthcare, Insurance, Retail, Manufacturing, and Global Trade Finance.

Sehmbi has served as a Board Member for Cigna CHSI, a global innovation hub in Asia, driving international strategies by leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as data analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence to enhance consumer experience in addition to running organizations across 30+ countries worldwide.

In HSBC Sehmbi built multiple global Technology, Operations, Intelligence and Risk organizations from the ground up across Global Asset Management, Capital Markets, Banking, Liquidity & Cash Management, Securities, and Trade & Receivables Finance across 67 countries worldwide, additionally supporting the Ireland deal pipeline for Wholesale Banking clients across Hedging, Revolving Credit, Club Finance, New Monies & Settlements.

At Deloitte, Sehmbi built Technology, Operations, and Risk functions from conception in Switzerland and the UK. Sehmbi developed global member firm alliances, promoting international intelligence and opportunities worldwide. 

During his tenure at Verizon, Sehmbi transformed the International Markets Operational Technology landscape, enhancing Cyber resilience across 60 countries and a Digital Forensics capability supporting the Regulatory Investigatory Powers Act in the UK.

Sehmbi’s work has also influenced industry standards and regulatory practices worldwide. In the Energy industry, Sehmbi played a pivotal role in shaping the UK’s Smart Metering regulation and technology during his time at Centrica. While at Verizon, Sehmbi worked to implement technologies across government agencies and participated in intelligence exchanges.

In Investment Banking, Sehmbi worked on the Bank of England’s Critical National Infrastructure Banking Evaluation programs, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, an independent bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, to build one of the largest technology, legal and regulatory frameworks in the world (67 countries).

At Deloitte, Sehmbi worked on the Information Commissioner’s data campaign, coordinating across major banks such as HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, and Barclays. Sehmbi was cleared for top-secret work on critical national infrastructure technology programs by the UK government.

Many more examples of Sehmbi’s influence across global regulators include Luxembourg’s Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier, Singapore’s Monetary Authority, The U.S. National Futures Association, The Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Saudi Arabia Monetary Authority, and many more. 

Sehmbi’s work extends to the charity sector, where he has collaborated with Save The Children on a pro-bono consulting basis, building banking infrastructures to deliver cash grants to help families in need of housing.

Sehmbi has focused on fostering collaboration, prioritizing people, and driving sustainable growth. His work has influenced industry standards and regulatory practices worldwide. 

A Legacy of Leadership

Today, Avtar Sehmbi is a transformational leader who thrives at the intersection of innovation, strategy, and human connection. His journey from a market stall in London to the global stage underscores the power of perseverance and the importance of staying true to one’s values. As Sehmbi continues to influence industries and inspire leaders worldwide, his story reminds us that humble beginnings can lead to extraordinary achievements if you put people first.

Written in partnership with Tom White