SMBC, a member of SMBC Group, announced the appointment of Robin Milberg as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Paul Sweeney as Head of Strategy & Transformation. Both report to the SMBC Group in the Americas Chief Operating Officer, Debbie Freer.
“Our company is growing exponentially and having the best leadership is critical. Both Robin and Paul bring decades of experience to their new roles, having finely honed their skills within their respective areas of expertise,” COO Freer said.
“Our promise is that we will learn our client’s unique business needs. This hands-on, relationship-based approach differentiates us, but is also predicated on a skilled and engaged workforce following and building upon a common strategy. Robin understands the need for a diverse and inclusive workplace to best serve both our clients and employees. Paul’s approach to strategy and transformation epitomizes a comprehensive and effective approach focused on execution,” added Freer.
Milberg joined SMBC in September 2015 and is a seasoned HR executive who brings deep experience within financial services. As CHRO, Milberg is responsible for developing and implementing the overall HR strategy for the Americas, including the full life cycle of the employee experience and ensuring the supporting HR technology, data, and operations are effective and efficient. She acutely understands the need for her team to partner with the business and use their expertise to support growth within the organization.
Most recently, Milberg was Managing Director and Head of HR for SMBC, where she led the daily operations of the HR team. She oversaw significant organizational change and executive level hiring, and led the team charged with developing new HR policies and processes to meet increasing industry regulatory requirements. Prior to SMBC, Milberg was with the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) in its Corporate and Institutional Banking division for eight years, where she gained a deep understanding of HR’s role as a business partner with specific and necessary skills. She held positions of increasing responsibility, including Managing Director and Senior HR Business Partner for Markets, in the company’s London, England and Stamford, Connecticut offices. Before RBS, Robin worked for General Electric, Inc. for 10 years in various HR roles.
Milberg earned her Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Connecticut.
Sweeney joined the company in September 2019 as the lead transformation program manager responsible for securing cost reduction and enabling improved profitability and scalability while enhancing internal controls. Since December 2021, he has also served as the Head of the Americas Division Corporate Services Group, inclusive of Corporate Real Estate & Facilities, Operational Resilience, and Procurement. In this role, he led this group’s transformation through the identification and delivery of functional enhancements that support SMBC’s business strategy.
In addition to his oversight of Corporate Services, Sweeney was appointed Head of Strategy & Transformation, where he will be accountable for the strategic transformation of the organization in the Americas to align with U.S. regulatory requirements, including combined U.S. operations and bank holding company structuring.
Before SMBC, Sweeney spent 14 years at JPMorgan Chase Asset Management, where he most recently led the transformation of its design, delivery, and maintenance of financial management information systems with a focus on controls, operational leverage, streamlined processes, and data quality. He also served as CFO of JPMorgan Chase Asset Management’s Global Investment Management Operations, where he developed strategic goals for the organization and established, tracked, and reported on financial targets aligned with those goals.
Sweeney earned an MBA from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Providence College.