HSBC UK launches brand new wealth academy to attract and develop top industry talent

HSBC UK is launching a brand-new Wealth Academy this autumn, providing access to leading educational resources, best practice and academic accreditations for professionals in the wealth management industry.

As part of this, the bank has joined forces with London Business School, through which it will offer a bespoke transformative learning experience for its top performers.

The launch is part of a wider push to grow the wealth division at scale and attract the industry’s top talent, as the bank works to become a Top 5 wealth manager in the next few years and double its assets under management.

The world-class learning programme will provide a structured learning pathway to develop students’ expertise and knowledge – from foundational wealth principles to advanced investment strategies.

The foundation course will be open to all HSBC UK colleagues, to equip employees with essential skills and knowledge to help deliver a world-class customer experience. Top-performing advisors will then also gain access to the Wealth Excellence curriculum, accredited by the London Business School, which is world-renowned for its executive education programmes.

Wealth Academy complements existing talent programme

The brand-new Academy, which is being rolled out across 15 other markets globally, complements HSBC UK’s existing ‘Academy Pathway’ development programme, which launched last year.

The existing programme offers colleagues at any level of seniority, from anywhere across the bank, the opportunity to train to become a wealth manager, including through the funding of qualifications. Last year, it took on an initial first intake of 30 colleagues and prepares to take on a new cohort in early 2026.

The launch of the Wealth Academy therefore complements this existing programme by providing access to more structured learning across three core curriculums.

Commenting on the Academy launch, Christopher Dean, Managing Director of Wealth, Premier and Personal Banking, said:

“It is no secret that there is a growing talent shortage within the wealth management industry in the UK, at a time where customer demand continues to grow and client needs are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

“To continue to offer our customers stand-out, personalised services, we are focused on creating world-class training capabilities and investing in our people’s development over the long-term. Our new Academy, which builds on our existing talent programme and includes a partnership with London Business School, one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world, sets the standards for excellent learning practice within the industry. It will help us stand out in one of the most competitive landscapes.

“Simultaneously, we are committed to helping attract fresh talent into the industry, by helping colleagues who have great skills but lack industry experience get into wealth management.

“We also remain focused on supporting women to thrive in an industry that remains very male-dominated. We are proud of the fact four in ten of our wealth managers are women – which is double the industry standard.”

The Wealth Academy curriculum

In order to design the Wealth Academy curriculum, HSBC surveyed 800 colleagues across 11 geographies about their learning needs. Respondents said they wanted a one stop location for training that catered for different levels of expertise and provided accreditation to help evidence professional development.

The Academy has been developed across three key pillars. The first pillar, the Wealth Knowledge Hub, provides a range of online, self-led learning pathways across three levels of expertise.

The ‘Wealth Live Learning’ pillar then offers facilitated Zoom or face-to-face workshops that are focused on developing a range of key skills, ranging from customer-centricity to wealth products and market knowledge, financial planning and behavioural finance and risk and controls.

Finally, the outstanding performers in the Academy will reach pillar 3, the ‘Wealth Excellence Aspirational Programme’, which will offer access to the London Business School course and an invitation to attend a Wealth Global Symposium in China.

Christopher Dean added: “Rooted at the heart of the learning model is providing world-class service to our customers. Through structured learning, immersive live training, and exposure to global best practices, we are empowering our teams to have more meaningful, insightful conversations with clients and to build even deeper trust.

“As a truly international bank, we offer wealth management to customers who themselves often have an international mindset, and their wealth management needs reflect this. The Academy will give our people the tools to service customers with very complex needs and set new standards of best practice in wealth management.”

Helen Kerkentzes, Associate Dean, Executive Education at London Business School said: “We are delighted to partner with and support HSBC UK’s Wealth Academy initiative, by providing transformative learning that will empower the next generation of industry professionals and help them thrive in a rapidly evolving industry. This exciting collaboration reflects our longstanding partnership with HSBC and shared commitment to shaping the future of wealth management, through our world class faculty and number one ranked executive education programme.”