Accenture has appointed Dr. David R. Hardoon as Managing Director & Head, Advanced AI, Southeast Asia, strengthening its regional artificial intelligence leadership as enterprises accelerate the adoption of generative and agentic AI technologies.
Based in Singapore, Hardoon assumed the role in June and will lead Accenture's Advanced AI practice across Southeast Asia. He will oversee the firm's strategy, innovation, and deployment of enterprise-scale generative AI, agentic AI, and responsible AI solutions across industries while building high-performing AI teams and working with ecosystem partners to deliver business outcomes for clients.
Hardoon announced the move on LinkedIn. "I'm looking forward to working alongside the outstanding leaders and talented global team across Southeast Asia, partnering with valued ecosystem partners, and delivering real value to clients by making AI real, driving meaningful transformation and measurable business impact," he wrote.
Hardoon joins Accenture after serving as Global Head of AI Enablement at Standard Chartered, where he led the bank's enterprise-wide AI strategy, governance frameworks, and enablement programmes across global business lines. His remit included advancing responsible AI adoption, strengthening risk management, and embedding AI capabilities across corporate banking, wealth management, operations, and technology.
Recognized as one of the region's leading AI and data executives, Hardoon brings more than two decades of experience spanning financial services, consulting, academia, and technology. He previously served as Group Chief Data & AI Officer at UnionBank of the Philippines, where he expanded the bank's AI and data organization from 20 to more than 150 professionals while deploying enterprise AI use cases that generated multimillion-dollar revenue gains and cost savings.
He also founded and led Aboitiz Data Innovation (ADI) as Chief Executive Officer, growing the AI venture into a multimillion-dollar business serving clients beyond the Aboitiz Group.
Earlier in his career, Hardoon held senior leadership positions at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, where he served as Chief Data Officer and later as Special Advisor on Artificial Intelligence, helping shape AI strategy for Singapore's financial sector. His experience also includes leadership roles at EY and SAS, alongside advisory appointments with government agencies, universities, and technology startups across Asia.
Beyond his corporate leadership, Hardoon remains active in academia. He serves as an Honorary Senior Research Associate at University College London and sits on advisory boards including Singapore Management University and Connected Women. He also serves as an independent non-executive director for Auto & General Services Southeast Asia.
Hardoon holds a PhD in Machine Learning from University of Southampton and a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence from Royal Holloway, University of London.
The appointment underscores Accenture's continued investment in AI leadership across Southeast Asia as organizations increasingly seek to scale generative AI and agentic AI initiatives while balancing innovation with responsible AI governance.