Ichun Lai

Ichun Lai is the Founder of Propel Global Advisory, dedicated to accelerating the responsible adoption of AI in financial services through strong execution and strategic partnerships. A seasoned change leader, she brings decades of experience driving process improvements and bottom-line results for global financial services firms.

Before launching Propel Global, Ichun held senior roles at Cigna, Tokio Marine, Goldman Sachs, BMO Capital Markets, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), serving as Finance Director, Business Manager, Strategy & Transformation Partner, Internal Auditor, and Consultant. She has led transformative and incremental change projects and initiatives across the Americas, Europe, and Asia—bridging business and technology to deliver results. Her work has turned around stalled initiatives, introduced global standards, and revamped processes enabled by new technologies and through role and responsibility realignment. 

Now, as an independent and trusted advisor, Ichun provides executives, teams, and AI-focused solution providers with the clarity, connections, and execution support needed for business-driven, responsible AI adoption.

A Taiwan-born U.S. citizen having worked in Japan and across the globe, Ichun is also committed to fostering inclusion. She serves on the Board of the Financial Women’s Association (FWA) and contributes to cultivating the next generation of leaders in the US and in Japan through the US-Japan Council. She is a graduate of National Taiwan University and Thunderbird School of Global Management and holds certifications from MIT Sloan in AI strategy and digital transformation.