JPMorgan Chase plans to maintain its current pace of hiring in the Asia-Pacific region through 2027, following a more than 20% surge in corporate banking revenue this year, according to media reports. Oliver Brinkmann and Kerwin Clayton, co-heads of the Global Corporate Banking (GCB) unit for the region, shared this outlook during an interview at the firm's Singapore office.

The bank's Asia-Pacific corporate banking team is expected to grow by approximately 15% this year, building on a 20% expansion in 2025. The hiring will target teams serving mid-sized and large corporations, the innovation economy, financial institutions, and non-bank financial firms. "We plan to maintain a similar pace of hiring in 2027," Clayton said. "This covers all our business lines. Conditions vary by country in the region, but many countries will see recruitment."

The strong growth is fueled by Asian companies accelerating overseas expansion, along with increased investment in artificial intelligence, data centers, and supply chains. Revenue for JPMorgan Chase's Asia-Pacific corporate banking unit has grown by more than 20% so far this year. "The momentum is stronger this year," Brinkmann said. "Growth is over 20% across the entire Asia-Pacific region and all industries."

Both executives noted that markets such as China, South Korea, and Australia have seen growth exceeding that level. Southeast Asia posted over 20% growth, with Malaysia benefiting from foreign investment linked to AI and data centers, while Singapore serves as a regional connectivity hub. "We are seeing a high volume of inquiries related to data center or GPU financing," Brinkmann said. "The market is very active." GPUs, or graphics processing units, are widely used chips for running AI systems.

As intra-Asia trade grows and JPMorgan Chase's trade finance business expands, the bank is also increasing its focus on trade finance and working capital financing to help companies pay for cross-border goods.