Digital security software firm V-Key has appointed an industry veteran to the new role of Chief Security Architect.

Tony Chew has been named as the Chief Security Architect at V-Key and will will spearhead the Singaporean based firm's engagement with banking regulators and financial institutions in Asia.

V-Key was founded in 2011, and has services in Singapore, where it is headquartered, as well as key markets across Asia-Pacific and the U.S. Through its partners, including Ant Financial as well as some of the leading banking and financial institutions and government agencies, it has already amassed over 30 million end-users.

Former MAS Division Head

Prior to taking on his new role Chew served as Citibank’s Head of Information Security for Asia Pacific and as Global Head of Cyber Security Regulatory Strategy. He recently managed all aspects of information security and implementing voice biometrics for over one million customers in Asia Pacific.

Before that Chew headed the Technology Risk Supervision Division at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), where he spent almost fifteen years.

He led crucial strategic initiatives to steer the course of cybersecurity strategy, implementation, and regulation in Singapore’s financial industry.

Smartphones Aren’t Very Secure

Digital security is a rapidly growing challenge, especially in Asia, where Internet adoption, smartphone pervasiveness, and online payment volume and velocity are leading the world.

Given the role of fintech in unlocking the economic potential of Southeast Asia, several countries have taken proactive steps to enhance and evolve regulatory frameworks to support emerging fintech innovations and ecosystems.

Growing Online Attacks

Traditional security methods such as passwords are also coming under increased stress in Asia due to online attacks and users’ continued usage of weak passwords or sharing of passwords across multiple online devices.

«We are confident that with Tony’s wealth of experience as a regulator and as a leading voice in digital security and biometric technology, V-Key can help build the necessary foundations to unlock the potential of the digital economy,» said Benjamin Mah, co-founder and CEO of V-Key.