JPMorgan to boost Asia Pacific hiring by 20% in 2026 amid growth push

The move follows a strong year of expansion—by July 2025, the investment bank, had already lifted headcount in the APAC corporate banking business by 20%, doubling its original target for the year, revealed Oliver Brinkmann, co-head of Global Corporate Banking, Asia Pacific.

“We’re planning for something similar next year,” Brinkmann said during an interview with Reuters at the JPMorgan APAC CFO and Treasurers Forum in Singapore. He added that the new hiring would be spread across multiple markets in the region, though the bank has not disclosed specific headcount numbers.

JPMorgan’s latest hiring spree underscores its strategy to deepen its footprint in Asia Pacific, a region it sees as a long-term growth engine. Key drivers include: 

• Rising intra-Asia trade flows 

• Growing demand from corporates expanding globally 

• Rapid digital innovation shaping financial services 

Brinkmann noted that the timing of the expansion is strategic: “It has come at a challenging time for some within the industry, and we think that is a great opportunity for us to expand.”