Keny Yuen

When this opportunity came up at HSBC, I was excited. Digital accessibility is a relatively new concept in Hong Kong. I was happy to see a major financial institution taking it seriously.

I’m blind myself, so know how frustrating it is when you can’t do things independently that many people take for granted. This is especially true of banking. I don’t want to rely on others to help me when my personal financial information is at stake.

I joined HSBC after more than a decade of working for charities and social enterprises that support visually impaired people. My job is about ensuring our digital products and services are accessible to all our customers. That means accounting for a wide range of disabilities.

Whenever our banking apps or websites are updated, they go through an independent accessibility audit. They’re assessed against a lengthy checklist – covering everything from compatibility with screen readers and voice-control software to ensuring text is legible and easy to enlarge.

Developers do their best to get it right, but sometimes things slip through the net. That’s where I come in. Any issues that crop up in the audit are flagged to me, and it’s my job to advise our product owners how to resolve them.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading and surfing the internet. When I’m feeling energetic I go running – I’m involved with an organisation that pairs blind runners with sighted people so we can run safely.

I also volunteer where I can. I recently presented at a competition for school children to design new apps for visually impaired people. It’s my mission to improve life for people with disabilities, both within my work and outside it.

My bachelor’s degree was in IT, so I’m a technical guy first and foremost. But communication skills are also important in my job. I need to make sure that teams across the bank – product owners, developers, content creators and so on – understand the importance of accessibility.

We hold regular training sessions where I demonstrate a screen reader and bring the subject to life. Following the accessibility guidelines is one thing, but the work becomes more meaningful when people understand the true impact of what they’re doing.

As the first disabled member of my team, I can also share my first-hand knowledge and help colleagues understand the real user experience of our apps and websites. We want our products to be not just accessible, but a great experience for everyone.

Most of my team is in the UK. They do a great job of setting the bank’s central approach to accessibility. But as a representative here in Hong Kong, I can provide insight on local nuances and help colleagues in the same time zone. I’ve had a hand in improving Hong Kong-focused apps such as PayMe and Easy Invest, for example.

I love how international this organisation is – every day, I interact with colleagues from all over the world. It’s also a flexible and supportive environment. I can do much of my job from home. And recently I completed a master’s degree in social science, fitting my studies around my work. There’s a lot to recommend about a career at HSBC.