PRODUCT MANAGER | BW CBA
Zhen Quek
Zhen Quek is a product‑focused leader with over a decade of experience spanning financial services, data strategy, risk, and transformation across large enterprises and high‑growth startups.
Currently at Bankwest (CBA Group), Zhen works at the intersection of product, data, and technology, supporting regulatory reporting, cloud data platforms, and complex legacy‑to‑modern system transitions. His work involves translating deeply embedded business rules and technical code into clear, actionable outcomes for engineers, product leaders, and executives. He is also part of enterprise‑level data strategy initiatives and a graduate of CBA’s Product Manager Accelerator Program.
Previously, Zhen has held senior roles at ANZ, Suncorp, BDO, and a global startup, leading change, non‑financial risk frameworks, financial modelling, and cross‑border compliance. His background as a CPA‑qualified finance and tax specialist gives him a strong grounding in first principles, governance, and analytical rigour.
Zhen is passionate about redefining the role of business analysis in an AI‑driven economy—where surface knowledge is automated, and value comes from deep cognition, cross‑platform understanding, and relevance‑driven communication.
Presentation: Beyond Surface Analysis: Re-centering Business Analysis on First Principles
AI can now write requirements, summarise documents, and answer questions in seconds. But when everything is automated, a bigger question emerges: what is the business analyst actually there to do?
This session tells the story of how business analysis is evolving in a changing economy – one shaped by AI, data platforms, and increasing complexity. Drawing on real experiences from enterprise data strategy rollouts, regulatory change, and legacy‑to‑cloud transformations, I’ll show why surface‑level analysis is no longer enough.
We’ll return to first principles – understanding the rules beneath the process – while exploring why simple doesn’t mean easy, difficult doesn’t mean hard, and why relevance is now the most critical communication skill a BA can develop.
Along the way, I’ll share practical mental models and techniques you can apply immediately to navigate technical complexity, engage stakeholders with clarity, and create impact where automation stops.
This session is for analysts who want to stay trusted, relevant, and valuable as the pace of change accelerates.