Highwise Business
Charlotte

SMBC Americas Replaced Chief Operations Officer

The leadership change arrives as the bank targets a significant expansion of its Charlotte workforce.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Openings & Closings

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SMBC Americas has appointed deputy CEO Masahiro Yoshimura as interim chief operations officer following the dismissal of Greg Keeley. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. dismissed Greg Keeley from his role as chief operations officer for SMBC Americas. Masahiro Yoshimura, the bank's deputy CEO, has assumed the responsibilities of the position on an interim basis.

Why it matters

The transition occurs as SMBC maintains its commitment to a major regional hiring initiative in Charlotte. Operators should monitor how this executive shift influences the bank's long-term operational scaling and local talent acquisition strategy.

SMBC Americas has set a target to create 2,000 jobs in Charlotte over the next six years. This follows previous portfolio adjustments, including the sale of Jenius digital banking assets and other loan and deposit packages valued in the billions of dollars.

The players

SMBC Americas

A subsidiary of a global financial institution that is currently executing a large-scale expansion of its Charlotte operations.

Masahiro Yoshimura

The deputy CEO of SMBC Americas who has assumed interim responsibility for the firm's operations organization.

Greg Keeley

The former chief operations officer who joined the firm in April 2025 and departed in September 2026.

Hiro Otsuka

The CEO of SMBC Americas responsible for communicating the firm's leadership transitions to the workforce.

The details

SMBC Americas CEO Hiro Otsuka communicated the leadership change via an internal email to staff. Masahiro Yoshimura, who has been with the institution or its predecessors since 1995, steps in to oversee the operations organization while continuing his duties as deputy CEO. The firm is currently navigating a restructuring of its U.S. presence after previously winding down its Jenius digital banking operations.

Timeline

  1. 1995: Masahiro Yoshimura joined Sumitomo Bank.

  2. 2011: Masahiro Yoshimura rejoined SMBC.

  3. April 2025: Greg Keeley joined SMBC.

  4. Monday, September 28, 2026: Greg Keeley departed and Masahiro Yoshimura assumed the interim role.

  5. Tuesday, September 29, 2026: Greg Keeley's bio was removed from the SMBC website.

Market Landscape

This leadership transition follows the strategic retrenchment of the bank's digital assets, marking a new phase in its regional growth plan. The move reflects the broader operational consolidation efforts currently defining the bank's U.S. strategy.

Operators in Charlotte should watch for updates regarding the 2,000-job hiring target to gauge the pace of the bank's local expansion. Monitor leadership continuity at the firm as an indicator of stability for ongoing partnerships or institutional service requirements.

The takeaway

Large-scale hiring targets often rely on stable executive oversight to manage complex operational shifts. Keep the timeline for the firm's 2,000-job expansion on your professional radar as a signal of its local market health.

Further reading

For more information on the evolving business environment, see Openings & Closings.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Banking Dive.

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