Professional Role and Responsibilities
Ajay Chhibber currently serves as a Senior Product Lead in the Digital & Technology division at Kiwibank, based in Auckland, New Zealand, a role he has held since September 2022. In this capacity, he is integral to the design, development, and delivery of digital technology solutions within the bank’s product portfolio. His day-to-day responsibilities focus on leading agile teams, managing product development lifecycles, and driving customer-centric digital experiences aligned with organizational goals.
He works closely with New Zealand-based development teams, overseeing defect logging, reporting, and tracking using tools such as Basecamp and HelpDesk. Ajay is experienced in managing sprint cycles and has held leadership responsibilities within squads, including when product owners were unavailable. His expertise extends to ensuring quality assurance, resolving customer issues related to products, and preparing release documentation.
Ajay is also actively involved in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at Kiwibank, where he acts as a Pride Network Member and participates in interview panels to ensure diverse candidate shortlists. This involvement underscores a commitment to fostering an inclusive organizational culture, an area in which Kiwibank has received recognition such as the Gender Tick accreditation.
Previous Experience
Before joining Kiwibank, Ajay gained over nine years of experience in quality assurance and product ownership roles. His prior employers include:
- ASB Bank (Auckland, NZ) — Quality Assurance Specialist (Aug 2020 – Sep 2022). Here, he was recognized with multiple awards including the ASB Values Superstar FY22, Digital Rubber Chicken Award Q2 FY22, and the "Bring it on - Bringing your real self to work" award, reflecting high performance and contribution to team culture.
- Soft Tech Group (Auckland, NZ and Gurgaon, India) — Held several QA roles from Junior QA Engineer to QA Test Analyst between Dec 2011 and Aug 2020. Responsibilities included close collaboration with development teams in NZ, customer issue resolution, functional and UI testing, defect tracking, team management during leadership absences, and software release documentation.
Education and Professional Development
Ajay holds a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) in Information Technology with Honours from Kurukshetra University (2007–2011). He has completed several professional certifications relevant to leadership, diversity and inclusion, and software testing, including but not limited to:
- ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) – International Software Testing Qualifications Board (Issued July 2018)
- LinkedIn Learning credentials such as Leading Strategically (Dec 2022), Becoming an Ally to All (Nov 2022), Unconscious Bias (Sep 2022), Leading with a Growth Mindset (May 2022), among others.
This continuous learning reflects a commitment to both strategic leadership and fostering inclusive teams.
Awards and Honors
Ajay has received multiple internal recognitions throughout his career that demonstrate high engagement and valued contribution, including:
- Ngā Kauwaka Award for Ngā Kiritaki - Customer at the Heart at Kiwibank (FY24 Q1, Sep 2023), reflecting a customer-focused mindset.
- Ngā Kauwaka Award for “Ka tīmata i a tātou - A place to belong” (FY23 Q3, Apr 2023), highlighting efforts in cultivating workplace belonging.
- Multiple Employee of the Month awards and Employee of the Year 2014 during his tenure at Soft Tech Group.
- Various awards at ASB recognizing leadership, cultural contribution, and technical excellence.
Cultural and Volunteer Engagement
Ajay is an active volunteer and community participant, with ongoing involvement including:
- Board Member and Volunteer for Indian Origin Pride NZ (Jan 2023 – Mar 2024), supporting diversity and inclusion in the Indian-origin community within New Zealand.
- Volunteer roles at Burnett Foundation Aotearoa since 2016, Community Patrols of New Zealand (CPNZ), and telephone support work with OutLine Aotearoa.
- His leadership in these social service activities complements his professional advocacy for diversity, equity, and inclusive work environments.
Language Proficiencies and Personal Attributes
Ajay possesses full professional proficiency in English, native or bilingual proficiency in Hindi, and elementary proficiency in Punjabi. His LinkedIn profile and activities reveal attributes valued in product leadership roles: agility, inclusiveness, strategic orientation, and customer focus.
Summary Insight
Ajay Chhibber is a seasoned digital product leader with deep expertise in agile product development, quality assurance, and customer-centric digital banking solutions. His strong track record of awards and recognitions demonstrates high performance and commitment across multiple roles. Ajay’s active participation in diversity and inclusion initiatives illustrates alignment with progressive organizational cultures, particularly in the New Zealand financial services sector. His technical background combined with leadership in social and cultural domains positions him as a key stakeholder in digital product innovation and team inclusivity at Kiwibank.
