Get to know Will Locke, Head of U.S. Client Service

Tell us your background.

I’ve spent my career in financial services, primarily leading large-scale client service, operations and transformation organizations. Before joining J.P. Morgan Private Bank, I led Client Solutions & Service Enablement at two leading banks, where my responsibilities included client servicing, operational strategy, digital transformation and service enablement. I’m especially passionate about building strong teams, simplifying complexity and creating experiences that are better for both clients and employees.

How would your colleagues describe you?

I think they would say I’m pretty funny (biased perspective, maybe), approachable, transparent, high-energy and results-oriented. I set a high bar, but I also believe strongly in giving people the support, clarity and trust they need to reach it. I want people to know where we’re going, why it matters and how they contribute to getting us there.

Describe your leadership style.

I’d describe it as people-first, client-centered and data-driven. I believe the best results come when you create clarity, empower talented people and remove unnecessary complexity from their way. I also try to stay close enough to the work to understand what our teams and clients are experiencing so I can make better decisions and help eliminate barriers.

What’s the best piece of advice you were ever given?

Working “on the box,” not “in the box.” Years ago, I developed a zoom-out approach to business that has allowed me to see the underbelly, constructs, risks, systems and technologies that influence much more than what we tend to see as a surface-level solution.

What excites you most about joining J.P. Morgan Private Bank?

J.P. Morgan has extraordinary capabilities and an incredibly talented team, and we have the opportunity to bring all of that together for some of the most sophisticated clients in the world. What excites me most is helping make an already exceptional service organization even simpler, more connected and easier for our teams to deliver consistently.

What’s one thing you’ve learned about the Client Service team that others might be surprised to know?

How much expertise sits behind what can appear as a simple request.

I’ve been impressed by the amount of knowledge, coordination and judgment our teams bring to serving clients every day. Great service often looks effortless to the client, but there is an incredible amount of expertise behind making it feel that way.

Finish this sentence: Client Service at J.P. Morgan Private Bank is…

…where the promise of the Private Bank becomes the client’s everyday experience.

What do you hope to accomplish in your first year?

My first priority is to listen and learn from our clients, our Client Service professionals and our partners across the Private Bank. From there, I want us to identify where we can simplify the work, strengthen consistency, invest in our people and use technology intelligently to make it easier to deliver exceptional service.

Success for me looks like increased digital adoption, leveraging AI to make the client experience and the job simpler and easier and seeing our team enjoy the work.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Managing my favorite team in the world. I’m a dad of five, so leading a large organization isn’t necessarily the most complicated operation I manage every day. Tag-teaming life’s adventures with my wife and, when I can, playing Call of Duty with my best friends to try to stay young, plus the bragging rights, of course.

What is one fun fact about you?

I buy the same white shirt so I don’t have to overthink what to wear to work every day. That includes the camouflage tie I wear. It’s a dad joke, which is arguably my greatest strength.