Torrie Inouye, chief data officer at Bank of Hawaii, said that while math and science played a big role in her life growing up, her path into data and analytics was “coincidental.” It was a college internship in marketing with a credit card company that later turned into a job as a credit risk analyst where Inouye said she was exposed to statistical programming languages for the first time.
“It was then when I saw the power of how data and analytical models can be applied to business decisions, how practical and logical it was for me to grasp, and I was hooked,” Inouye said.
Honolulu born-and-raised Inouye attended Stanford University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. For more than 20 years, she served in a variety of firms in the financial services industry in California, but when a recruiter for Bank of Hawaii reached out to her, she said she “immediately jumped at the opportunity to return home,” and joined the bank in June 2021.
“My husband and I have a 3-year-old boy and 5-year-old girl and we wanted to be able to raise them here in Hawaii so that they can grow up immersed in a culture of strong values and the aloha spirit,” Inouye said.
As chief data officer within the financial institution, Inouye is responsible for changing the way Bank of Hawaii utilizes data assets. She says that while she spends a good portion of her time “coding and crunching numbers,” that her role is also very people-oriented.
Inouye also recently joined the board of directors at PBS Hawaii.
What challenges have you encountered in your role? I’m a data enthusiast — but I realize data is not top-of-mind for many people as they do their day-to-day jobs, or some may not realize where they could be leveraging data. In reality, data is all around us. Our challenge as data and analytics professionals is to make data more understandable and partner with stakeholders to infuse data and analytics into their business strategies. One practical example of how we are making data more accessible is by delivering more data through self-service interactive dashboards instead of static reports sent via email. This allows a business partner to explore the data on-demand as questions arise, and enables richer discussions and deeper insights when the views of the data are more dynamic.
What trends are you seeing within your industry? Hiring and retaining top talent has been coming up more frequently in business conversations, and data and analytics is no different. The demand for data and analytics talent has increased tremendously over the past few years, beginning prior to the pandemic and accelerating since. Also, we’ve noticed that people looking for new opportunities or to do something different are increasingly interested in data and analytics.
How would you describe your leadership style? The first thing I’d say is that my leadership style is continually evolving to suit the environment I’m in and the people I’m privileged to lead. That being said, there are a few principles that I have picked up along the way from great leaders I’ve had the opportunity to learn from, and these ground me, especially in tough times. I believe that leadership is a privilege that I strive to earn every day, and a commitment to the success of those in the organization. I do my best to be consistent, transparent and balanced. Especially in a hybrid work environment, I’m even more intentional about building relationships and maintaining those connections with my team and colleagues, and being as accessible as I possibly can.
Authenticity is something I cherish as well. One of the best aspects of leading a team here in Hawaii is that I finally feel that I can be genuine and true to who I am, and that I’m not expected to change that. As a leader, when you take the time get to know someone’s personal style and approach, you can better support them by understanding their strengths. I’ve learned that my impact as a leader is greater by helping others around me strive for success and achieve their goals.
What’s new for Bank of Hawaii? Bank of Hawaii has always had a focus on the community. We’re proud to say that our Bankoh Blue Crew volunteers are out doing hands-on work almost every weekend of the year. As we come out of the pandemic, we certainly have been doing more in-person community service. In fact, on Nov. 5, we‘ll be working with the Waianae Mountains Watershed Partnership to plant native trees at the Waianae Kai Forest Reserve. Sustainability, especially rehabilitating and protecting our natural resources, is a constant effort for the bank and a special focus this year as we celebrate our 125th anniversary. We’ve had yearlong activities across Hawaii and the West Pacific, and I’m proud to have access to this type of involvement right at home, where I can make a direct impact and see the results of our collective work. We’re also excited about partnering with Mana Up, a true advocate for our local businesses and entrepreneurs.
Torrie Inouye
Chief data officer at Bank of Hawaii
Address: 111 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813
Phone: (808) 643-3888
Website: www.boh.com
