ABA Newsletter March 2013 - Asian Bankers Association

ABA Newsletter March 2013
Member Personalities
Hirano is next President of MUFG
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oboyuki Hirano, 61, will take over leadership of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group,
Japan’s largest financial group, as the group expands overseas and has made
several important acquisitions. He will replace Katsunori Nagayasu.
Hirano spent over a decade in the United States and is a fluent English speaker, a rare
trait among Japanese bank executives.
MUFG, which has US$26 billion in assets, has taken advantage of its
solid financial base to build loans overseas as European lenders shrink
their assets. It ranked No. 1 among global project finance mandated
arrangers in 2012.
MUFG runs two investment banking joint ventures with Morgan
Stanley in Japan, competing with industry heavy weights Nomura Holdings
and Daiwa Securities Group Inc. Asian Banking and Finance MUFG
names Hirano, soft-spoken but tough negotiator, as president.
Japan's Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group said Nobuyuki Hirano, chief
of its core banking unit, will become company president -- a move that comes at time when
Japanese banks are under pressure to expand further overseas, particularly in investment
banking.
Hirano, 61, will replace Katsunori Nagayasu, whose tenure was marked by large-scale
acquisitions in the wake of the global financial crisis.
Hirano's appointment, which was widely expected, takes effect April 1. Reuters
OCBC Bank announces senior appointments
Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation
(OCBC) announced the appointment of a
new chief executive to helm the bank's
China subsidiary, while also revealing other
senior appointments.
Ms. Kng Hwee Tin, the current head of
Group Audit has been appointed CEO of Ms. Kng Hwee Tin Ms. Goh Chin Yee Ms. Leong Wai Leng
OCBC China effective from March 1 this
year. In turn, Ms Goh Chin Yee will serve as the new head of group audit, also effective
March 2013.
Kng, 46, will take over from Ms. Leong Wai Leng, who has led the bank since
December 2007. Leong will return to Singapore to assume a new role as managing director
and head of corporate planning and services at Bank of Singapore, OCBC Bank's private
banking subsidiary starting April 1.
As the head of group audit since April 15, 2010, Kng oversees the full spectrum of audit
activities for OCBC Bank and its subsidiaries. Kng's roles in OCBC Bank over the years
included establishing the OCBC Premier Banking business, responsibilities in risk
management and managing the implementation of key projects.
Meanwhile, Go, 48, currently heads the business management unit in OCBC Bank's
global treasury division. She has held responsibilities in areas ranging from risk
management, management information services, and capital planning to asset management
and investment research.
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ABA Newsletter March 2013
Commenting on these appointments, Mr. Samuel Tsien, chief executive officer of OCBC
Bank said “Both Hwee Tin and Chin Yee are exceptional talents who have been with OCBC
for more than 24 years. Hwee Tin and Chin Yee have developed strong leadership
capabilities, and gained well-rounded banking experience and in-depth knowledge of OCBC,
making them well-placed to take on these executive positions.”
“Wai Leng has made significant contributions to building the business of OCBC China
since December 2007. Our China revenue has grown by more than three times under her
leadership. Her extensive management will be invaluable to our expanding private banking
franchise at Bank of Singapore,” Tsien added.
ANZ names Jennifer Evans Chief Risk Officer Australia
ANZ announced the appointment of Jennifer Evans as Chief
Risk Officer Australia, reporting to Chief Risk Officer Nigel Williams.
Ms Evans, who will join the Australian Leadership Team, is an
experienced banker with extensive international experience in Risk
Management, Treasury and Operations. Since 2010, Ms Evans has
been Chief Risk Officer New Zealand where she has had
responsibility for wholesale and retail credit risk, market, operating
and compliance risk.
Commenting on the appointment, Chief Risk Officer Nigel
Williams said: “It’s pleasing to be able to appoint somebody with Jennifer’s extensive
international banking experience to lead the risk function in Australia. The significant
contribution she made in New Zealand will be a tremendous asset as we continue to
strengthen our risk management capability across the group.”
Evans will assume her new role on April 1 and will be based in Melbourne. ANZ said it
would announce Evans’s replacement in New Zealand in due course. The Australian
Dr. R. Seetharaman awarded “Distinguished Fellow of IOD”
Dr. R. Seetharaman, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Doha
Bank Group, has been awarded the prestigious title “Distinguished
Fellow of Institute of Directors (IOD).” The award was given during
the 23 rd World Congress Leadership and Quality of Governance and
Presentation of Golden Peacock awards ceremony, hosted by the
Institute of Directors on February 8.
Seetharaman expressed his gratitude to the IOD on receiving
the award. “I would like to thank the awards jury of the Institute of
Directors for conferring this incredible honor on me. It has been
more than two decades since the IOD was established in India.
They work for the development of directors to fulfill their leadership role in creating wealth
and happiness of all stakeholders of the business enterprise and society at large,”
Seetharaman said during his acceptance speech.
As one of the most sought after economists in the region, Seetharaman is often invited
by local and international media to share his expert comments on economics, banking and
environmental issues. He has also received various recognitions in the field of banking and
finance. Doha Bank
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