DBS Private Bank announces strategic hires to drive regional wealth management business

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Appointments for Greater China region reaffirm commitment to take private banking in Asia to a new level

SINGAPORE, HONG KONG, MAINLAND CHINA, 16 January 2012 – DBS Private Bank today announced three strategic appointments to further strengthen its management team in the Greater China region. Ms Yvonne Hsin, based in Hong Kong, will oversee the private banking business in North Asia. Mr Robert Kung recently joined DBS as Head of Private Bank for DBS Bank (China) and Mr John Lim was appointed as the Hong Kong Team Head of Private Bank for DBS Bank (Hong Kong). These hires support DBS’ commitment to become a leading wealth manager in Asia, in line with one of the bank’s strategic priorities.

Hsin will join DBS on 1 February 2012, reporting to Ms Tan Su Shan, DBS’ Head of Wealth Management and Mr Sebastian Paredes, CEO of DBS Bank (Hong Kong). She will be responsible for managing and developing DBS’ private banking business in the Greater China region, covering Hong Kong, Macau, Mainland China and Taiwan.  Prior to DBS, Hsin was Head of Private Banking for China Construction Bank (Asia) in Hong Kong where she successfully built a private banking operation to serve the China based clients as well as upgraded the Hong Kong HNW segment. Hsin is a long time veteran with over 35 years of experience in Corporate Banking, Treasury and Private Banking. She worked for Citigroup for over 15 years and HSBC for more than 10 years where her last appointment was Deputy Chief Executive for HSBC Private Bank (Suisse) SA for Asia. In her past experience, she has managed and developed the North Asian markets in particular China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan.

Kung, who is DBS’ newly-appointed Head of Private Bank for DBS Bank (China), brings to the bank over 33 years of wealth management, capital markets and corporate finance experience in the US and Greater China. Prior to joining DBS in November 2011, he was Credit Suisse Clariden Leu Asset Management’s Head of Market Management for China Region based in Hong Kong, and managed its global market coverage of Hong Kong, Singapore, UK and Switzerland. Before that, Kung spent over 15 years with Deutsche Bank AG in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing and Taiwan. His last role with Deutsche was Head of Private Wealth Management (China). In his new role, Kung reports to Mr Melvin Teo, CEO of DBS Bank (China), and Tan.

Lim joined DBS Private Bank in October 2011 as the Hong Kong Team Head. In this role, he will report to Hsin and is focused on providing wealth management services to top-tier HNWIs in North Asia. In a career spanning 29 years, Lim has held various senior positions in capital markets with JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Salomon Brothers, Standard Chartered Bank and Rabobank International, in New York, London, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. Prior to joining DBS Private Bank, Lim was Managing Director at South China Group, where he oversaw the corporate and strategic development of the Group’s listed companies.

Said Tan, “The new hires are testament to DBS’ commitment to execute against our Greater China strategy to grow our private banking business. The appointments also underscore our ability to attract the highest quality people. Yvonne, Robert and John bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the private banking team. I am confident that they will lead the Greater China team to deliver even greater value to our high net worth and ultra high net worth clients, and help them capitalise on opportunities to grow their wealth.”

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