(12 January 2021 – Singapore) OCBC has picked a seasoned hand in Greater China to lead the charge for the lender's next phase of growth, and with that, its first female chief executive officer (CEO).
Helen Wong, former chief executive of HSBC in Greater China, will take the helm from 15 April 2021, succeeding Samuel Tsien.
OCBC chairman Ooi Sang Kuang said the bank had looked at candidates internally and within and outside Singapore before reaching the agreement that Ms Wong is the “best qualified person” for the role.
“Helen's experiences and expertise extend beyond corporate banking, Greater China and North Asia. She also ran a large banking operation of a global bank as the chief executive of Greater China, including Hong Kong, prior to joining OCBC. We are confident that Helen will be able to lead the OCBC Group to greater heights in an increasingly complex and challenging environment,” said Ooi.
“I am deeply honoured to be succeeding Sam, who is highly regarded and respected, not just in Singapore's banking industry, but also regionally,” said Wong.