Our Hong Kong branch has more than 70 employees and a client base drawn mainly from Hong Kong, Northern and Eastern Asia.

Given our ambitious development objectives from Hong Kong and the very competitive local environment, a number of development projects are planned.

By the end of the year, our Hong Kong branch is due to become a booking centre3 so as to attract a greater number of clients, especially local ones or those wanting a local business relationship. The licence is pending and should allow the bank to offer a full range of services from Hong Kong. This will enable us to be in the front line when China liberalises its currency, the yuan, and uses it as an investment currency for private banking.

Another area of development lies in the synergies implemented with the region’s commercial and merchant banks. "One of our objectives is to build bridges so that our corporate clients also let us manage their private assets", explains Piera AuYeung from Hong Kong.

In Asia as elsewhere in the world, clients have been affected by the financial and economic crisis, although the region has bounced back more quickly than the West. But as Hong Kong-based Lik-Kim Yeo says, “Clients have become more cautious and gone back to basics. Simple, liquid products, with shorter maturities are in vogue once again.” Thanks to the dedication of our local product teams, the emphasis has been placed on adapting our offering to the demands of these clients.