Banks have not experienced a significant deterioration in asset quality of their MSME exposure, supported by various policy measures. An uptick in the non-performing small business loans is expected with the expiry of these measures.
Banks have not experienced a significant deterioration in asset quality of their MSME exposure, supported by various policy measures. An uptick in the non-performing small business loans is expected with the expiry of these measures.
The weak sales growth for this year’s Double 11 shopping festival was largely driven by the depressed consumer sentiment and logistical disruptions under the zero-COVID policy, along with the regulatory scrutiny.
DBS CEO Piyush Gupta, Public Bank CEO Tay Ah Lek and UOB CEO Wee Ee Cheong are the top three highest-paid bank chief executives in Asia Pacific in FY 2021. The combined total remuneration eared by the top ten reached $56.5 million in FY 2021, up from $53.6 million in FY 2020
Tay Ah Lek saw a 6.5% rise in total remuneration to $9.2 million in 2020 despite the pandemic, which was 250 times the average pay Public Bank’s employees received.
Indian banks still dominate the list of the top 10 banks with the highest nonperforming loan (NPL)ratio among the 500 largest banks in Asia Pacific, despite the improved asset quality. In addition, the list also includes two banks from Bangladesh and one each from China, Japan, and Pakistan.
Some countries in Asia Pacific posted stronger growth in bank lending to small businesses between 2019 and 2021 as compared to the period from 2017 to 2019
Banks in most Asian markets booked lower provisions to cover potential loan losses as economies recover, which has contributed to the improved profitability in 1H 2021
Ethereum, Terra and Binance Smart Chain (BSC), the top three largest DeFi blockchain networks, represented 76.5% of all DeFi activity. Ethereum is facing stiff competition from other DeFi blockchains and is moving to Ethereum 2.0.
The number of unicorns has increased dramatically amid a surge in venture capital investments, making 2021 a record year for privately held startup companies achieving unicorn status.
China’s pilot of the central bank digital currency has made promising progress. However, the digital RMB system collects and shares less transaction information than traditional electronic payments according to a PBOC digital RMB white paper.
In June 2021, Chinese ride hailing giant Didi and digital freight platform Full Truck Alliance made their debuts in the US amid the volatile initial public offering (IPO) environment.
Some companies have acquired cryptocurrencies for their corporate treasuries despite the volatility. MicroStrategy, the public company that holds the most bitcoin on the balance sheet, remains bullish on bitcoin.
Brian Lo is a seasoned risk professional with nearly 30 years of experience across global financial institutions. Based in Hong Kong and Singapore, he has led teams in managing market and liquidity risk, counterparty risk, and asset and liability management. His expertise encompasses quantitative modelling, risk governance, stress testing, and regulatory compliance. Brian has also played a critical role in developing internal risk models, driving strategic initiatives, and advising on cutting-edge risk solutions, including AI and machine learning applications. Throughout his career, he has served on multiple risk committees, providing strategic insights to senior management and boards, and has been instrumental in implementing Basel reforms and risk management innovations. Brian’s approach integrates deep technical knowledge with practical leadership, making him a valuable contributor to banking risk management education and practice.
Urs Bolt is a seasoned professional with over 35 years of expertise in wealth management, investment banking, and technology. He helps individuals achieve financial well-being and advises senior leaders in financial services and technology on refining business strategies, developing markets, and forging impactful partnerships. Recognised as a global thought leader in digital banking, WealthTech, and decentralised finance, Urs is an active speaker, author, and jury member for esteemed awards and panels. A passionate advocate for sustainable progress, he champions energy policies that balance economic growth and ecological preservation through scientific solutions.
Sina is Chief Data Officer at Unique AG – a rising European startup providing a GenAI-driven platform called Unique.AI to better understand customers and build more meaningful client relationships. Unique.AI is a tailored solution for the financial industry that aims to increase productivity by automating manual workload through AI and ChatGPT solutions.
Sina is a proven GenAI and data transformation specialist for financial applications with over 20 years of experience. Before Unique AG, Sina led data strategy projects at Credit Suisse AG and worked as a consultant at Accenture AG. She lectures on GenAI, AI Governance, and Data Protection at top universities like HSG St. Gallen and HEC Paris, inspiring future tech leaders. Sina also mentors startups on GenAI applications and serves on the ISO expert council in Switzerland. She was recently honored with the “Women in Banking and Fintech 2024” award for her Thought Leadership on Data Protection and AI Governance for GenAI applications for Financial Services by Handelsblatt (#1 business newspaper in Germany). Sina holds a PhD in Financial Modeling from the University of St. Gallen (HSG, Switzerland) and a Diploma in Economics from the University of Mannheim (Germany).
John Januszczak is a seasoned fintech leader and the President & CEO of UBX Philippines, the fintech venture studio and fund of Union Bank of the Philippines. He was appointed to this role after joining UnionBank as a Consultant in 2018. Prior to this, he served as the Chief Operating Officer of Manulife Philippines and held leadership roles such as Head of Global Business Process Management at Manulife Financial and Vice President of Product Management at Meta Software Corporation. His extensive experience in operations, technology, and financial services has positioned him as a key driver of digital transformation in the fintech space.
Under John’s leadership, UBX has grown into Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing fintech, building a robust ecosystem that helps startups and fintech founders access expertise, funding, and customers. He has spearheaded the incubation of award-winning ventures such as i2i, SeekCap, and BUX, while also managing a corporate venture fund that successfully invests in and scales fintech startups. By leveraging corporate ecosystems, open finance, and embedded finance, John continues to drive financial inclusion, innovation, and strategic growth in the Philippine fintech landscape.