HSBC in the News

Inflation Link Bonds Workshop for HSBC Global Banking and Markets Customers

Friday, 13 June 2008

HSBC Global Banking Department teamed up with SINOPIA Asset Management to hold a special investment seminar yesterday morning for the officers from the Brunei Government at the Empire Hotel and Country Club. SINOPIA Asset Management is one of HSBC Global Asset Management specialists; a leader in quantitative strategies and structured products. The half-day session was conducted by an investment expert from SINOPIA Asset Management (Asia Pacific) Limited, Mr.Patrice Conxicoeur. Mr. Conxicoeur, the Chief Executive of SINOPIA Asset Management (Asia Pacific) Limited is based in Hong Kong and is also a member of the SINOPIA Executive Committee. Conxicoeur has held a number of positions throughout his 15 years with SINOPIA, five years of which he was Head of Global Equities and then promoted to Head of Strategy, Equities and Balance products in 1998. Conxicoeur’s presentation yesterday started with The Return of Inflation. He gave the participants an idea on the current situation of the market and touched on the threats, opportunities and even the myths to expect with inflation. During his presentation, he highlighted examples and perspectives of Inflation Hedges and also introduced Inflation-linked bonds, the main features and the issuers. In his welcoming speech, Tareq Muhmood, Chief Executive Officer said that he is pleased that the training came timely as some countries are facing the currency inflationary pressures and this brings both opportunities and threats to all. The workshop is designed to capture opportunities that arise from inflation.

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HSBC Commercial Banking Visits I-Centre

Tuesday, 10 June 2008

HSBC recently held a half day presentation, introducing the different types of facilities the bank has to offer to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) at the iCentre in Anggerek Desa. Present was Ms.Chang Ai Lee Senior Relationship Manager, Mr.Hui Kwok Leong, Director of iCentre and representatives from HSBC. In her welcoming Ms. Chang said, ‘SMEs ultimately play a vital role as both engines of growth and also as catalysts for innovation. In Brunei, I believe that at least more than 90% of the businesses are small and medium enterprise in nature and HSBC as the World’s Local Bank will always play an important role towards lending support to SMEs.’ The speakers touched on HSBC’s BusinessVantage package that provides extra benefits and privileges to customers that are interested in setting up business or those that would like to expand their existing business.

Benefits include tiered interest payable on checking account with minimum balance of BND5,000; preferential TMD and Forex rates; reduced charges on telegraphic transfers via Internet Banking, free Business ATM cards and many others. The bank has a dedicated and professional team of experts and relationship managers that are available to give personalised and specialised services to SMEs which include a wide range of financial products and services for SMEs that aim to save both costs and time with the automated channels available. HSBC’s Business Banking Centre opened January this year and was purpose-built to bring the best of business banking services to its Commercial customers, all housed under one roof. The centre comes complete with a reception lobby, modern interiors and several meeting rooms with facilities. The centre enables the Bank’s customers to meet with HSBC’s professional team of experts and relationship managers in complete privacy to have their personalised business banking needs attended to and met.

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HSBC Brunei's Commitment

Thursday, 5 June 2008

	HSBC has been actively committed to the environment for many years now, in Brunei, this year is no exception. In conjunction with World Environment Day, HSBC has announced the appointment of a Corporate Sustainability Manager, Mr. Lim Boon Teck. His appointment further reinforces HSBC Brunei’s strong commitment in investing in the Community, Environment and Education. He will lead and coordinate the development and implementation of sustainability initiatives in Brunei. Mr Lim said, "HSBC is truly an amazing organisation. I think HSBC is one of the few organisations in Brunei, and perhaps the world, that have job positions created solely to look after its conservation and charitable initiatives. Having been in the bank for almost a decade, this new position will perhaps be the most rewarding and satisfying." He will be reporting jointly to Tareq Muhmood, Chief Executive Officer, HSBC Brunei and Ms.Teresa Au, Head of Corporate Sustainability, Asia Pacific.
To support the global WED initiative, HSBC in Brunei has planned several environment awareness projects for its staff and the community. Internally, HSBC staff is encouraged to pledge their time and resources towards sustainability initiatives in Brunei especially those that relate to the environment. Recycling has been an ongoing project at HSBC for the past three years now and on 5th June 2008, in conjunction with WED the bank has introduced a recycling drive where staff have been encouraged to bring in one of the following; 10 inches thick of recyclable used paper, 25 aluminium cans or 25 plastic bottles each. In another WED related initiative in support of Ministry of Development, Department of Environment, Park and Recreation, HSBC sponsored the production of reusable bags that will be handed out to those visiting Giant Hypermart on 9th June 2008.
An upcoming event led by Mr.Lim is the HSBC Heart of Borneo Challenge which will be held in August aimed at raising funds for Heart of Borneo related projects and raising awareness on climate change. The challenge will involve a 133 km bicycle ride from Kuala Belait to Muara and the public will be invited to participate. Further information on this will be given out soon. WED is a global initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme that promotes raising awareness of environmental issues, engaging and empowering people to effect change, and encouraging partnership working to ensure a more sustainable future. WED takes place on 5 June every year with the theme: "Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy".

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Premier Acquisition Campaign

Monday, 2 June 2008

HSBC today presented exclusive travel packages to three lucky winners of the recent HSBC promotion, which ran from 15 March to 15 May 2008. The presentation ceremony took place at HSBC’s Premier Centre in the bank’s main branch in the Capital, where Head of Personal Financial Services, Ms. Lyndsay Rajah was on hand to present the prizes. Mr. Qamruddin Yar Mohammad was presented with the Travel Package to Tokyo which included; a pair of return tickets, BND 2000 worth of spending money, Samsonite travel luggage, a Sony Cybershot DSC T200 and a 16GB iPod Touch. Ms Rajah then went on to present the Bangkok Travel package to Ms. Linghua Zeng. The package included a pain of return tickets, BND 1,200 worth of spending money, Samsonite luggage, Canon Digital Ixus 950 IS camera and an 8GB iPod Touch. The Shanghai Travel package which also included return tickets, Samosonite luggage, Sony Cybershot T2 and an 8GB iPod Touch was presented to Mr. Goh Khen Hin. With HSBC Premier, customers can now access more than 250 Premier Centers around the world and make full use of the international expertise that comes with Premier including 24/7 phonebanking assistance.

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Certified Financial Planners at HSBC

Friday, 30 May 2008

Nine HSBC staff from the Personal Financial Services Department was presented with certificates today for achieving the Certificate of Financial Planning, the first of a three-part programme in the Chartered Financial Consultant course (ChFC). On hand to present the certificates was Lyndsay Rajah, Head of Personal Financial Services. Also present at the ceremony were Dk Hamidah Pg Hj Othman, Senior PFS Sales and Support Manager and HSBC Branch Managers

In her welcoming remarks Ms Rajah thanked the banks’ staff for the dedication and hard work that was put in by the staff. She also added that the banking industry has changed and is no longer looked upon as a provider of banking facilities and products but more importantly in assisting customers to help plan for their future in terms of retirement, investment, education and risk management.

The bank currently has three Certified Planners, four Associate Wealth Planners and 15 Associate Financial Planners awarded by the Financial Planning Association of Singapore and Financial Planning Association of Malaysia.

Adding on to the existing professional team of financial planners, the certificates were presented to, Aderyn Loh, Asyikin Abdullah, Bonita Suresh, Gerald Sim, Gilbert Chan, Isnora Minuddin, Jo Ann Embran, Nur Faeizah Abdullah and Nurul Jafriah Abdullah.

HSBC Brunei is very committed in encouraging staff to pursue professional courses which will in turn provide the bank’s customers qualified, knowledgeable and dedicated Financial Planners to assist them in managing their wealth. By continuously doing so, it is hoped that HSBC’s professional standards and service quality will be used as industry benchmarks.

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HSBC’S Islamic welfare body organises special talk for women.

Tuesday, 27 May 2008

Recently, HSBC’s Islamic Welfare Body (BKI) organised a special talk for the bank’s female staff and their family members. The talk was conducted by Ms. Sharifah Khadijah Alkaff, a teacher at Sultan Saiful Rijal Technical College at the HSBC Learning and Development Centre in Jerudong.

The afternoon started with the group recital of "Asmaul Husna" followed by the mass ‘Asr prayers and the talk on "Taubah and Istighfar – Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness".

Ms. Sharifah touched on the importance of seeking forgiveness from Allah s.w.t as Allah is All Forgiving, All Merciful. Ms Sharifah explained the meaning of taubah and istighfar and gave examples of which the audience was able to relate to.

Hajah Rozana Hj Yunos of the Islamic Welfare Body of HSBC (BKI), said "I have seen Ms Sharifah present a talk at a previous occasion and I felt the ladies at HSBC would benefit by attending one of her talks. Ms Sharifah gave a very interesting and educational talk and it certainly opened my eyes even more about Islam. I felt as a Muslim we should always look for opportunities to keep on learning about our religion and I am thankful we were given this opportunity."

Events organised in the past by the Bank’s Islamic Welfare Body, include recent initiatives such as training on Muslim Burial, bertahlil ceremonies, the annual participation in the Maulud Nabi procession, mosque cleaning campaigns and Sungkai gatherings with friends from Pulaie Centre and Pusat Ehsan.

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HSBC Awards for Entrepreneurial Minds

Monday, 19 May 2008

For the first time ever, HSBC Brunei will be launching the HSBC Young Entrepreneurs Award (YEA) in January 2008. The competition is aimed at providing incentives for aspiring young entrepreneurs from local tertiary level institutions. To take part, all the students have to do is to submit a 10-page business idea in English – that explores new market niches or addresses current market needs.

First launched in Hong Kong in 2000, the HSBC YEA competition now runs concurrently in six other countries namely Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Brunei.

Open to all full-time students from public and private institutions of higher learning, it requires participants to form teams of no more than three, of which one member can be a foreign student. Since its inception, close to 11,000 university students took part in the competitions in different parts of Asia. Last year, a record number of 3,617 students comprising 1,397 teams participated in the competition, reflecting the growing popularity of the programme among young students and the reputation the Awards have established in the education sector.

The prizes are attractive, with the winning team taking home a self-development fund of BND3000 plus trophies, certificates and an opportunity to compete in the regional competition in Hong Kong next June, where they will stand the chance of winning a business development fund of HK$100,000 (BND20,000).

Second and third-place winners will receive a self-development fund of BND2,000 and BND1,000 respectively, plus trophies and certificates.

If the business idea also generates environmental benefits, the submission will also be eligible to compete for the Eco-Business Innovation Award (green award). This prize is for ideas that generate a positive impact on the environment. Besides the cash prize of BND500, the green award winners will be flown to Hong Kong for a study tour as well as a one-day trip organised by WWF Hong Kong.

The competition at the local level involves three rounds.

From Round One, only 20 teams will be shortlisted for Round Two, which involves attending a business plan writing workshop to help participants develop ideas into full business plans.

Teams that make it to Round Three will need to make a presentation of their business ideas to a panel of judges, who will judge them based on criteria such as innovation and creative thinking and the commercial viability and potential of their product/service as well as communication skills. The Award presentation ceremony will take place in May 2008.

The closing date for submission for the first round is 22 February 2008.

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HSBC rewards Long Service Staff

Monday, 19 May 2008

HSBC rewarded 77 of thier longest serving staff today at a Dinner held in their honour at Port View Restaurant in the capital.

In his welcoming speech, Mr. Muhmood, Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Brunei said, “It is a real honour being here tonight amongst very special people. HSBC is very lucky as it is rare that any company is able to retain such great people for so long.”

The Long Service Awards is the Bank’s way of saying a special thank you showing its appreciation and gratitude to the service and support that the staff has shown over the years. Out of the 77 staff members rewarded this year, Jacqueline Lim was rewarded with a Baume & Mercier Watch, a certificate signed by Vincent Cheng, Chairman of HSBC Asia Pacific and a bonus equivalent to a month’s salary for 30 her years of service.

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S.B Employment Agency is HSBC Young Entrepreneur 2008

Monday, 19 May 2008

The HSBC Young Entrepreneur Awards (YEA) was launched in Brunei last January and for those students that submitted their business plans, the entrepreneurial journey has now come to a rewarding end. The finals were held today at the Manggis Ballroom, Hua Ho Maggis Mall.

Guest of honour was Dato Haji Hamdillah bin Hj Abd Wahab, Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources also present was Tareq Muhmood, Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Brunei along with Senior Managers and staff from HSBC.

In his welcoming speech Mr. Muhmood said “HSBC has built its business around the world through strong support to young entrepreneurs and seeing them evolve and grow into small businesses, some move on to medium businesses, and some become substantial multi-nationals! To build on this history, HSBC has introduced two new exciting initiatives in Brunei in 2008.”

“First we launched a new banking package, BusinessVantage, aimed at supporting our SME’s needs with a wide variety of banking products and services. The second key initiative is what today is all about, the Young Entrepreneurs Awards – to encourage the writing of business plans amongst the student community in Asia. The writing of the plan is just the output. The key to this is to show a creative, commercial and opportunistic mind – and being able to present it in an effective and efficient manner.”

Three teams – Wafe Waffle, Reyes and Lee Corp and S.B Employment Agency were short listed and were asked to present their business plan to an audience of about 300 students and teachers representing colleges in Brunei. Each presentation was then judged by HSBC’s very own CEO, Tareq Muhmood, Haji Shazali Sulaiman of KPMG, Dr Joyce Teo, Deputy Dean of Postgraduate Studies and Research of University Brunei Darussalam and Albert Tan, Managing Director of Vincci.

S.B Employment Agency impressed the panel of judges and was presented the GOLD Award by the guest of honour Dato Haji Hamdillah. The SILVER Award was presented to REyes and Lee Corp whilst Wafe Waffle came third and was presented with the BRONZE Award.

The S.B Employment Agency will go on and represent Brunei in the Regional Final in Hong Kong in June where they will compete with teams from Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, The Philippines, Bangladesh and Hong Kong and stand a chance to win a self development fund of HKD 100,000 (BND 20,000).

Brunei’s HSBC YEA GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE Award winners will be sent to Hong Kong for a week long Entrepreneurial Trip as well as trophies, certificates, self development fund of BND 3000, BND 2000 and BND 1000 respectively.

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Suserena, Ampuan Reign Supreme In HSBC YEA 08 Final

Sunday, 18 May 2008

Armed with an interesting business idea and a good sense of humour, Suserena Hj Mohd Hashim together with teammate Ampuan Mohd Badruddin yesterday emerged victorious in the HSBC Young Entrepreneur Awards (YEA) 2008 Final, walking away with the gold medal, $3,000 cash prize, a trophy and an entrepreneurial trip to Hong Kong.

The duo - who came up with the Serba Boleh (SB) Employment Agency plan - defeated two other teams who were short-listed for the final, which was held at the Hua Ho Manggis Mall Ballroom.

They will represent the county at the regional final to be held in Hong Kong in June, where they will compete with teams from Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Hong Kong, and also stand a chance at winning a self-development fund of HKD 100,000 (B $20,000).

Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Dato Paduka Awg Haji Hamdillah bin Hj Abd Wahab awarded prizes to the winners for their business ideas, which were largely theoretical.

According to Suserena, it took them less than a month to come up with the idea, complete with cash flow forecast, market research, etc.

Their business idea is to provide an agency offering services mainly for local citizens in seeking, finding and training people for suitable jobs.

"It seemed as though we were going to be pummelled by the judges after presenting our idea so we thought we might as well go for it and do our best," said Suserena, who was the last to present on stage.

Despite the nerves, she was able to present her idea clearly, mixing logic with humour.

This is the first time HSBC Brunei hosted the HSBC Young Entrepreneur Award (YEA). The competition aims to provide incentives for aspiring young entrepreneurs from local tertiary level institutions.

First launched in Hong Kong in 2000, the HSBC YEA competition now runs concurrently in six other countries namely, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Brunei.

Since its inception, close to 11,000 university students have taken part in the competition in different parts of Asia.

Last year, a record number of 3,617 students comprising 1,397 teams participated in the competition, reflecting the growing popularity of the programme among young students and the reputation the awards has established in the education sector.

If the business idea also generates environmental benefits, the submission will also be eligible to compete for the Eco-Business Innovation Award (Green Award). This prize is for ideas that generate a positive impact on the environment.

Besides the B$500 cash prize, the green award winners will be flown to Hong Kong for a study tour as well as a one-day trip organised by WWF Hong Kong.

The competition at a local level involves three rounds.

In Round I, only 20 teams will be short-listed for Round II, which involves attending a business plan writing workshop to help participants develop ideas into full business plans.

Teams that make it to Round III will need to attend a panel interview and will be judged based on criteria such as innovation and creative thinking and the commercial viability and potential of their product/services as well as communication skills.

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HSBC Tri Xtreme Back For A 2nd Season

Saturday, 17 May 2008

Confirming speculation over recent months, the HSBC Tri Xtreme Challenge is indeed coming back for a second season to put your mental and physical strengths to the test.

In a press conference, HSBC chief executive officer (CEO), Tareeq Muhmood, said the online pre-registration for the challenge will commence today until June 11 at www.hsbc.com.bn, with priority given to the first 100 teams.

The challenge is open to all HSBC and non-HSBC customers between the ages of 18 and 30. The prerequisite for the four-member team - at least one female and one male, while two members must be HSBC customers.

Full registration for the event will be held on June 15 on the first floor of the Hua Ho Manggis Mall between 10am to 8pm. Non-HSBC customers will be required to pay a B$20 registration fee while HSBC customers pay only B$10.

Participants should expect "twice the Xcitement, Xtreme challenges and Xtravagant prizes" with a first prize of B$8,000, a 16GB iPod touch and more.

Second prize includes B$4000 and an 8GB iPod Nano, and third prize winners will win B$2000 and a 4GB iPod Nano.

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HSBC Hosts Forum On Family Business

Tuesday, 6 May 2008

HSBC hosted a forum on family business continuity yesterday at the Empire Hotel and Country Club, Jerudong.

On hand to facilitate the talk were invited guest speakers Dr Ivan Lansberg and James Aitken to over 50 people from various family businesses.

Among the topics discussed were: Understanding the dynamics of family enterprise systems; sucession planning; leadership and taking charge; and managing transitions.

Meanwhile, at a press conference yesterday, Dr Lansberg, who penned the book, "Succeeding Generations", HSBC Brunei Chief Executive Officer Tareeq Muhmood, and HSBC Private Bank Brunei Country Head Rob Ioannou delivered a brief insight on the day's forum.

"Most of these families built businesses from nothing, said Tareeq. "And now they're reaching a stage in their lives where they have to think about the future and how to make sure their businesses continue for generations to come."

Ioannou added, "It's a very opportune time to have this event (forum) because a lot of family businesses in Brunei are at that stage where they are thinking about the next generation."

He also emphasised on one of HSBC's fundamental objectives to help clients to not only preserve their wealth in the present but for the future as well.

"We often find that clients don't focus enough on the transfer of wealth from one generation to another. Many clients focus on their investment portfolios or investment returns but neglect a lot of the business issues and softer issues surrounding family succession and the preservation of the family," Ioannou said.

Dr Lansberg, meanwhile, said Asian families face a tougher challenge and significant risks as they have to not only compete in the global economy but struggle with generational transitions as well.

He believed that many of these families are ill-equipped to have the necessary discussions to put in place the right solutions.

Part of the objective of yesterday's forum, Dr Lansberg said, was to legitimise these topics.

"To make it okay for families to learn the language, they need to be able to solve problems effectively. And more importantly, to get the families to understand that many of the problems they face are generic and if they begin talking among family, the changes that they'll able to find the kind of solutions that will help them tackle these challenges effectively will increase."

He also said, "The challenge for families that want to continue over the generationsis learning to manage the commitment, the passion the care of their owners and trying to accomplish a sense of stewardship."

Tareeq said, "HSBC has been here for 61 years, and we have seen some families thrive from generation to generation because they've done a lot of proper planning, while some successful businesses suddenly collapse and families stagnate and a lot of disputes can happen."

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P. Ramlee at HSBC Bandar branch

Monday, 28 April 2008

We all know that queuing up can be rather stressful, and payday is no exception. Customers visiting HSBC Bandar Branch today had a pleasant surprise waiting for them. The branch was beautifully decorated with the traditional "kain selendang" and local kuih muih (traditional cakes) was served.

While customers were waiting to be served, they were able to sit back and watch movies starring the late P.Ramlee whilst enjoying the refreshments. The initiative was dreamt up by our branch staff and fully supported by the HSBC Service Quality Team to help improve customer experience with HSBC.

"As one of our customer service initiatives we decided this month we would ease the waiting time especially during the peak periods with a good dose of old fashion comedy, and there is no one that does it better than the late P.Ramlee." said Rohani Haji Mohd Salleh, Branch Manager for BSB.

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HSBC Shares Financial Planning With BAG Networks

Thursday, 24 April 2008

As part of their weekly knowledge-sharing sessions, BAG Networks yesterday invited a guest speaker from HSBC, Nora Hafriana Hafneh, an Assistant Manager in the Customer Services Department, along with her team of financial planners, to talk about the importance of financial planning and wealth accumulation.

"We hope the talk will educate employees here to keep abreast with all the upcoming investment opportunities, as well as to show them the importance of financial planning, protection and wealth accumulation," said a BAG Networks representative.

The financial expert also touched on some of the facilities HSBC can offer BAG Networks staff to further assist them in financial planning.

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HSBC Investments Singapore conducts Investment Seminar for Brunei

Tuesday, 22 April 2008

About 200 HSBC customers were treated to an engaging seminar on Global Investment Outlook recently. The seminar was held at the Sheraton Utama Hotel by in house speaker, Ms Serene Quek, an Associate Director and Head of Retail Channel Management of HSBC Investments (Singapore) Limited. Officiating the event was Dayangku Hamidah Othman, Senior Manager PFS Sales and Support of HSBC Brunei. In her welcoming remarks, Dayangku Hamidah said, "At HSBC, we considered this the right time to organise such a seminar to demonstrate our continuing commitment to educating our customers and providing them with insights into this fast-paced and global competitive environment, so you are able to arrive at more informed global market outlook."

"As one of the world’s leading financial organisations, we have the advantage of our global network of in-house experts whom we can invite periodically to keep you abreast on developments in the global markets" she continued. The session is the first investment seminar organised by HSBC for 2008. Ms Serene talked at length about the current investment climate and opportunities which focus on the outlook of various asset classes specifically on cash, bond and equities, valuations of global equity and activities in Asian, European and Emerging markets. In addition, HSBC Brunei currently provides its customers with free financial planning services, as well as a wide choice of HSBC investment funds.

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HSBC Tops Forbes 2000 List

Friday, 18 April 2008

HSBC has jumped two places to top the latest Forbes 2000 list of the world’s largest companies, the first time a non-US company has led the rankings since its launch in 2004. The annual index surveyed blue-chip firms in 26 industries across 60 countries and ranked them according to a composite of sales, profits, assets and market value.

HSBC is one of five high performers from the banking industry, having delivered 26 per cent annual average growth in revenue and 31 per cent in net income over the past five years.

In total, Forbes 2000 companies now account for US$30 trillion in revenues, US$2.4 trillion in profits, US$119 trillion in assets and US$39 trillion in market value. Around the world, these companies employ over 72 million people.

Measured by number of companies, 315, the banking industry has the biggest presence on the Forbes 2000. Banking also dominates in assets, with total assets of US$58.3 trillion, and profits, US$398 billion. The 123 companies in oil and gas operations lead all industries in aggregate revenues, of US$3.76 trillion, and take second place in total profits, of US$386 billion. The U.S. still dominates in terms of geography but its influence is on the decline with 61 fewer entries than last year. In contrast, China, India and Brazil are rapidly adding companies to the list.

The largest non banking sector company featured this year is General Electric which placed second. Bank of America placed third while last year’s leading company, Citigroup, placed 24th.

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HSBC 60th Anniversary Badminton Tournament

Saturday, 5 April 2008

The Sports and Social Club of HSBC recently held the first of a 4 day badminton tournament today. As many as 200 participants from various organisations will compete to be champions of the tournament held in conjunction with HSBC’s year long celebration of 60 years of establishment in Brunei. The tournament was held at the Badminton Courts, PGGMB Building in the Capital. Present at the event was the Chairlady of the Sports and Social Club, Hajah Normah Ismail. Teams competing included Royal Brunei Airlines and Catering, B-Mobile, Brunei Shell Petroleum, BIBD, SCB, Telbru, QAF and the Brunei Law Society.

Rena Lee, one of the organisers said “I was impressed by the response and willingness of all the Teams to participate in this tournament. It is a great opportunity for badminton enthusiasts of all levels to meet and play competitively. Apart from our 60th Anniversary celebration, the committee’s reasons for organising the tournament were to build rapport, foster closer relationships and promote a healthy lifestyle among HSBC and friends from other sectors.”

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HSBC 60th Anniversary 5-A-Side Futsal Tournament Finals

Friday, 4 April 2008

The organising commitee for the 60th Anniversary Futsal Tournament. HSBC held the finals for their recent 60th Anniversary Futsal Tournament today at the Multi Purpose Hall in Berakas. The round robin which kicked off on 16 March 2008 saw a total of 12 teams competing in the hope to gain a place in the finals. The teams that successfully reached the finals were; Ministry of Finance, Brunei Investment Agency’s ‘5ive’, TAIB and TAP. The four teams battled it out with their friends and family cheering them on but TAP came out victorious. Rosdi Amin, HSBC’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer was on hand to present the medals to the winning teams.

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Fund Managers Favour Cash and Asia-Pacific Equities Investment Sectors In First Quarter, says HSBC Survey

Friday, 4 April 2008

A survey by HSBC of the bank’s panel of ten global fund management houses revealed a significant shift in sentiment amongst fund managers in favour of cash over equities and bond investment sectors in the first quarter of 2008.

Sixty-two per cent of the fund managers surveyed said they held an overweight view towards cash. This compared with just 25% of the sample holding the same view in the fourth quarter of last year. Fund managers turned bearish towards equities over the same period as 38% took an underweight view of this investment sector. This compares with no respondent in the sample holding an underweight view towards equities in 4Q07. Within the equities sector, fund managers in the sample were unanimous with 100% citing an overweight view towards Asia Pacific ex Japan equities (This was up from 87% holding the same view in 4Q07). The next most popular sector, within equity investments by geography, was Greater China at 75% (87%) with an overweight view.

Regarding bond investments, half of the sample remained underweight in 1Q08, compared to 62% in 4Q07 and 37% were neutral in the first quarter of this year versus a 25% in the final quarter of last year.

Bruno Lee, HSBC’s Head of Wealth Management for Personal Financial Services, noted: “These views reflect the continued volatile conditions in global stock markets as well as changing investor sentiment, resulting in a shift to more cautious and focused investment strategies. Investors are tending to keep their liquidity intact, in the event that the market offers more compelling investment opportunities, while at the same time trying to balance their current equity positions by skewing investments to Asia and other emerging markets where there is still scope for growth.”


Fund flow survey analysis: fourth quarter 2007 highlights

As well as seeking fund houses’ views towards investment sectors, HSBC also conducts a quarterly survey among its ten partner fund houses1 with a view to obtaining a better understanding of the global liquidity flows and the dynamics of global asset allocation. Net fund flows2 are calculated by taking away the impact of market movements to derive a picture of investor activity in the global investment scene. HSBC undertakes this survey to guide customers in making informed investment choices.

The HSBC survey of fund flows indicates total funds under management of the fund houses in the panel increased by US$94 billion or 2.0%, from 3Q07 to 4Q07.

In the last quarter of 2007, funds continued to move to Asia with Asia Pacific ex Japan equities reporting a net fund inflow of 14.3% as investors remained confident about growth prospects in the region over the prospects for equities of developed economies. This inflow reflects the results of the fund house survey of sentiment towards investment classes and geographies in the survey results given above.

Compared to performance in 3Q07, Japan equities and Europe equities experienced slight net fund inflows of 1.9% and 0.4%, respectively in the fourth quarter. While the Japanese equities market recorded the worst index performance in this survey, with MSCI Japan down by 8.9% in 4Q07, this market showed a positive inflow of funds versus net fund outflows in the previous two quarters. Overall, the biggest net outflows in the fourth quarter of 2007 were recorded by Global Emerging Markets (ex emerging Asia) equities (-7.2%), followed by US equities (-2.0%) and Global equities (-1.8%), owing to fragile market sentiment triggered by concerns regarding potential contagion from US sub-prime developments and the growing global credit crunch.

Bond funds were a natural choice for investors seeking a safe haven as they shifted from equities as a result of the significant volatility in the global stock markets. The bond sectors that benefited were Global, Europe and High Yield/Emerging Markets, with net fund inflows of 5.4%, 2.4% and 4.4%, respectively. While the US bond market registered the highest growth among the different bond markets with a return of 3% in 4Q07, due to the easing of monetary policy by the US Federal Reserve, it experienced a net fund outflow of 1.4%.

Mr Lee said: “In the last quarter of 2007, as global investors locked in gains for the year, they took a more conservative position. Fund managers parked funds in money market funds which for the quarter made the biggest contribution of US$77 billion to total funds under management growth. A flight to quality was also evident as investors diversified to bond funds.”


Fund flow survey analysis: full year highlights 2007

Total funds under management of the 10 partner fund houses grew in the whole of 2007 by 16.2% to US$4.85 trillion from end of 2006 to end of 2007.

Equity funds comprised the largest portion of funds under management and also contributed most to the fund growth – an additional US$240 billion to the total portfolio. Among the equity funds, net inflows recorded were Global, Europe, Japan, Asia-Pacific ex-Japan and Global Emerging Markets (ex emerging Asia) while US equities experienced negative fund flows. In particular, equity fund investments inflows over the whole year were skewed towards Asia Pacific ex Japan and Global Emerging Markets, resulting in total net inflows of 66.5% and 37.4%, respectively.

In the bond markets, positive fund flows to all regions including Global bonds, US bonds, Europe and UK bonds and High Yield bonds were recorded during the whole of the year.

Mr Lee said: “2007 was about optimising returns from the booming equities markets around the world, with special focus on Asia, the emerging markets and Greater China given the continued weakness in the US market. The sharp volatility in global equities markets in late 2007, which continued as a feature of market sentiment in the first quarter of 2008, resulted in investors rebalancing their portfolios in favour of bonds and cash. While investors reduced their overall exposure to equities, they skewed their weightings within the equity sector in favour of Asia-Pacific ex-Japan, Greater China and the Emerging Markets, where there was still scope for growth.”

Mr Lee added that for Hong Kong investors, given the near negative interest rate conditions in the territory, there still remains investment options available depending on individual risk appetite. “This is a good time to review and rebalance investment portfolios. For the conservative investor, there is a range of lower risk products with or without capital guaranteed features to choose from. The balanced investor can consider high-quality bond funds combined with global balanced funds. If you are an aggressive player willing to take more risk, then as the survey reflects, equity funds with a bias towards commodity, Asia and emerging markets remain possibilities,” he said.

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HSBC U-23 Basketball Tournament

Tuesday, 25 March 2008

As part of an on going celebration of HSBC’s 60 year of establishment in Brunei, the Sports and Social Club of HSBC have teamed up with the Brunei Basketball Association to organise a local basketball tournament. The tournament which will be held on 29 March at the Batu Besurat Basketball court is sponsored by HSBC and open to everyone under the age of 23. As the main sponsor, the Brunei Basketball Association has invited HSBC as the special guest team to compete in the tournament.

Hjh Normah Ismail, Chairperson of the HSBC Sports and Social club today presented a cheque for BND 2500 to Adam Chu Fook Kun on behalf of the Brunei Basketball Association. The presentation took place at the Main Branch in the Capital. The HSBC team will consist of HSBC employees, whom will be participating in a HSBC inter-regional game in July organised by HSBC Brunei. The tournament will give the HSBC Brunei team the much needed exposure and experience in preparing for the upcoming games. Teams from HSBC offices in The Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore are expected to participate.

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HSBC and Pusat Ehsan visit Pacific Sun Cruise Liner

Friday, 21 March 2008

Pusat Ehsan children were gleaming today when they were given the opportunity by HSBC to tour the luxury Pacific Sun Cruise Liner which docked at Muara Port for a Maiden Call this morning. On hand to greet the team was Mr Simon Troman, Passenger Services Director and Mr Dewi Sunwar, Administration Manager of the Pacific Sun Cruise Liner.
	This event is the first of its kind and is led by the HSBC Personal Financial Services Department under the umbrella of the “HSBC Cares” programme. Adelina Ghani of HSBC said, “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we wanted to share it with our friends at Pusat Ehsan. We feel grateful to be able to put a smile on their faces. At HSBC, we are always finding ways to support our community be it through donations or with our time. “ Through the programme, HSBC has successfully supported a number of educational, environmental and charitable causes in Brunei. This was done in many ways, such as providing sponsorships or donations, having staff members participate in voluntary work or simply initiating much-needed publicity for good causes.
The cruise liner is only in Brunei for five hours before it continues on to its next port of call, Hong Kong. The ship is currently on a Cherry Blossom Tour carrying 1482 passengers with a crew of 681. The cruise started in Australia and will end in Japan.

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HSBC Sponsor Nature Camp 2008

Thursday, 20 March 2008

HSBC presented sponsorship consisting of 150 T-shirts and backpacks to the Forestry Department Nature Camp 2008 yesterday.

On behalf of HSBC, Hajah Normah Ismail, the sponsor of HSBC's Corporate Sustainability Programme handed over the T-shirts at HSBC's main branch which were received by Noralinda Hj Ibrahim, Senior Forestry Officer. This was the third contribution made by HSBC since its inception in 1992.

The Nature Camp is open to upper secondary students nationwide, where they will have the opportunity to see first hand how the forestry department works.

During the five-day camping trip, activities such as identifying flora and fauna, tree measuring, environmental studies and some sport activities will be carried out.

HSBC sponsorships on environmental-related initiatives include the latest Global Earth Observatory project in the rainforests of Brunei, the Heart of Borneo, tree planting at the science college, Youth Environment programme run by CfBT as well as WWF Workshops organised by the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources.

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Tareq Muhmood wins The Asian Banker Promising Young Banker Award For Brunei

Wednesday, 19 March 2008

The winners of the Asian Banker Achievement Awards 2008 were announced recently in a sparkling ceremony at the Melia Hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam. Besides recognising senior bankers’ contributions to setting the tone for the financial services industry in 2007, The Asian Banker has created a new awards series that identifies the most promising young talent in the financial services industry with awards for the best bankers under the age of 40. “We feel that it is important to celebrate the incredible efforts that certain outstanding individuals are making to the industry in their thirties,” says Emmanuel Daniel, president of The Asian Banker. “They set new benchmarks for talent and are raising the bar for the whole industry.”

In less than a year Tareq Muhmood, Chief Executive Officer, HSBC Brunei and the Brunei team have made significant improvements to the well established business in Brunei. After 13 years spent in various positions around the world where he built his talents, Mr Muhmood was identified by HSBC Group as one of a pool of 200 bankers considered as high potential talent for senior positions. He was moved to his position Brunei in April 2007 as one of the youngest country managers in the history of the bank. With a significant balance sheet, Mr Muhmood and the Brunei team of over 700 staff, cover business lines that include institutional, commercial and retail banking. Moving quickly in his new role, he has jumped into the task of initiating the possible introduction of Islamic banking to the bank’s operations, and in during 2007 the Bank’s financial and customer satisfaction performance has improved significantly. For his inspirational journey in rising to the level of a country head, and for immediate results in his new role, the Advisory Council of The Asian Banker Achievement Awards programme decided to chosen Tareq Muhmood as the Young Banker of the Year for Brunei. An exclusive audience of top industry leaders from around the world witnessed the award ceremony for 37 of the top professionals in the banking industry in the Asia Pacific region. Among the honoured guests were Mr Joseph Yam, chief executive, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Ms Kannikar Chalitaporn, president, Siam Commercial Bank, Mr David Eldon, chairman, Dubai International Financial Centre Authority and former chairman, HSBC Asia, Sir George Mathewson, chairman Toscafund Holdings and former chairman, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Mr Paul Sarbanes, former chairman, U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, and Mr Kaspar Villiger, board member, Swiss Re and former president and finance minister, Switzerland. There were five regional and international awards given to top bankers and regulators and 17 awards for young bankers. Nine other awards focused on achievements in specific business lines in the financial services industry. Two awards focused on supporting industries—executive search and legal advice—and the night also honoured three senior bankers with lifetime achievement awards. The award ceremony was held in conjunction with The Asian Banker Summit, undisputedly the largest gathering of financial services industry professionals in the Asia Pacific region. The Summit is held annually in different Asian cities, and this year’s was held in Hanoi with the full support of the Vietnam Banks Association and the State Bank of Vietnam. This year, The Asian Banker Summit is holding a joint conference with the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade (BAFT) called the BAFT Asia Conference on Cash, Treasury & Trade. It is the first Asian conference organised by BAFT, an affiliate of the American Bankers Association that promotes the discussion of global issues in the financial services industry. It is the only awards programme that recognises promising young bankers at the most crucial stage of their career development. The award plays an important role in nurturing a culture of excellence among tomorrow’s leaders in the financial services industry in Asia and the Gulf and has become undisputedly the highest possible accolade available to professionals in the financial services industry in the region today.

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HSBC holds first Blood Donation Drive for 2008

Tuesday, 18 March 2008

It is the time of the year again where HSBC staff line up awaiting their turn to bleed for a good cause. The bi-annual event was held today at HSBC Business Processing Centre in Jerudong. This year’s response was overwhelming and saw more than 100 staff including the Chief Executive Officer, Brunei Tareq Muhmood and senior management supporting such a worthy cause.
	The event led by Dionysius Wee is part of “HSBC Cares” a programme that encourages employees to be socially responsible especially when it comes to the community, education and also environmental causes. Mr Wee said, “It is the first time I have organised this event and the support from staff was beyond my expectations. It just shows staff’s keenness to donate their blood and actually save lives. It makes me proud to say that I am part of a team where giving is second nature at HSBC, be it with time, talents and also energy towards activities that benefit the community as a whole.”
A team of medical personnel from the RIPAS Blood Collection Unit was on hand throughout the whole day to assist in facilitating the campaign.

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HSBC hosts lunch for Swedish Business Delegates to Brunei

Wednesday, 12 March 2008

HSBC hosted a lunch for business delegates from Sweden, at Savy’s Brasserie in the capital today. The Swedish delegates are in the country to strengthen commercial relations and explore business opportunities. Tareq Muhmood, Chief Executive Officer of HSBC hosted the lunch with Deputy Chief Executive Officer Rosdi Amin and other senior managers of the Bank. HSBC recognises the importance of such visits and took the opportunity to enable networking opportunities with it commercial banking and corporate banking clients. The 3 day visit jointly organised by The Embassy of Sweden and Swedish Business Association of Singapore (SBAS) representing more than 100 companies will be collecting information on Brunei’s Economic Development in order to establish long term relations.

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HSBC YEA hopefuls attend Business Plan Workshop

Tuesday, 11 March 2008

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HSBC staff donates books to Pulaie Complex

Monday, 3 March 2008

There is no question about how caring HSBC staff are. Recently through, “HSBC Cares” the bank’s Corporate Responsibility programme, staff donated 640 books to the Pulaie Complex. The thoughtful initiative was dreamt up by Chin Yee Mang from the Financial Control Department.

A presentation ceremony was held at the Pulaie Complex Library where Hjh Normah Ismail, Sponsor for HSBC’s Corporate Responsibility, presented the books to Dayang Rostinah binti POK SSP Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Tahir, Community Development Officer of Pulaie Complex.

The books donated by staff included, children’s story books, text books, comics and even novels for all ages. The residents were later treated to refreshments following the handover.

Such events are trademarks of HSBC Cares, a programme which encourages staff volunteerism and engagement with the public focusing on the development of three core areas, namely education, environment and the community.

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HSBC celebrates The Lunar New Year with top guests

Wednesday, 27 February 2008

HSBC welcomes the New Year with their top customers annually, and this year was no exception. With over 1000 customers in attendance, comprising also of Government officials and Ambassadors, the Spring Dinner held at the International Convention Centre in Berakas was truly a special evening.

The Chung Hwa Middle School Orchestra performed as guests were welcomed by Mr. Tareq Muhmood, Chief Executive Officer HSBC Brunei and Senior Managers. The evening opened up with an impressive Lion dance performance by the talented students of the Chung Hwa Middle School in Bandar Seri Begawan.

In his welcoming speech, Mr. Muhmood said, “It is a real honour being here tonight and thank you for taking the time to be here. Last year was the year of the Golden Boar and it marked the bank’s celebration of 60 wonderful years of HSBC in Brunei thanks to the support of our customers and staff.”

He continued, “The year of the rat will see the launching of a new department to support our Private Banking business. This involves Singapore and Brunei working very closely together to provide investment guidelines for customers. In addition we recently launched Business Vantage to support Small and Medium Enterprises.”

“We are eternally grateful to you, our customers, our partners for the support and business you trust to HSBC. We never take this for granted, and assure you that we will work tirelessly to support your businesses.”

To signify the auspicious occasion, guests were invited to a Yee Sang tossing session, a gesture believed to bring good luck and fortune for the year ahead, after a sumptuous Chinese banquet.

Throughout the evening, special guest artiste from Singapore, Bryan Wong, local artiste Spring Hue and Wu Pei Pei entertained guests by singing New Year songs in the spirit of the celebration. Guests were further entertained by a traditional dance and interactive game session where excited guests won great prizes.

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HSBC sponsors Inaugural Asian Five Nations Rugby

Friday, 22 February 2008

The International Rugby Board (IRB) has confirmed the introduction of a major international Tournament to the Rugby calendar in April, the HSBC Asian Five Nations. The IRB-supported competition will play an important role in the ongoing development of the game across the region.

“The Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) has secured a significant title sponsorship deal with HSBC for the Tournament, which underlines the increasing appetite for the Game in Asia. Enhanced television deals for the Asian market was a feature of record Rugby World Cup broadcast coverage and comprehensive coverage of the Asian Five Nations on television will ensure continued widespread exposure across Asia and into IRB targeted growth markets such as China and India,” said IRB Head of Rugby Services Mark Egan. The sponsorship, which is for three years (2008 to 2010), covers an annual series of matches and tournaments running April through May to be hosted in five countries and territories: Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, the Arabian Gulf and Kazakhstan.

The IRB is committed to increasing global playing standards and the Tournament, which has received funding in the form of a US$500,000 IRB grant, represents the pinnacle of a complete restructuring of competition structures in Asia by the Region’s governing body, the ARFU.

“The Asian Five Nations will be the flagship Tournament for Asia, serving to promote and raise awareness of the Game in the Region at all levels, while also providing a competitive competition and development structure for all participating Unions. It is certainly an exciting development for the Game in a Region that offers significant potential for growth,” added Egan.

“In addition to providing annual competition for each Union, the Tournament will serve to provide the platform as an ongoing development tool for players, officials and administrators with an ultimate goal of providing a pathway for entry into world class competitions such as Rugby World Cup.”

ARFU Honorary Secretary General Ross Mitchell said that the new Asian Five Nations is an exciting development for the Game in Asia. “The Tournament is vital for the development and expansion of Rugby throughout Asia and will give our elite players the chance to perform in front of a significantly expanded TV audience, whilst providing a platform for development at all other levels.”

The Tournament will feature a round robin format with Test matches held on five consecutive weekends throughout April and May 2008. A strong commercial programme, including a major sponsor and television coverage, has also been confirmed.

The Asian Five Nations Tournament is the pinnacle of four newly formed tiers of elite competition across all 25 Asian Rugby Unions with promotion and relegation opportunities between divisions for all participating teams. The last placed team in the Asian Five Nations in 2008 will be relegated to the 2009 Division One competition and the top team in Division One will gain promotion to the Asian Five Nations. The promotion and relegation policy will also be in effect for the Division One and Division Two competitions, guaranteeing an opportunity for all Unions to advance on the world stage.

This year’s Division One competition will be played amongst China, Chinese Taipei, Singapore and Sri Lanka. The Division Two competition will be contested by India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand. Four regional competitions will also be played in 2008. The first is in Qatar and features Macau, Mongolia and Qatar; the second Tournament will be held in Guam between Brunei, Guam and the Philippines; the third Tournament is in Indonesia and features Cambodia, Indonesia and Laos; Kyrgyzstan hosts the final regional competition with Iran, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Selected matches will also double as Rugby World Cup 2011 qualifiers.

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HSBC Sponsors Borneo Ladies Golf Challenge

Thursday, 21 February 2008

Continuing its support of golfing events, HSBC today presented its sponsorship to the Brunei Ladies Golf Association (BLGA). The BLGA is a non-profit organisation established in early 2007 and endorsed by the Ministry of Culture, youth and Sports. Its members are talented and prominent female golfers in the Sultanate, 22 of whom will be representing the BLGA at the 10th Borneo Ladies Golf Challenge Trophy in Kuching, Sarawak from 10-12 March 2008.

Tareq Muhmood, HSBC’s CEO was on hand to present the sponsored items at his office in the Main Office in Bandar Seri Begawan this afternoon. Datin Hajah Rosnah binti Abdullah and Dyg Sarinah Masri, representing the BLGA, were there to receive the sponsorship. Also present was Salyahrinah Yahya, Treasurer of HSBC, who is an avid golfer, a member of the BLGA and who will also be participating at the Borneo Ladies Golf Challenge.

The Bank is sponsoring all the ladies golf shirts to be worn by the BLGA players during the Borneo Ladies Golf Challenge in which they have been invited to participate. The prestigious tournament pits lady golfers from various associations in Brunei, Labuan, Sabah and Sarawak. About 130 ladies will be taking part in this golf tournament to be held at the Kelab Golf Sarawak.

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Road Show For Young Entrepreneurs Award

Saturday, 19 January 2008

HSBC YEA (Young Entrepreneurs Award) is a business plan writing competition that was recently launched in Brunei for the first time, focusing on aspiring entrepreneurs from tertiary level institutions.

Chang Ai Lee from HSBC's Commercial Banking Department, who heads the team driving HSBC YEA, has been visiting business or vocational schools and institutions nationwide to promote the programme and encourage more students to participate.

To date, the road shows have taken place at Laksamana Business College, Micronet International College and Sultan Bolkiah Vocational School in Seria.

In her presentations during the road show, Chang Ai Lee spoke about the competition's details, judging criteria and its attractive prizes.

She highlighted that the winning team from Brunei will receive $3,000, plus trophies and certificates, as well as an opportunity to compete in a regional competition in Hong Kong next June, where they can stand a chance of winning the $20,000 business development fund.

From the question-and-answer sessions conducted, it was evident that the students have shown a strong interest in the contest and are keen to acquire practical new skills.

First launched in Hong Kong in 2000, HSBC YEA now runs concurrently in six other countries - Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Brunei. More information is available from its official website, www.asiayea.com.

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HSBC Brunei Opens New Business Banking Centre

Saturday, 12 January 2008

HSBC's new Business Banking Centre in the capital that was unveiled yesterday morning was built to bring the best of business banking services to its Commercial customers, all housed under one roof.

This new initiative underscores the Bank's commitment to investing in improved service for local business customers.

Taking place at HSBC's main office, where the Centre is located, the opening ceremony was officiated by Mr Vincent Cheng, Asia-Pacific Chairman of HSBC.

Also in attendance at the event were HSBC Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Rosdi Amin Yaakub, and Manager of Commercial Banking, Mr Lim Yu Kwang, as well as a number of SME customers who were also invited to witness the launching ceremony and later enjoyed a networking session over brunch afterwards.

The centre comes complete with a reception lobby, modern interiors and several meeting rooms with state-of-the-art facilities. The new surroundings will enable the bank's customers to meet with HSBC's professional team of experts and relationship managers in complete privacy to have their personalised business banking needs attended to and met.

Mr Lim, in his welcoming remarks, noted that the primary objective of this new Business Banking Centre is to better serve the diverse needs of borrowing and non-borrowing Small Medium Enterprises with the bank's mission to provide a world-class service to their customers, so that they are able to expand their businesses and become more prosperous in the long term.

He added that they have a dedicated and professional team of experts and relationship managers headed by Sulaiman Isa. The team will offer personalised and specialised services to SMEs, which include a wide range of financial products and services for SMEs that aim to save both cost and time with the automated channels available.

Mr Lim then announced the introduction of HSBC's Business Vantage package that provides extra benefits and privileges to its customers.

The benefits of this package include tiered interest rates payable for checking accounts with a minimum balance of BND5,000, preferential TMD and Forex rates, reduced charges on telegraphic transfers via Internet Banking, free Business ATM cards and many others.

HSBC's Asia-Pacific Chairman also took the opportunity to speak to the press and guests after he unveiled the new plaque at the Business Banking Centre.

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