Me

I'm from Hong Kong but spent most of my growing up years overseas. I was in the U.S for ten years and another ten in Ethiopia, Ghana and Sudan collectively. When I was offered the position of Transaction Banking (TB) Head for Africa, the continent was no stranger to me. South Africa is a lovely country and I'm enjoying every minute of my time here.

I joined the Bank in 1998 in Hong Kong when they were looking for people outside of the banking sector to join the TB business, and my eight years of experience in a non-banking sales role fit the criteria.

My opportunities

I started out selling Cash Management solutions to corporates and I thoroughly enjoyed the "solutioning" we could do for customers. Building on my success in the team, I transitioned to a regional role where we looked at offering holistic solutions to multinational corporations across all their Asian markets.

Then I moved to Singapore where I spent over four years as the Head of TB Singapore and subsequently another four years in Shanghai, heading the business in China.

In my current role, I manage a team of 170 people across 14 markets in Africa and I'm responsible for building a sustainable platform to grow the business for another five to ten years. Africa is a focus for the Bank and I'm motivated by the role we play in enabling tremendous growth in one of the most dynamic markets in the world.

My experience working in key markets across our footprint has given me the ability to see things differently and explore untapped opportunities in Africa. We began in Africa as a bank facilitating the expansion of trade. Whilst the Bank has taken advantage of this growth, we're only just beginning to look at the opportunities in the domestic supply chain. For example, in addition to import and export related transactions, we can also support Coca Cola as they interact with local suppliers in setting up bottling operations in Africa.

As the previous TB head for China, I leverage my knowledge and expertise to help the Bank make the most of the China-Africa trade corridor. China has always regarded Africa as a large resource market for its infrastructure growth needs. However it is also a large import market for China goods and services, and we're already seeing phenomenal growth in some industries for this new demand from Africa.

One of my biggest challenges is getting people to recognise Africa for what Africa really is and not to make assumptions based on how things are done in Europe and Asia. It is more than just one continent; it is made up of diverse cultures, economies and jurisdictions. We're also working with companies with revenues that range from one to 15 million dollars. Therefore it is critical for me to understand my 14 markets very well to sell Africa as best as I can internally and externally.

My day

My time is divided between building relationships and thinking about the future. In any given day, I spend about 60 percent of my time in meetings and another 20 percent networking, calling my peers overseas and talking to people I've not spoken to in a long time. Building and leveraging your relationships with people is key to your success in the Bank. We work collaboratively and draw on each other's area of expertise to get the job done well.

The other 20 percent of my time is reserved for strategic thinking, reflecting on how we can capitalise on the opportunities Africa has to offer. For example, 60 percent of the world's uncultivated arable land is in Africa. With the growth trend we're seeing in Asian economies, the demand for agricultural land to produce staple food products will increase. My role is to attract the right investments and set the right expectations for working in and with Africa.

My belief

Our brand promise, Here for good, is particularly relevant in Africa and we have made significant progress in delivering this commitment. From community programmes to tackle the spread of malaria to playing a critical role in the economic development through the provision of mobile banking services, I'm proud to be in the right bank, in the right markets and sharing the same beliefs to be Here for good.

My future

Standard Chartered has a very unique footprint in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and are actively looking for people who want to build a career in these dynamic markets. I've developed my career in two of these markets and will be looking to the Middle East as a next step. I'm drawn to its history and diversity; economically, culturally and religiously.