Bank Sarasin appoints 3 senior executives in Asia

The bank beefs up market focus on China and Southeast Asia with key promotions in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Bank Sarasin & Co. Ltd has promoted Febby Avianto to the newly created position of Vice Chair, Client Advisory, Southeast Asia, while Karen Leung has been promoted to Vice Chair, Client Advisory. Polly Lam has been promoted to Managing Director and the newly created role of Head, China. Avianto, based in Singapore, will report to CEO Southeast Asia Grace Barki, while Hong Kong–based Leung and Lam will report to CEO Asia Enid Yip.

The promotions reflect Bank Sarasin’s strategic momentum and growth in China and Southeast Asia, where the Bank has been serving clients since 1995. Bank Sarasin is strongly positioned to pursue its growth strategy in 2012.

Lam, who joined Bank Sarasin in May 2009, proved to be an exceptional performer and the leading driver of growth in the China business. Lam will spearhead Bank Sarasin’s strategic development in China, while Leung focuses on North Asia, where Bank Sarasin has a substantial presence, and Avianto on Southeast Asia, where Bank Sarasin is a key player in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Enid Yip, Bank Sarasin Chief Executive Officer Asia: “With these appointments, we are leveraging the powerful base and exceptional platform we have established in Asia. Despite volatile markets, we’ve had a very successful year, proving our strategy of carefully recruiting only seasoned private bankers in Asia.”

Grace Barki, Bank Sarasin Chief Executive Officer Southeast Asia: “These appointments represent another milestone for Bank Sarasin as we expand our presence in Southeast Asia, where we have firmly established the Sarasin brand in Indonesia and Malaysia. Our Islamic Wealth Management expertise will give us considerable edge in these markets.”

Bank Sarasin has expanded significantly in Asia since 2007. In January 2008 Bank Sarasin announced its historic Associate Partnership with the Shanghai Biennale. In 2009 Barki, a highly respected banker, joined Bank Sarasin as CEO Southeast Asia. Bank Sarasin also hired a substantial Indonesia team, led by Avianto, Managing Director and Head of the Indonesia Market, and has built a highly regarded China team since Yip joined the Bank in May 2007. In March 2010 Hong Kong became Bank Sarasin’s first bank branch outside of Switzerland. In February 2011 Bank Sarasin launched its Singapore Trust Company. In March it rolled out the market-leading Avaloq banking system in Singapore and Hong Kong, marking another major investment underscoring Bank Sarasin’s deep commitment to Asia and clients.

Biographies
Polly Lam is a PRC national who resides in Hong Kong. She joined Bank Sarasin in May 2009 from UBS, where she managed a substantial portfolio focusing mainly on the PRC market. Prior to joining UBS she worked at DBS. She holds a Master of Business in Finance from Birmingham University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Shue Yan University, the first private university in Hong Kong, according to a Bank Sarasin report.

Karen Leung is a Hong Kong citizen and resident. She joined Bank Sarasin in April 2007 from Credit Suisse, where she had been the Deputy China Market Head and managed a team of 15, since 1998. Prior to Credit Suisse, Karen worked at Citibank from 1992 to 1998, managing the Taiwan team. She has a Masters of Science and a BSC, with honours, in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Febby Avianto is an Indonesian citizen who resides in Singapore. He joined Bank Sarasin from UBS in December 2009, where he had worked since 2004. Previously, he was with Citigroup Private Banking in Jakarta, where he started in 2001. Prior to joining Citigroup, Avianto worked at ABN AMRO Private Banking, Citibank, and Bank PDFCI, all in Jakarta. He has a Masters in marketing from the Katholike Universiteit, Brabant, the Netherlands, and a Bachelor in Economic Management from the Indonesian Christian University.