SINGAPORE – Singapore’s biggest bank DBS will implement key leadership changes next year as it boosts its institutional banking franchise.
Ms Joyce Tee, who is currently group head of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) banking, will head the institutional banking group for DBS China from Jan 1.
DBS said Ms Tee will oversee the overall institutional banking business in China, building on the bank’s efforts to capture business flows there, including opportunities in the Greater Bay Area.
She will report to Ms Tan Su Shan, group head of institutional banking, and Ms Ginger Cheng, country head of DBS China.
Ms Tee has held several senior roles in DBS’ institutional banking business since October 2004.
“As group head of SME banking, she grew the bank’s SME franchise into a significant contributor of the institutional banking business, leading the regional franchise to record profitability,” said DBS on Thursday.
Together with her leadership teams in the region, she also led the business’ transformation by implementing digital capabilities in onboarding, growing deposits, lending and risk management, the bank added.
DBS was recognised as the world’s best bank for SMEs by financial publication Euromoney in 2018 and 2022, under Ms Tee’s leadership.
Ms Tee was also awarded the title of SME Banker of the Year (Regional) in 2018 by business news organisation The Asset, and was named an Institute of Banking and Finance Fellow in 2019.
In another change, Mr Koh Kar Siong, currently DBS’ head of mid-cap for SME banking, will succeed Ms Tee as group head of SME banking. He will report directly to Ms Tan from Jan 1.
Mr Koh will oversee the bank’s SME banking businesses across the region, and focus on areas such as deepening client relationships and supporting SMEs amid a challenging macroeconomic environment.
He will also helm the strategic operations of mid-cap corporates and SME businesses across DBS’ six core markets – Singapore, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia and Taiwan.
Mr Koh was managing director and head of consumer banking and wealth management for DBS China from 2015 to 2019. He returned to Singapore to join DBS’ institutional banking business in the middle of 2019 and guided the Singapore teams through the Covid-19 pandemic, said the bank.
Mr Koh, who joined DBS in 2003, was also head of POSB and led DBS’ implementation of its wealth continuum strategy for Treasures and Treasures Private Client across the region.
Ms Tan said the appointments reflect the bank’s commitment to deepening its core competencies and bench strength, and bolstering its leadership capabilities. “With their deep experience and extensive industry knowledge, I am confident Joyce and Kar Siong will take our institutional banking business franchise to the next level.”
