Hong Kong

Haitong International Securities

The new entrant in Hong Kong’s competitive banking sector is using innovative marketing and customer perks to make a name for itself.

Hong Kong must improve its environmental track record and rally the private sector if it is to succeed in its ambition of becoming Asia’s leading centre for green finance.

Unlike past global crises when banks were in the spotlight, the health crisis caused by Covid-19 showed a somewhat different side of banking – one where they stepped up to support their staff, customers and the community, and more broadly, the economy during the pandemic.

Covid-19 relief and response activities were the central theme in almost all of this year's awards pitches to Asiamoney. Every part of the global market has been touched by the pandemic, with governments, agencies and banks working double-time to keep the economy, markets and businesses functioning. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have naturally required more support, with Hang Seng Bank stepping up to the plate in Hong Kong.

Citi has operated in Hong Kong for more a century, so it has long been the go-to bank for some of the city’s biggest names. The bank's influence and strengths are apparent from its numerous relationships with Hong Kong's top players, as well as from its many retail banking clients who want the reach and capabilities of an international bank.

It may take some time for a large, state-owned bank to get its digital initiatives off the ground, but Bank of China Hong Kong proves that when it does, it can be a resounding success.

Citi has operated in Hong Kong for more a century, so it has long been the go-to bank for some of the city’s biggest names. The bank's influence and strengths are apparent from its numerous relationships with Hong Kong's top players, as well as from its many retail banking clients who want the reach and capabilities of an international bank.