BNP Paribas’ Asia wealth management division was once a digital laggard, but thanks to its ‘design factory’ in Singapore, led by Vivien Jong, it is now a global leader, inventing ways to make the bank work better and more profitably.

Its exchange was once buzzing with new listings – these days, the only IPOs that keep equity capital market bankers busy come from Reits. What can the city-state do to convince its best young firms to choose home over Hong Kong or New York?

Malaysia’s sixth-biggest bank was once eager to serve the country’s now disgraced former prime minister Najib Razak and his fugitive associate Jho Low. And then it all went wrong, as court cases in Kuala Lumpur reveal.

Plans to merge TMB Bank with Thanachart Bank have raised hopes of further consolidation, but it will take a lot more than that to shake up the sector and create champion banks to compete with regional leaders.

Pakorn Peetathawatchai, president of the Stock Exchange of Thailand, is determined to harness digital platforms and launch new products to create a model exchange for the region.

Bank of the Philippine Islands is already one of the top corporate and investment banks in the archipelago; now CEO Cezar Consing wants the bank to focus on financial inclusion by expanding its microfinance, SME and consumer lending businesses.

Most financial institutions are banging the digital drum, but this Philippines bank is worth watching as it takes a more old-fashioned approach to local banking.

This financial institution was the first in the country to put its money where its mouth was regarding a digital transformation – making it one to watch as it brands itself a disruptor too.

Thailand's SCB is certainly one to watch, because if its bold plan works, it will change not just its own business but the local banking system too.