Standard Chartered Group to Bolster Strategic Investments in Hong Kong, Expanding Wealth Management and Cross-Border Operations

On May 19, Standard Chartered Group held a Group Investor Day in Hong Kong. Ben Hung, CEO of Standard Chartered's International Business, stated that regarding the Hong Kong market, Standard Chartered will continue its strategic investments in the region. This includes expanding its wealth management center network and cross-border business to capitalize on opportunities arising from regional wealth growth, the acceleration of RMB internationalization, and the reshaping of cross-border capital flows. The imminent opening of its seventh wealth management center in Causeway Bay exemplifies the bank’s strategic deployment to strengthen growth momentum. He noted that hosting the Group Investor Day in Hong Kong again after three years fully underscores the strategic importance of Hong Kong as Standard Chartered's largest market in terms of business and profit contribution. It also reflects the bank's confidence in Hong Kong's future development and its long-term investment commitment. Ben Hung added that Standard Chartered's recent focus on cross-border and affluent banking has yielded results, achieving its medium-term financial targets for 2026 one year ahead of schedule. Standard Chartered has unveiled a new three-year plan centered on high-quality and diversified growth, leveraging its unique network and product service capabilities to double its competitive advantages. Through prudent and disciplined capital allocation and operational optimization, the bank aims to deepen network connectivity and customer relationships, while prioritizing investments in areas with growth potential to amplify overall compounding effects. As Standard Chartered enters a new phase of compound growth, the group has set new medium-term targets, including achieving a return on tangible equity above 15% by 2028 and raising it to approximately 18% by 2030. Additionally, it aims to achieve a high-teens compound annual growth rate in earnings per share from 2025 to 2028, alongside a 5% to 7% compound annual growth in revenue. The bank plans to gradually increase dividends per share, maintaining a payout ratio of 30% or higher to further deliver sustainable returns to shareholders.