Q1: How did the business perform in 2025, and what drove its growth over the past year? How has the cost-income ratio trended this year, and what were the key factors influencing it? Looking ahead, what are your main priorities and strategic plans for 2026?

The year 2025 was marked by significant geopolitical events, as well as notable economic and market resilience. Our business in Asia has seen strong growth, underscoring the success of our strategic focus in the region.  We achieved a more than 20% year-on-year increment in revenue and assets under management, mostly based on new net assets. 

All asset classes and markets/geographies contributed to this growth, with the increase in investment revenues being well-diversified and driven by robust activity in transactions, fees, lending, and cash.  

Our growth is also influenced by various factors, including strategic positioning and favourable economic developments in key markets such as Greater China, Southeast Asia, and our onshore presence in Taiwan. In Hong Kong, the resurgence of IPOs and government initiatives to attract wealth have positively impacted our business. In Singapore and Southeast Asia, government support for the financial ecosystem has been beneficial. In Taiwan, the growth of the semiconductor and AI industries has led to a robust increase in wealth creation.

Our cost-income ratio has continued to trend down thanks to enhanced relationship manager (RM) productivity despite continued investments in talent and technology.

Looking ahead, our top priorities in the next 12 months are to capture market growth and adapt our offering, invest in technology and people while maintaining our cost to serve, and focus on pricing and productivity. We will: 

• Prioritise depth over breadth, focusing on our strongest markets, Greater China, and Southeast Asia, where we can deliver the full power of BNP Paribas and grow our share of wallet.
• Continue to invest in technology and talents with discipline and a sharper focus on value creation, hiring top talent without chasing a headcount target.
• Use technology and AI to scale administrative tasks and free up Relationship Managers for complex advice.

Q2: With artificial intelligence increasingly shaping the wealth industry, how has the firm leveraged technology and AI to transform processes and enhance value for both clients and the back office? What key technology upgrades were introduced in 2025, and what are your digital priorities for 2026 and beyond?

Artificial intelligence is certainly a game-changer, and we believe that combining high-tech capabilities with our high-touch service is key to our innovation agenda. 

We have established a regional AI Centre of Excellence in Singapore to drive innovation, accelerate our transformation through AI, and unlock new growth opportunities. In 2025, we made significant progress in AI-enabled automation, including content generation, quicker research, richer insights, automation of KYC and transaction monitoring, and the use of advanced AI technologies to convert unstructured voice data from client conversations into structured, actionable insights.

Artificial intelligence will continue to sit at the core of our innovation agenda. Beyond 2026, we will focus on four key areas:

1. Deepening AI Integration: Expanding AI automation for operations while equipping relationship managers with advanced analytics and personalised advisory tools, including upgrades to our myWealth platform.
2. Advancing AI Research: Through our AI Centre of Excellence, we’ll explore autonomous AI applications to transform banking workflows and client engagement, with strong governance frameworks.
3. Ecosystem collaboration: Partnering with Asian fintechs, regulators, and academic institutions to co-develop solutions and establish responsible AI standards for financial services.
4. Workforce upskilling: Implementing comprehensive AI literacy programs covering practical applications and ethical considerations to drive organisation-wide adoption.

Q3: The private banking industry saw a plethora of leadership and structural changes in 2025. Looking into 2026, what are your key priorities for attracting and retaining talent across the front, middle, and back office? Are there plans for new hires in key markets?

We prioritise hiring talented individuals who can drive our business forward, rather than solely focusing on headcount growth. Our approach to hiring is deliberate and strategic, focusing on strengthening capabilities in key markets. 

In 2025, we made several strategic hires, including key appointments within our investment services team, as well as market heads in Hong Kong and Singapore, and the head of wealth management in Taiwan. In 2026, we will ensure management stability, which is so important to clients, while keeping the continued reinforcement of our platform.

Our recruitment process is a long-term investment, and we prioritise cultural fit, ensuring that candidates share our values while we understand their career aspirations. We believe that this approach is essential to fostering a work environment where talent thrives, and our people can grow and develop alongside our business.

Retention is equally important to us, and we have a dedicated people development team that drives leadership development and employee engagement initiatives. We offer a range of programmes and opportunities to support long-term career growth, including:

• Selective recruitment and graduate programmes to attract and develop emerging talent.
• Ongoing development opportunities, such as leadership training, mentorship, and coaching, to help our bankers add value to client relationships and achieve their career goals.
• A strong focus on employee engagement, recognition, and feedback to ensure that our people feel valued, supported, and empowered to make a meaningful impact.

We aim to foster a culture of long-term loyalty and commitment, where our talent can grow, thrive, and make a lasting difference in the lives of our clients. As we look to 2026, we will continue to identify opportunities to strengthen our teams in key markets and make strategic hires that align with our business priorities.