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?

In 2025, our private banking business delivered resilient, broad-based growth, achieving higher assets under management and revenue than the previous year. 

This performance was driven by strong net inflows from high net worth clients, continued product diversification, and enhanced advisory expertise, reflecting our ability to consolidate our market position and deepen client relationships amid a dynamic environment.

Throughout the year, our cost-income ratio increased slightly, primarily due to strategic investments in human capital and infrastructure. We expanded our relationship management and advisory teams, invested in professional training, and upgraded our operational and digital platforms. 

While these upfront investments temporarily elevated costs, they lay the foundation for long-term productivity gains and revenue scalability as newly onboarded bankers build stronger client engagement and accelerate business momentum.

Looking ahead to 2026, our strategic agenda is focused on two fundamental priorities.

First, we aim to broaden market penetration and strengthen client engagement, deepening our presence in key and emerging wealth segments through tailored solutions and differentiated advisory capabilities.

Second, we will advance our digital transformation and operational integration, leveraging technology to drive efficiency, improve connectivity across front-to-back functions, and elevate both client and employee experiences.

We believe this dual-track strategy, combining commercial expansion with operational excellence, will reinforce our business fundamentals and position us firmly for sustainable, long-term growth, ensuring that we continue to deliver value to clients, employees, and stakeholders alike.

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?

Amid the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence in the wealth management industry, Taishin Bank has been leveraging advanced AI technologies to accelerate digital transformation, enhance advisory efficiency, and create greater value for clients. In 2025, the Bank’s digital initiatives focused on improving operational efficiency and client experience through the strategic deployment of modern IT infrastructure and AI-powered solutions.

In collaboration with Taiwan AI Lab, Taishin developed Taishin Brain, the world’s first traditional Chinese financial GPT model. This pioneering system securely integrates regulatory knowledge, internal expertise, and business data, enabling relationship managers to access real-time insights, generate compliant investment content, and simulate portfolio scenarios with greater precision. 

It has significantly improved productivity, service accuracy, and risk control while ensuring data privacy and regulatory compliance. For instance, an AI-driven voice synthesis tool now allows RMs to deliver personalised voice messages in their own voices without manual recording, reducing human error and strengthening client engagement. Taishin Brain also introduced a multimodal vision-language model for intelligent document processing, streamlining optical character recognition workflows and enhancing data extraction accuracy by over 30%.

In the area of risk management, Taishin Bank collaborated with Moody’s to implement advanced digital data collection technologies. By leveraging AI-powered detection and big data analytics, this initiative strengthens anti-fraud mechanisms and supports both physical branches and digital channels in preventing fraudulent activities.

Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, Taishin Bank aims to expand the integration of AI-driven tools across front-, middle-, and back-office operations, enhancing advisory decision support, risk monitoring, automation, and the customer experience. 

Taishin believes that AI Agents will drive the next wave of transformation. In asset management, for instance, Taishin envisions AI Agents that can not only capture real-time market intelligence but also analyse clients’ investment preferences and risk profiles to deliver highly personalised recommendations. Once authorised, these agents will be able to execute transactions automatically, enabling a new era of intelligent and autonomous wealth management.

Q3: With regulatory scrutiny and compliance requirements intensifying across the wealth industry, what updates can you share on how your firm is strengthening governance and compliance frameworks? How are you proactively managing risks while ensuring a seamless experience for clients?

In 2025, Taishin Private Banking achieved key regulatory milestones by obtaining approval to operate under the high net worth client business framework and to participate in the Kaohsiung Asset Management Zone pilot programme. These authorisations reflect the bank’s strong internal control, disciplined risk management, and comprehensive anti–money laundering practices.

Q4: 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?

In 2025, Taishin Private Banking underwent significant leadership and organisational enhancements to strengthen its human capital foundation and support long-term strategic growth. 

The relationship management headcount increased by over 30% from the previous year, attracting top talent from external markets and internal business units. A comprehensive training and mentorship program was also established to ensure that relationship managers continue to evolve beyond traditional investment advisory roles, becoming trusted partners who deliver holistic and tailored wealth management solutions.

Looking ahead to 2026, Taishin Private Banking aims to further reinforce its talent strategy across the front, middle, and back offices by deepening cross-functional collaboration and professional specialisation. At the front office, the bank will focus on recruiting and retaining high-potential relationship managers and investment consultants. The middle office will continue to enhance capabilities in product coverage, risk management, and digital operations to drive efficiency and service quality. Meanwhile, the back office will expand its technology, compliance, and operational support teams to ensure operational excellence scales with business growth.

In addition, Taishin Private Banking plans to implement dedicated recruitment and development programmes targeting key growth markets and emerging business areas, including private investments, family office services, and tax and legal advisory, to deepen and enhance the sophistication of its wealth management offering. The bank will also onboard specialists, including accountants, tax experts, and legal advisors, to provide clients with comprehensive, high-value solutions.

Furthermore, the ongoing integration following the merger between TS Financial Holding is expected to generate strong synergies, enabling resource sharing, talent mobility, and nationwide service expansion. By continuously investing in professional development and establishing a sustainable retention framework, Taishin Private Banking is committed to building a high-performing, future-ready team that delivers insightful, innovative, and client-centric wealth management services.