Henri Leimer, CEO of LGT Private Banking Asia, arrived in Hong Kong 30 years ago. He directed the Asian growth of LGT from a representative office into a leading Private Banking partner.
Henri Leimer, you moved from Switzerland to Hong Kong in 1989. What was the banking centre in Hong Kong like back then?
For one thing, it was definitely smaller. There were fewer players in the market and only a small number of large foreign financial institutions were on the ground. Regulation was less and technology was, of course, very different. Even though we thought things moved at a fast pace back then, it was nothing compared to the way it is today.
What made you decide to take on a job in Asia's original private banking hub?
Asia was not a prime topic back then and markets like Mainland China were not yet a focus, but I had the feeling that there must be big potential for private banking here.
«My wife and I fell in love with Asia»
It was this excitement – working in a potential growth market – and a holiday trip to Singapore and Hong Kong during which my wife and I fell in love with Asia, that made me apply for a job opening at my previous company.
In retrospect, this was a significant career step. A few years after your arrival in Hong Kong, you joined LGT and you have been leading LGT's Asian efforts for 25 years. What market developments have surprised you during this time?
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