Edmund Leong, head of Group Corporate Banking and Investment Banking at UOB, explains to FinanceAsia how Asean’s evolution into an even more dynamic end-market is enticing corporates to scale across borders – in turn driving demand for integrated financing, advisory and capital markets solutions. And those banks with regional reach and local expertise should be pivotal to the region’s next growth phase.
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As investors show more confidence in China's onshore bond market, Singapore's UOB priced a three-year panda bond at 1.83% on March 18, while Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas also issued panda bonds worth over Rmb5bn this month.
The Singaporean bank continues its diversified funding strategy, achieving tight pricing for a five-year tenor. The majority of investors came from Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
Final orders were over S$2bn allowing UOB to upsize from its original S$500m benchmark; there was participation from 96 investors with 26% outside of Singapore.
The notes achieved the tightest pricing for five-year, Euro covered bonds from a non-EU issuer, for several years, and is the first such issuance from a Singapore bank since October 2021.
Edmund Leong, head of Group Investment Banking at UOB, talks exclusively to FinanceAsia about where the bank sees scope for growth in Asean amid the region’s robust drivers of issuance and strong thematics.
Lawrence Goh to take on head of group technology and operations with Susan Hwee to become new head of group retail, replacing retiring Eddie Khoo who is joining UOB Vietnam as a senior adviser.
In an exclusive interaction, UOB’s head of group investment banking, Edmund Leong provides deeper insights into the bank’s approaches on M&A, trends in fixed income, sustainability, and the Singapore bond market.
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