Singapore-based lender DBS has announced a series of leadership changes across its Hong Kong, Taiwan and Indonesia businesses as veteran banker Sebastian Paredes prepares to retire from executive duties after a 16-year tenure with the group.
The appointments, which remain subject to regulatory approvals, will take effect over the coming months and reflect the bank's long-standing strategy of developing leaders from within its ranks.
Paredes, who currently serves as Head of North Asia and CEO of DBS Bank (Hong Kong), will retire from executive responsibilities on 1 March 2027 and transition to the role of Senior Advisor.
As part of the succession plan, DBS Taiwan CEO Ng Sier Han will take over as CEO of DBS Bank (Hong Kong) from 1 March 2027.
PT Bank DBS Indonesia President Director Lim Chu Chong will become CEO of DBS Taiwan from 1 January 2027, while Adrian Chai, a Managing Director in DBS' Institutional Banking Group (IBG), will assume the position of President Director of DBS Indonesia from 1 December 2026.
Paredes has led DBS Hong Kong since September 2010 and was appointed Chairman of DBS China in April 2023. He also oversees the bank's North Asia operations, including Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan.
During his tenure, DBS Hong Kong recorded a net profit of SGD1.61 billion in 2025, the highest in its history. The bank also received multiple industry recognitions, including FinanceAsia's Best International Bank in Hong Kong and Bloomberg Businessweek's Bank of the Year awards for five consecutive years between 2022 and 2026. Beyond Hong Kong, DBS' Greater China operations reported a record net profit of SGD791 million in 2025.
Ng, who has headed DBS Taiwan since 2023, oversaw the integration of Citi's consumer banking business and helped establish DBS as Taiwan's largest foreign bank. Under his leadership, DBS Taiwan achieved a record net profit of SGD410 million in 2025 and was named Taiwan's Best International Bank by Euromoney in both 2025 and 2026.
A DBS veteran of more than two decades, Ng joined the bank as a Management Associate in 2004 and has held several leadership positions, including Head of the Financial Institutions Group.
Lim has led DBS Indonesia since August 2022, guiding the business through a period of expansion that included double-digit net profit growth in 2025. The Indonesian unit also strengthened its institutional banking and sustainable finance operations while expanding its wealth management business. In 2025, Euromoney recognised DBS Indonesia as the country's Best Digital Bank for Large Corporates.
Chai, who will succeed Lim in Indonesia, has played a key role in expanding DBS' institutional banking presence across sectors including automotive, food and agribusiness, and metals and mining. He also led the establishment of the IBG Foreign Direct Investment Desk in 2023 to capture rising investment flows into Singapore and the wider ASEAN region.
The latest appointments highlight DBS' focus on leadership continuity and internal talent development as the bank positions itself for its next phase of growth across key Asian markets.