
Malaysian, Female
73 years of age
Datuk (Dr) Yvonne Chia is the Independent Non-Executive Chairman of the Company. She was appointed to the Board on 27 May 2021 as an Independent Non-Executive Director and re-designated as Chairman on 2 August 2021.
She brings over 40 years of experience in the financial services industry, having held senior leadership roles in both international and domestic institutions. A Fellow Chartered Banker, she holds a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) from the University of Malaya. She began her career with Bank of America, serving in Malaysia and across the Asia region, and subsequently held the positions of Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of RHB Banking Group from 1996 to 2002 and Hong Leong Banking Group from 2003 to 2013, former Independent Non-Executive Chairman of Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Berhad (2016-2025).
Her board experience spans the public, private, and non-profit sectors, where she has contributed to governance, strategic oversight, institutional development, and long-term value creation.
Currently she also serves as Senior Advisor to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and is a frequent speaker in the region on strategic stewardship and leadership. In 2025, she earned the Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR®) Certificate from the Global Association of Risk Professionals.
A strong advocate of lifelong learning and talent development, she serves as a Council Member of the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers, a member of the MyMahir National Talent Council, and a Project Mentor for the Future Skills Framework for the Financial Services Sector. She is also a Trustee of Teach for Malaysia Foundation, an Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham School of Economics, and a member of the Chartered Institute of Islamic Finance Professionals. In recognition of her contributions to women’s leadership and broader societal impact, she was conferred an Honorary Doctorate by Heriot-Watt University.
She has no conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest, including any interest in competing businesses with the Group, and has no family relationship with any Director and/ or major shareholder of the Company. She has not been convicted of any offence (other than traffic offences, if any) within the past five (5) years and has not been subject to any public sanction or penalty imposed by regulatory bodies during the financial year.