StanChart bullish on Philippines growth

MANILA, Philippines — Newly appointed Standard Chartered Bank Philippine CEO Mike Samson is optimistic about the Philippines’ economic growth prospects.

“Over the next five years, our aspiration for our Philippine franchise is to continue its trajectory for growth. We remain resolute in being the trusted partner for our clients, a strong market participant, and a key pillar of the government’s funding initiatives,” Samson told The STAR.

Samson is the second Filipino CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Philippines, succeeding Lynette Ortiz who is now president and CEO of the Land Bank of the Philippines.

Samson is a highly regarded banker and has held leadership roles since he joined the bank in 2009. Prior to his appointment, he was the CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Australia, in which he successfully helped strengthen the franchise and drive income growth.

He was previously the ASEAN and South Asia corporate finance head for Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore) and the ASEAN regional head for Leveraged and Structured Solutions.

Samson’s extensive banking experience, deep knowledge of the ASEAN markets and strong client relationships would further deepen the bank’s corporate and institutional business in the Philippines.

“Philippines is a strategic part of the bank’s ASEAN network with immense opportunities. My key focus is to drive our strategic agenda and leverage on our strong ASEAN presence to deliver sustainable growth and value for all our stakeholders,” he said.

According to Samson, Standard Chartered Bank has always aspired to be the bridge for its clients in the Philippines to the bank’s broader network, and the world in general.

“Our ambition is to maintain our relevance to our clients when they access the capital markets, when they undertake transformational transactions, and in their operations both in the Philippines and globally,” he said.

An art enthusiast, Samson is active in the Singapore arts community and is on the Board of the Singapore Art Museum, and the Governing Council of the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art.

“My wife and I collect contemporary art. The core of our collection is from the Philippines, but also has a broader range across ASEAN. I suppose in that sense, the collection mirrors my own career,” he said.

Over two decades of collecting, Samson said they have had the privilege of meeting artists, curators and academicians.

“Now our collection has artists whose practice extends from painting, to sculpture, photography, video, installation, and even performance. This journey has enriched our lives and provided myself an oasis from the pressures of a career in banking,” he said.

Standard Chartered has been present in the Philippines for over 151 years and is the oldest international bank in the country.

In the recent Philippine Economic Briefing in San Francisco during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2023, Standard Chartered Bank supported the Philippine economic team and President Marcos in encouraging investors in the US to increase their footprint in the Philippines.

Samson, whose appointment takes effect Dec. 1 subject to regulatory approval, highlighted key Philippine industries like infrastructure, the digital economy, transition industries and centers of innovation.