DBS Singapore appoints Sim S. Lim as Country Manager

Lim’s new role will involve developing more acute customer focus and better leverage in the home market.

DBS Group Holdings on Monday announced the appointment of Sim S Lim as its new Country Manager effective 1 September 2010, a DBS release said.

Piyush Gupta, CEO of DBS Group Holdings said, “Our ambition is to be a leading Asian Bank with a strong presence in the region’s three key axes of growth – South East Asia, South Asia and Greater China. As the bank expands its footprint, it is important to adopt a more balanced pan-regional perspective at the group level, while at the same time, recognising the importance of each of our markets. I believe that as Singapore country manager, Sim will help us to develop a more acute customer focus and better leverage our home market presence, so as to deliver greater synergy and value.”

Lim has 26 years in his banking, the bulk of which was in Asia. He also had stints in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, Middle East and the U.S. He was most recently President and CEO of Citigroup Global Markets Japan, from June 2008 to December 2009. During this time, Lim was also a board member of Citigroup Japan Holdings Corp.

“In Hong Kong, our second-largest market, I am confident that Sebastian will re-energise the franchise and take it to the next level,” said Gupta referring to Sebastian Paredes, another recent appointee in DBS Hongkong.

Last month, DBS Group Holdings Chairman Peter Seah and Gupta were appointed to the DBS Hong Kong Board as Chairman and Board member, respectively, the release said.