Cover Eugene Puar, head of Wealth Solutions, Singapore, ASEAN and South Asia (pictured left), with James Lye, global and Singapore International Banking head at Standard Chartered
Eugene Puar, head of Wealth Solutions, Singapore, ASEAN and South Asia (pictured left), with James Lye, global and Singapore International Banking head at Standard Chartered
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Tatler+
From Singapore to the world, the affluent of today are global citizens whose interests and assets transcend a single market. As wealth grows more complex and borderless, Standard Chartered shows how integrated advisory and its international banking expertise can help clients plan with clarity—wherever life takes them
For Asia’s affluent and globally mobile, wealth today is not limited to geography and time. As their lives grow increasingly international, managing that wealth demands clear direction and the ability to plan beyond the immediate horizon.
Within this financial landscape, Singapore has established itself as a pivotal centre of global wealth valued for its stability, sound regulation and deep connections to the world’s financial capitals. Yet, for clients whose ambitions extend across borders, true distinction lies not in place but in partnership with a bank which combines an expansive, global network and on-the-ground insight.
Standard Chartered has positioned itself as that partner, delivering a unified banking experience that bridges wealth, retail and corporate capabilities. Its approach blends international perspective and local understanding, enabling advisors to navigate cross‑jurisdictional complexity while staying closely aligned to each client’s realities.
At its heart is a commitment to best‑in‑class advisory focused on structure, insight and long‑term continuity. Built on a clear and disciplined investment approach, Standard Chartered offers a well-diversified foundation portfolio with tailored opportunities to create an experience designed to move with its clients.
Above Backed by more than two decades of experience in wealth management, Puar has been driving Standard Chartered’s wealth management strategy in the region since 2021
Backed by more than two decades of experience in wealth management, Puar has been driving Standard Chartered’s wealth management strategy in the region since 2021
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For Eugene Puar, head of Wealth Solutions, Singapore, ASEAN and South Asia at Standard Chartered, discipline matters most especially when markets turn uncertain. “Even in subdued volatility periods, one should always adopt a portfolio‑based approach to enjoy the benefits of diversification,” he says. In practice, this means structuring investments across asset classes, geographies and risk profiles so portfolios are not dependent on any single outcome.
This thinking is reflected in Standard Chartered’s proprietary SC Wealth Select advisory framework, which organises wealth around foundation, opportunistic and protection sleeves—ensuring that near‑term needs are met while longer‑term plans remain intact. Within this framework, foundation portfolios play a stabilising role, with Puar calling out Standard Chartered’s Signature CIO Funds as the cornerstone. “With four mandates—Conservative, Income, Balanced and Growth—the funds offer single‑point diversification aligned with our Chief Investment Office’s (CIO) latest house views.” Professionally managed and regularly rebalanced across multiple asset classes, it can help investors maintain portfolio exposure aligned to their risk tolerance and investment horizon—anchoring portfolios to strategy rather than sentiment, even as markets fluctuate. This approach has seen strong investor adoption, with the funds raising more than US$4 billion in assets under management since their 2022 launch.
For more complex needs, these foundation portfolios can be complemented by personalised strategies to drive diversification. For example, the Signature Select Funds offered under the Standard Chartered Funds Variable Capital Company umbrella, are available to accredited investors, including clients in the Priority and Priority Private segments. These opportunities provide access to specialised funds and leading third‑party managers that may otherwise be difficult to reach. Operating on an open‑architecture approach and supported by a rigorous due‑diligence and monitoring framework, these funds act as an extension of the investment team. “Ultimately, they open doors to harder‑to‑access opportunities,” Puar says, “helping clients build a more resilient, well‑rounded portfolio.” Clients can also draw on a broader suite of capital markets as well as lending and insurance solutions to allow portfolios to balance growth opportunities with protection and long‑term legacy planning.
“...we help clients remain confident in their long‑term strategic allocation, make thoughtful adjustments when needed, and stay invested with purpose rather than emotion.”
At this level of wealth, advice often matters as much as, if not more than, access. At Standard Chartered, relationship managers—trained through the Standard Chartered–INSEAD Wealth Academy and supported by specialist teams—ensure that decisions are anchored to long‑term goals, risk profile and overall strategy. As Puar explains: “Through regular portfolio reviews and updates, we help clients remain confident in their long‑term strategic allocation, make thoughtful adjustments when needed, and stay invested with purpose rather than emotion.”
For Mindtrac S CEO Tapan Kumar Rao—a client for two decades—this expertise is the primary draw. Rao credits his relationship manager for a more deliberate approach to diversification, noting: “My current relationship manager is very good at developing a diversified portfolio that is personalised to my financial objectives.” For Rao, the equation is simple: “The relationship manager must be as good as the bank.”
Enhancing this advisory approach are digital tools and artificial intelligence (AI). Clients can access CIO insights across digital channels such as the SC Mobile app, offering all‑day access to market insights and investment tools, while tools such as myWealth Advisor provide analytics‑driven portfolio health checks and personalised insights. Together, technology and human judgement support clearer, more proactive decision‑making. “Overall, digital and AI capabilities have shifted client experience from reactive to proactive: clients receive timely, relevant insights, clear next steps, and a seamless experience across all our channels,” says Puar.
Above Appointed to his role in late 2022, Lye is a veteran banker of more than 20 years and is leading the charge to grow Standard Chartered’s International Banking business
Appointed to his role in late 2022, Lye is a veteran banker of more than 20 years and is leading the charge to grow Standard Chartered’s International Banking business
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As portfolios become more structured, another reality comes into focus: wealth today rarely sits within a single market. Financial lives have become effectively borderless and for James Lye, Global and Singapore International Banking head at Standard Chartered, this is where wealth moves from concept to everyday reality. “Wealth beyond borders is not an abstract idea,” Lye says. “It shows up in how our clients live, move, invest and plan for the next generation.” For many, financial lives become increasingly international through life milestones—children studying overseas, regional career moves, business expansion across markets—requiring banking solutions that support these transitions.
For Corona Asset Management director Xu Xiaohuan, a decade of banking with Standard Chartered fueled a natural evolution towards offshore diversification. Driven initially by a goal to “allocate assets in US dollars and outpace inflation,” Xu’s strategy has since matured. “Previously, my understanding of overseas investments was limited to foreign funds,” Xu notes. “Through the bank and my relationship manager, I’ve learned about various structured products, enabling me to achieve a balanced portfolio to suit my needs.”
Crossing that threshold unlocks far more than diversification. International banking becomes a strategic enabler that supports mobility and long‑term planning across borders. With access to wealth hubs such as Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE and Jersey, clients can manage liquidity, structure assets and plan for legacy in a way that reflects the global nature of their lives. “Our International Banking proposition gives clients access to sophisticated structures for wealth preservation, asset protection and next‑generation planning,” Lye explains. “Our international network connects clients to global investment strategies, differentiated products, multi‑currency solutions and advisory teams. This gives them a strategic edge grounded in deep global expertise.”
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Clients can manage accounts across multiple markets while maintaining a consolidated view, move funds seamlessly, and access global investment and advisory capabilities from a single platform. They are also supported by relationship managers and specialists who understand not only the technical nuances of each market, but also the realities of a globally mobile lifestyle. “Our goal is to make international banking feel effortless—no matter where our clients live, work or travel,” Lye states.
That begins with removing physical barriers. “Clients can open their accounts remotely,” says Lye, adding that most of those with global recognition—where an existing qualified Priority relationship with Standard Chartered in Singapore is recognised in another market—“are opened within just a few days”. Meanwhile, tools such as Global Link on SC Mobile allow clients to view and manage their Standard Chartered accounts across countries, track balances and transfer funds across markets with a single login. International remittance is similarly intuitive, with SC Remit on the app allowing clients to send funds across more than 30 markets to family overseas, pay for education or respond to business needs “all from the palm of their hand”, quips Lye.
“Banking with Standard Chartered is about empowerment. It allows clients to live borderless lives—with wealth that moves as freely as they do—and meaningful connections that enrich a client’s lifestyle, family journey and global ambitions.”
Familiarity also travels with clients. Standard Chartered’s international banking relationship managers and wealth specialists span more than 16 markets, bringing added comfort as clients can converse with them in their native languages, from Mandarin to Cantonese, Bahasa Indonesia and beyond.
As an international bank, Standard Chartered ensures continuity across markets. “We can activate our global network in a coordinated way, so clients experience a smooth transition from one market to another,” says Lye. Clients are connected directly to the right specialists, with cross‑border teams working together as a single unit to provide clear guidance and timely support. “Instead of dealing with separate banks in different countries, clients experience one global bank working collaboratively on their behalf,” Lye adds. Priority clients also retain their Priority status across markets in Standard Chartered’s international network, preserving a familiar service experience wherever they go.
With their needs often shifting as their financial lives grow more layered and cross‑border, clients require deeper personalisation across advisory, investments and credit, and this is typically where a more curated approach—designed for clients whose wealth spans markets, structures and generations—comes into play. “Our focus is on delivering a truly bespoke wealth experience that gives clients access to a more sophisticated advisory, global connectivity and highly personalised strategic support,” says Lye. Clients gain access to customised wealth solutions across traditional and alternative assets, international wealth hubs, and advanced legacy and succession planning.
Extending into the way clients engage with the world, the experience is complemented by global lifestyle privileges, including concierge services, once‑in‑a‑lifetime experiences, curated investment masterclasses, exclusive events, and leadership and entrepreneurship programmes for the next generation. “Banking with Standard Chartered is about empowerment. It allows clients to live borderless lives—with wealth that moves as freely as they do—and meaningful connections that enrich a client’s lifestyle, family journey and global ambitions,” he says.
Whether it is Priority Banking or International Banking, Standard Chartered provides a singular, robust ecosystem to manage one’s wealth. What ultimately distinguishes the experience is a seamless continuity of advice, access and relationships carried across markets and generations. As clients’ lives and ambitions extend beyond borders, Standard Chartered brings the depth of its international heritage and global footprint to support wealth in all its complexity—helping clients grow, manage and protect their wealth, wherever they are, and as life evolves.
Find out more about Priority Private and Standard Chartered’s International Banking wealth solutions at sc.com/sg/priority/priority-private.
Credits
Photography: Dominic Phua
Creative Direction: Adriel Chiun
Grooming: Angel Gwee
Nafeesa Saini is the Features Editor at Tatler Singapore, where she shapes long-form stories on culture, business, philanthropy, wellness, and the people driving change in Asia. With a deep interest in storytelling that intersects meaningfully with identity and impact, she has profiled a diverse range of visionaries, from scientific pioneers in AI and health to creative trailblazers and literary minds.
Nafeesa’s writing includes cover stories and profiles that spotlight influential voices, alongside commentary on the trends reshaping our world.
Off the clock, Nafeesa unwinds with fiction, a good thrift hunt, and ‘brainrot’ TikTok scroll—while always keeping one eye on her next cultural getaway, usually to Indonesia.
