Standard Chartered’s Regional CEO ASEAN and South Asia in town

Regional CEO ASEAN and South Asia, Ajay Kanwal

Standard Chartered Regional CEO ASEAN and South Asia (ASA), Ajay Kanwal, is in Colombo today on an official visit to Sri Lanka. 

He will be accompanied by Nirukt Sapru, CEO, Vietnam and ASA Cluster Markets of Standard Chartered. Kanwal also currently serves on the Board of Standard Chartered Bank China which also helps promote the corridor business of Korea-China. 

During his visit he will meet with Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, representatives from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, industry and business leaders as well as clients and staff.



Kanwal was appointed Regional CEO ASEAN and South Asia, Standard Chartered on 1 October 2015. Prior to assuming his current role, Kanwal oversaw the bank’s business in North East Asia consisting of Korea, Japan and Mongolia, as its Regional CEO from April 2014. Before North East Asia, he served as CEO in Taiwan from 2012 to 2014. He was Regional Head of Consumer Banking, South East Asia responsible for the strategic development and management of the bank’s consumer banking business in Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam from 2009 to 2012.

Kanwal joined Standard Chartered India in 1992 as Senior Manager of Credit Control and Collection. He has held several senior positions within the bank including Head of Business Financial Services, Head of Marketing, Head of Sales, Consumer Banking and Head of Consumer Banking in both the Philippines and Singapore. 

Kanwal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Marketing Management from India.  

Standard Chartered Sri Lanka Chief Executive Officer Jim McCabe, commenting on the visit, stated: “We look forward to introducing Ajay to the business in Sri Lanka. Standard Chartered counts a presence of over a century partnering business enterprise in the island. His visit will be an opportunity for both the bank and business leaders to gain invaluable insights into regional and global economic development and direction.”