UBS is hiring the former head of Singapore's public transport system to bolster its business with the city-state's ultra-rich.
The Swiss bank is hiring Desmond Kuek (pictured below), the former chief of local rail operator SMRT Corp, effective February 18, it said in a statement. UBS said Kuek’s experience as an executive, government official and board member will help strengthen its client relationships and boost business across Asia.
Kuek led Singapore's public railway system for almost six years, during what was probably its most tumultuous period. His tenure was marred by incidents such as deaths on the track and tunnel flooding, rebuilding the reliability of two key lines, and a 2016 privatization together with Temasek.
He will report to Joe Stadler, UBS' head of ultra-high net worth clients, as well as Edmund Koh, who oversees the Swiss bank in Asia. A former general, Kwek had founded a leadership consultancy company with two other former military men after stepping down as head of SMRT last April.
