China Banking Corporation (China Bank) has appointed a new first vice president for Corporate Banking, Victor O. Martinez, and a new assistant vice president for Private Banking Group (PBG), Ma. Victora G. Pantaleon. Martinez now heads Divisions II and III of Corporate Banking under Institutional Banking Group (IBG), while Pantaleon takes the helm of PBG-Greenhills Center. Both came on board on April 16, in line with the Bank’s strategy to drive business to the next level with new senior executive hires.
Victor O. MartinezMartinez has been in the banking industry for the last 18 years, specializing in account management of multinational companies and large local conglomerates, as well as business development, including scoping opportunities from working capital and trade finance, debt and capital markets, loans and syndication, project finance and M&A deals. He was most recently the head and senior relationship manager of ANZ Bank’s Corporate & Institutional Relationships.
“Vic is an excellent addition to our team. I am confident that he can help lead our Corporate Banking Division and realign the business to keep in stride with the changes in the finance industry,” said SVP and IBG Head William C. Whang.
Ma. Victora G. PantaleonPantaleon brings with her 26 years of experience in the areas of personal banking and branch banking. She built her career in Citibank, moving up the ranks, from personal banker to account officer, to customer service officer. Her most recent management function was as a senior relationship manager with the rank of AVP for Citigold Wealth Management Banking.
Pantaleon succeeds VP Angela D. Cruz, who headed the PBG Greenhills Center from 2007 until her appointment to deputy group head for PBG in 2011, following the move of former PBG Head Alberto Emilio Ramos to China Bank thrift bank subsidiary, ChinaBank Savings, as its new president. Pantaleon is set to lead the further development of PBG’s operations in the Greenhills cluster.
Martinez and Pantaleon are the first senior appointments for both IBG and PBG since Whang and Cruz took the helm of their respective business groups. First on Whang’s agenda when he took over IBG in November last year, was to reorganize IBG (formerly known as Account Management Group), implementing segregation of customer segment between corporate and commercial loans to give more focus on target markets, as it continuous to build relationship with existing and prospective clients to achieve a loan growth of at least 20% in 2012. Meanwhile, Cruz is geared up to sustain PBG’s momentum this year. For the last five years, PBG has been expanding and increasing its market share overall with high net worth investors. In 2011, assets under management grew 31%, topped with the “Best Wealth Management House 2011-Philippines” award, and “rising star” citation—emerging private banking powerhouse in the country—at The Asset Triple A Investment Awards 2011 in Hong Kong. Underway are plans to set-up a facility to provide clients access to offshore markets, beef up the existing relationship manager complement, expand market coverage by setting-up PBG centers in North and South Luzon, streamline and improve back room operations, and increase counterparty base for source of possible investment outlets.