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The One Bank for ASEAN: Shaping the Gold Landscape from Singapore to China and Beyond

By United Overseas Bank

Shaping the Gold Landscape from Singapore to China and Beyond

In 1978, United Overseas Bank (UOB) became a founding member of the Gold Exchange of Singapore (GES), which marked the beginning of the bank’s journey to establish itself as a major player in the gold market. Today, UOB is an active member of the Shanghai Gold Exchange International (SGEI) and the Singapore Bullion Market Association (SBMA), which positions the bank at the forefront of industry knowledge and allows it to play a vital role in the Asian gold industry. This further strengthens UOB’s cross-border capabilities, enabling the bank to connect customers to opportunities in ASEAN and beyond.

Over the past 40 years, UOB has established strong purchase and distribution channels, acquired comprehensive bullion trading expertise and market insights, and developed an extensive global logistics operation. To meet customers’ diverse needs, UOB offers gold and other precious metals trading, providing regional customers with comprehensive solutions beyond FX and interest rate hedging. Customers can choose from a wide range of products and services, including physical gold, derivatives, paper gold investments, and leasing services, across domestic and international markets

Connecting Asean to China Through the Gold Road

UOB leverages its strong regional franchise and knowledge to connect ASEAN to China through the “Gold Road.” China is the world’s largest consumer of physical gold and remains one of the most influential countries in the international gold market. With the support of the Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE) and other industry players, UOB completed its first leasing and hedging deal, which enables Chinese domestic gold trade companies to access leasing and hedging services and tap into a new source of raw materials.

UOB works with industry players to recast large gold bars into kilobars and provide IAU (SGE gold located in the China Bonded Zone) gold loans to supply chain companies under the “Belt and Road” initiative via SGEI. This initiative empowers China’s industry with strong refining capacity and low jewelry manufacturing costs, benefiting more customers who can now take advantage of the enhanced connectivity and business innovation between the Chinese and ASEAN gold markets.

Accessible and diverse investment options

As the sole Singaporean bank that offers physical gold investments to retail investors, UOB provides a range of affordable physical gold investment options, such as gold bars and gold coins, as well as paper gold investments, such as the Gold Savings Account (GSA). All of UOB’s gold offerings comply with the Investment Precious Metals (IPM) scheme, exempting purchases and investments from Goods and Service Tax (GST). Furthermore, due to the bank’s strong position in the Singapore gold industry, a designated portion of an individual’s Central Provident Fund (CPF), Singapore’s mandatory social security savings scheme, can be used to invest in UOB’s gold products.

For retail investors seeking a straightforward and accessible way to invest in gold, GSA is a popular option. GSA prices are quoted based on international gold prices in SGD/gram, with a minimum transaction amount of just 5 grams. The low minimum quantity and relatively small capital outlay required allow investors of differing profiles to gain direct exposure to the gold market. Investors can purchase GSA holdings with cash or CPF (up to the designated limit) from UOB by opening the relevant accounts. GSA transactions can be performed at UOB Branches or through UOB Personal Internet Banking and UOB TMRW app. The bank is also working on an enhancement to its GSA product that would allow investors to convert their non-CPF purchased GSA holdings into physical 100 Gram gold bars with the payment of a physical gold conversion premium. The synergy between UOB’s Gold Savings Account and Physical Gold business is a significant development that provides investors with greater flexibility and optionality in their gold investments.

UOB’s 5-gram 999 Pure Gold Bar
UOB’s 5-gram 999 Pure Gold Bar

Strengthening Singapore’s status as Asia’s leading gold hub

While achieving significant growth in the Asian gold market in recent years, UOB remains dedicated to improving its global network and infrastructure, as well as forming strategic partnerships with global exchanges, refiners, and banks to enhance Singapore’s reputation and status as Asia’s leading gold hub.

Alan Liew, UOB’s Head of Bullion and Commodities Trading, emphasized the bank’s long-term goals, stating, “UOB is committed to assisting our clients in seizing new opportunities and fulfilling their cross-border needs. As the One Bank for ASEAN, UOB is well-positioned to support Singapore’s efforts to be at the forefront of the region’s gold industry.”

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SECRETARIAT SBMA-Emily-Oh

Emily Oh

OPERATIONS & ADMIN EXECUTIVE
Emily Oh is the Operations & Admin Executive, a seasoned professional who values teamwork and effective communication. She is skilled at adapting to new challenges and takes a proactive and resourceful approach to every task. Before joining SBMA, Emily had experience coordinating international travel arrangements and spearheading community initiatives. Her role at SBMA will be providing operational and administrative support for projects and other matters to the team.

SECRETARIAT SBMA Clara-Chang

Clara Chang

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE
Clara Chang joins SBMA as the Marketing & Communications Executive, enriching the team with her extensive experience in content creation, social media management, and digital marketing. Prior to joining SBMA, Clara held the position of Marketing Executive at her previous job. She holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University at Buffalo, one in International Trade and another in Geographical Information Science. Her core duties will include maintaining the SBMA website, managing the quarterly Crucible newsletter, among other responsibilities.

SBMA Committee-Photo-john-levin

Mr John Levin

Global Metals
TD Securities
John Levin is the Head of Metal Sales & Trading – APAC at the Toronto Dominion Bank’s Singapore office. Prior to this role, he devoted seven years to leading precious metal sales for the ANZ banking group in his home country, Australia. Notably, from 2009 to 2011, John played a significant role on the management committee of the London Bullion Market Association while serving as the Head of Precious Metals Sales for HSBC Global Banking and Markets in the UK.

SBMA Secretariat-Fabian-Lew

Fabian Lew

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Fabian was a Business Development and Marketing Associate before joining SBMA. He graduated from Singapore Management University with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics.

He has joined SBMA since February, 2022.

SBMA-margare-secretariat

Margaret Wong

BUSINESS DIRECTOR

Margaret Wong, Business Director at SBMA (Singapore Bullion Market Association), brought valuable experience from her previous role at the World Gold Council (WGC). Her tenure at WGC provided her with extensive exposure to the gold community in Singapore and the broader region. This background has been instrumental in establishing strong working relationships within the industry.

Margaret’s role at SBMA encompasses a diverse range of responsibilities. She oversees office management, business support processes, finance, and administrative functions essential for the smooth operation of the team and management committee. Additionally, Margaret handles membership matters, member communications, and addresses public inquiries related to SBMA.

One of Margaret’s key responsibilities is coordinating with the Event Management Company for SBMA’s prestigious annual event, the Asia Pacific Precious Metals Conference. This flagship conference plays a crucial role in the industry, making her involvement pivotal in its success.

Described as resourceful and self-motivated, Margaret Wong brings a wealth of skills and experience to her role at SBMA, ensuring efficient operations and effective engagement within the precious metals community in Singapore and beyond.

SBMA-Albert-secretariat

Albert Cheng

Chief Executive Officer

Albert Cheng joined the World Gold Council in March 1993 as a Regional Manager, becoming Managing Director, Far East in 2003. He retired at the end of March 2015 and was subsequently named its Advisor. He has also been an International Advisor to the Shanghai Gold Exchange since 2002.

His marketing career began with Dentsu Young & Rubicam, Hong Kong in the early 80’s. He began gold marketing in July 1985 when he joined the Royal Canadian Mint as a Regional Manager for Southeast Asia.

He was appointed honorary CEO of SBMA in November 2015. He is responsible for the success and strategic development of SBMA, represents the interests of the Association, and is responsible for all the legal and regulatory aspects of the work of the Association. He is the primary contact for regulators and government bodies on bullion market development.

Ms Pawan Nawawattanasub

Ms Pawan Nawawattanasub

CEO
YLG Bullion Singapore Pte Ltd

Pawan is the CEO of YLG Bullion Singapore and founder of YLG Bullion International. She has almost 40 years of experience in the jewellery industry and established YLG in Thailand in 2003. In 2012, she brought YLG to Singapore. She sits on the Board of Directors of the Thailand Gold Traders Association, the Thailand Futures Exchange’s Arbitration Committee, and the Rotary Bangkok committee. She holds a master’s degree in Political Science.

SBMA-Shaokai-Fan

Mr Shaokai Fan

Head of Asia-Pacific (ex China) and Global Head of Central Banks
World Gold Council
Shaokai Fan is the Global Head of Central Banks at the World Gold Council, responsible for advising governments on gold matters, and enhancing the gold market through engagement, dialogue, and thought leadership. He works directly with central banks and sovereign wealth funds on investment considerations. Prior to this position, Shaokai held multiple roles at Standard Chartered Bank, including Director for Asia Strategic Initiatives and Associate-Director for Public Sector coverage. Shaokai holds a Masters of Public Administration from Columbia University and the London School of Economics, and an undergraduate degree in finance and economics from New York University.

SBMA-Committee-Alan-Liew

Mr Alan Liew

Head of Bullion & Commodities Trading
United Overseas Bank Limited
Alan is Head of Bullion and Commodities Trading for Group Trading in Global Markets, United Overseas Bank (UOB). Alan joined UOB and started the bank’s commodities trading business in 2014, previously he spent eight years in Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) trading both precious and base metals. During his tenure at SCB, he obtained the SGE gold trader licence and was part of the pioneering team for the SGE business and the FX quantitative trading team. Prior to trading, he worked for Monetary Authority of Singapore in the Financial Risk Management Division. He holds a BSc (Hon) in Computer Science at National University of Singapore and a MSc in Financial Engineering at Nanyang Technological University.

SBMA-Committee-Nikos

Mr Nikos Kavalis

Managing Director
Metals Focus Singapore Pte Ltd
Nikos Kavalis is a founding partner of Metals Focus. He has over 20 years of experience in precious metals, having previously worked for the Royal Bank of Scotland and GFMS. Since September 2019, Nikos has been based in Singapore, where he also runs the local subsidiary of Metals Focus.

SBMA-Committee-khun nuttapong

Mr Nuttapong Hirunyasiri

CEO
MTS Gold Global Trading Pte Ltd
Nuttapong Hirunyasiri is the CEO of MTS Gold Group, one of Thailand’s top 10 companies and top 3 bullion companies. He started MTS Gold Group’s first overseas office in Singapore and has been expanding the group business internationally. He focuses on product development and innovation for gold investment, with the aim of being a leader in providing the full suite of gold investment services in the ASEAN region.

SBMA Committee-Photo-Raman-Walia

Mr Raman Walia

Executive Director, Head of Commodities Sales – APAC
JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A.

Raman is Executive Director and Head of Commodities Sales, APAC, for J.P. Morgan. He joined JPMorgan in 2008 in New York, moved to Singapore in 2011, and helped expand the precious metals business in the region. Raman has an MBA from Cornell University, and likes to travel in his spare time.

SBMA Committee-Photo-Andrew-Clarke

Mr Andrew Clarke

Head of Brink’s Global Services
Brink’s Global Services Pte Ltd

Andrew Clarke is the Head of BGS (Brink’s Global Services) for Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. He has held various leadership positions throughout his career in secure logistics and risk management with Brink’s, which started in Hong Kong in 2010. Andrew relocated to Singapore in 2018 to expand the precious metals line of business along with Brink’s portfolio of services and industries.

SBMA Committee-Photo-Kazuya-Naoki

Mr Kazuya Naoki

Head of Metals, Asia
ICBC Standard Bank Plc, Singapore Branch

Kazuya (Kaz) Naoki is the Head of Metals, Asia of ICBC Standard Bank in Singapore and is responsible for the precious & base metals sales and trading in the region. He joined Standard Bank Plc Tokyo Branch in 2008 and was relocated to its Singapore Branch in 2013 whose controlling stake was acquired by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in 2015. Prior to joining Standard Bank, Kaz spent 11 years focusing on commodity trading and risk management with Mitsui & Co in Tokyo, Sydney and London. Kaz has been serving on the SBMA Management Committee since 2016.

SBMA Committee-Photo-Vinh-Nguyen

Mr Vinh Nguyen

Head of Precious Metals, Asia
StoneX APAC Pte Ltd

Vinh Nguyen joined StoneX Group in Singapore at the beginning of 2008 and responsible for its APAC precious metals activities since 2019 until now.

SBMA Committee-KL-Yap

Mr KL Yap

General Manager, Singapore Refining Business Unit
Metalor Technologies (Singapore) Pte Ltd
KL YAP is the General Manager of Metalor Technologies (Singapore) Pte Ltd’s Singapore Refining Business Unit. He joined Metalor in 2013, initially in Refining Sales. In 2014, he became Refining Business Unit Manager, leading the development of a new precious metal refinery. KL was Vice Chairman of SBMA from 2017 to 2021, now serving as Chairman. With a degree in business commerce, finance, and marketing, he brings prior experience from refinery and heavy industries.