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SBMA News

By SBMA

The SBMA team extends our gratitude to all contributors and sponsors who made the recent 8th Asia Pacific Precious Metals Conference (APPMC) a success. Over the past quarter, the SBMA team has been engaging in various outreach and networking programs. We would like to express our gratitude to our contributors and sponsors for their continued support for Crucible.
Here are highlights of SBMA’s activities from the past quarter:
June 1, 2025
With effect from 1 July 2025, a one-time administrative fee of SGD 1,000 (subject to GST, where applicable) will be introduced for all new membership applications.
This fee will be on the membership fee payable should the application be successful, but please note that the application fee is non-refundable in the event that the application is not approved.
June, 2025
As part of our ongoing SBMA Member Engagement initiative, the Secretariat visited valued members over the past quarter to deepen relationships and gain greater insight into their operations, goals, and challenges. We thank all our members for their warm hospitality and valuable contributions to our discussions.
The SBMA secretariat with Monal Thakkar and Sunny Thakkar, Ashoka Global Sg Pte Ltd.
News-SBMA Secretariat
SBMA Secretariat meeting with AC Precious Metals Refinery Ltd’s Stanley Cheung.
June 4, 2025

SBMA warmly welcomed A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. as a Foreign Associate Member. Jake Cho, CEO of AM Precious Metals Singapore Pte. Ltd. (a wholly owned subsidiary of A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc.), was presented with the membership certificate by Albert Cheng, CEO of SBMA.

News-Albert Cheng CEO
From left: Albert Cheng, CEO, SBMA; Jake Cho, Chief Executive Officer, AM Precious Metals Singapore Pte. Ltd.
June 4, 2025

Matrix Infinitus (Hong Kong) Limited joined SBMA as a Foreign Associate Member, bringing the SBMA’s total membership to 79 companies. The SBMA Secretariat was delighted to meet the Matrix Infinitus team in person and present them with their SBMA membership certificate. The meeting was an opportunity for us to share SBMA’s vision, understand their needs, and update them on our upcoming initiatives and plans.

SBMA x Matrix Infinitus Hong Kong
Representatives from Matrix Infinitus (Hong Kong) Limited with Albert Cheng, CEO, and Margaret Wong, Business Director of SBMA.
June 18, 2025

Several of the SBMA Management Committee attended the first Board of Directors Inauguration and CGSE’s 115th Anniversary Gala Dinner in Hong Kong. Congratulations to CGSE on 115 years of excellence.

Nuttapong (Golf) Hirunyasiri
Frome left: Nuttapong (Golf) Hirunyasiri, CEO, MTS Gold Global Trading Pte Ltd; Albert Cheng, CEO, SBMA; KL Yap, Chairman, SBMA; Alan Liew, Head of Bullion & Commodities Trading, United Overseas Bank Limited.
July 31, 2025
SBMA Secretariat attend Finalto’s Mid-Year Toast. We look forward to welcoming you more closely into our growing community and to your potential participation as a member of SBMA in the near future!
Alex Mackinnon, CEO
Frome left: Alex Mackinnon, CEO, Finalto Asia Pte. Ltd; Margaret Wong, Business Director, SBMA; Mallika Tan, Institutional Account Manager at Finalto Pte. Ltd.
July 6, 2025
SBMA Chairman, KL Yap, and CEO, Albert Cheng, presented the membership certificate to representatives from Citibank N.A. at Citi 2025 Precious Metals Lunch Reception.
SBMA News-Sunil Kaushik,
From left: Sunil Kaushik, Head of Precious Metal Solutions - APAC, Citibank N.A. Singapore; Albert Cheng, CEO, SBMA; Alnawaz Jiwa, Managing Director of Global Commodities, Citigroup Centre, Canada Square; James Turrell, Managing Director of Head of Commodities Asia Pacific, Citigroup Global Markets Singapore Pte. Ltd; James Conway, Managing Director Head of Metals Trading, Citigroup Centre; KL Yap, Chairman, SBMA.

UPCOMING EVENTS

September 9-13, 2025. Bangkok, Thailand

72nd Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair

The trade fair will take place on 9-13 September 2025, during which the Thailand Gold Forum will be held on 10 September 2025. For more information, please contact the SBMA Secretariat.
September 12-14, 2025. Novotel & Pullman Aerocity, New Delhi, India

India Gold Conference 2025

Held on September 12-14 at Novotel & Pullman Aerocity, New Delhi, India, the conference is a premier event for industry leaders and professionals. Organised by Eventell Global Advisory Pvt Ltd, it offers valuable insights into the gold market. Register now at https://www.goldconference.in.

October 26-28, 2025. Kyoto, Japan

25th LBMA/LPPM Global Precious Metals Conference 2025

The LBMA’s annual conference will be held at the Okura Hotel in Kyoto, Japan, promising three days of engaging speakers, fascinating panel sessions, and unrivalled networking opportunities.

Visit https://www.lbma.org.uk/events/lbma-lppm-global-precious-metals-conference-2025 for registration and event details.

November 14, 2025. Intercontinental Singapore, Bras Basah I & II, Level 3

SBMA 2025 Annual General Meeting

Join us for this year’s Annual General Meeting to connect with other SBMA members, reflect on the past year, and gain insights into what lies ahead for 2026 and beyond. This year’s AGM will also include the election of the next Management Committee (Nov 2025 – Nov 2027).
June 14-16, 2026. Singapore

Asia Pacific Precious Metals Conference

The 2026 Asia Pacific Precious Metals Conference is confirmed at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore. Stay tuned for more information.

Membership

As of September 1, 2025, total corporate membership consists of 80 member companies, including 4 Category 1 members, 42 Local Associate Corporate members, 31 Foreign Associate Corporate members, and 3 Affiliate members.

Disclaimer

© 2025 Singapore Bullion Market Association

The information and articles provided in Crucible are intended to be a guide of a general nature and for information purposes only. They are not intended to be recommendations or advice of any sort and therefore must not be construed as such. While we try to ensure that the information contained in Crucible is accurate, SBMA, the article contributors and their organisations do not accept any liability for any mistakes, errors, or omissions for any loss or damage arising from any reliance thereon. SBMA, the article contributors and their organisations also disclaim all responsibility for any loss, injury, claim, liability, expense, or damage of any kind resulting from, arising out of, or in any way related to any errors in, omissions from, or reliance on any part of the information, views, or opinions expressed in this publication.

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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-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 in partner with the Chairman and the Management Committee. Also, he is responsible for maintaining accountability to and the quality of, the Association’s Membership and the annual Asia Pacific Precious Metals Conference (APPMC) as well as representing the interests of the Association in relation to regulators, investors, media and international precious metal markets, and also responsible for all the legal and regulatory aspects of the work of the Association.

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 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.

Ms Crystal Xu

Vice President
TD Securities
Based in Singapore, Crystal has over a decade of experience in the metals market, specializing in trading, structuring, and delivering solutions for institutional and commercial clients across Asia. She leads initiatives spanning both physical and derivative products and plays a central role in advancing TD’s regional metals strategy. With deep expertise in market dynamics and strong cross-functional collaboration, she helps drive business growth, product innovation, and risk-informed decision making across the firm’s Asia-Pacific platform.

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.

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.

Singapore Bullion Market Association Secretariat-Lee-Jia-Yi

Lee Jia Yi

OPERATIONS & ADMIN EXECUTIVE
Before joining SBMA, Jia Yi worked as an Admin & Reporting Officer in her previous role. She holds a Diploma in Business & Social Enterprise from Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Jia Yi is responsible for managing and maintaining physical and digital files in SBMA, supporting invoicing processes, reconciling receivables and payables, coordinating meetings and conferences. Additionally, she will provide support to the team and assist the Business Director in managing the Association’s office operations and general administrative activities.

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-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.

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-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-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-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-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-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.