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SBMA News

By Albert Cheng, CEO, SBMA

The team at SBMA has been busy this quarter with membership enquiries and is working to onboard new members, as well as collaborating with various stakeholders to open up different markets within the ASEAN region. We also would also like to thank our contributors and sponsors for their contributions to Crucible.

Here is an update of SBMA’s activities in the past quarter:

June 4–6, 2023

SBMA organised its 6th Asia Pacific Precious Metals Conference (APPMC), which concluded successfully with 469 in-person registrations for the event.

June 26–30, 2023

SBMA CEO Albert Cheng was a speaker at the China PGM Market Summit: PGM Financial Market, where he spoke about the emergence of PGMs in ASEAN and how SBMA helps members navigate the PGM market. See pages 26-27 for the proceedings.

August 18-20, 2023

SBMA CEO Albert Cheng participated in a panel discussion alongside other esteemed industry experts, at the India Gold Conference 2023. The panel discussed the Gold Industry Declaration of Sustainability Principles, including responsible sourcing, sustainable development, human rights, and diversity. During the conference, the organizers also honored him with a Special Category Award in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the global bullion industry.

The panel discussed the Gold Industry Declaration of Sustainability Principles
SBMA CEO Albert Cheng

UPCOMING EVENTS

15–17 October 2023. Barcelona, Spain

LBMA/LPPM Global Precious Metals Conference 2023

RThe 23rd LBMA/LPPM Global Precious Metals Conference will be held in the cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s Catalonia region. Register now for three days of engaging speakers, insightful panel sessions, and unparalleled networking opportunities. Don’t miss this chance to be a part of an unforgettable event. Visit
Please visit https://www.lbma.org.uk/events/lbma-lppm-global-precious-metals-conference-2023 for registration and event details.

9–11 June 2024. Singapore

Asia Pacific Precious Metals Conference 2024

The annual APPMC, organised by the SBMA and supported by Enterprise Singapore, will next take place on 9–11 June 2024 at Shangri-La Singapore. The 7th edition also marks SBMA’s 30th anniversary. Remember to mark your calendar, and we hope to see you then.
More information, updates and details of past conferences are available at: http://www.asiapacificpmc.com

Membership

Morgan Stanley Capital Group (Singapore) Pte was onboarded as a Local Associate Corporate member, and Eliz Precious Metals Malaysia was onboarded as a Foreign Associate Corporate member.

SBMA’s total corporate membership consists of 68 companies, including 4 Category 1 members, 39 Local Associate Corporate members, 22 Foreign Associate Corporate members, and 3 Affiliate members..

SBMA proudly congratulates Jason Chan, our esteemed honorary legal counsel, on being named one of Southeast Asia’s Top 15 Litigators 2023 by Asian Legal Business. Jason’s exceptional expertise and dedication to the field of law over the past two decades have earned him this prestigious recognition. As a senior counsel and co-head of the white-collar and investigations practice at Allen & Gledhill in Singapore, Jason has been an integral part of their team, consistently showcasing outstanding skills and unwavering commitment to justice. We are incredibly proud of Jason’s remarkable achievements and his invaluable contributions to the legal profession and SBMA.

SBMA provides additional ad-hoc event management and marketing services for members who wishes to have more outreach and exposure to the precious metals industry. Should you be interested to explore these options and for SBMA to further add value to your company, please contact Margaret at margaret.wong@sbma.org.sg for more information.

Disclaimer

© 2023 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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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.