Tag: HQ

  • Philippines’ Union Bank Opens Fintech HQ in Singapore

    Philippines’ Union Bank Opens Fintech HQ in Singapore

    Union Bank’s fintech subsidiary UBX is expanding its operations in Singapore as it eyes growth in Asia.

    UBX, the financial technology venture studio and fund of Union Bank, hopes its Singapore headquarters will be a bridge for startups to enter the Philippine market, according to an announcement on Tuesday.

    Operations will be led by Singapore country head Cryus Cruz, who joined UBX five months ago after over three years at Tokio Marine Insurance Group, where he was regional manager of digital strategy and its innovation lab. He also brings experience from stints at Chubb, Axa, AIG and J.P. Morgan.

    UBX cited the wealth of start-ups and deep fintech talent pool as among the reasons why it is launching in the city-state. It also noted the rapid rise of fintech in financial transactions, and the «significant growth» UBX ventures are experiencing, fueled by the coronavirus pandemic.

    UBX has strategically set up an office here to contribute to, and benefit from the established ecosystem. This will not only expand our network, it’ll also help us learn from different companies in the country, Cruz said.

    UBX previously partnered with the Monetary Authority of Singapore in its Business Sans Borders (BSB) project.

  • Fintech investment fund Senjo Group opens new HQ in Singapore

    Fintech investment fund Senjo Group opens new HQ in Singapore

    Senjō Group, a privately held investment firm, unveiled today its new global headquarters in Singapore. The leading financial technology investor has leased the entire 56th floor of One Raffles Place in Singapore’s Central Business District.Established in 2015, Senjō Group was first set up as a holding company for a portfolio of payments and financial technology companies with operations spanning Asia, Europe, North America and Africa.

    This growing portfolio of companies operate across payments processing, cross-border remittance, foreign exchange, trade finance, e-commerce, mobile payments, commodity trading and factoring – functions split between Senjō’s core business units: Payments, Commerce, Ventures, Trading and Finance.

    “Senjō offers deep operational expertise across e-commerce, payments, technology and corporate finance. Our strategy has always been to invest in profitable financial technology firms with high growth potential in Asia and around the world. Our goal is to build a world-class financial technology group, and to do that we need the right space,” said Yoshio Tomiie, Head of Commerce, Senjō Group, “Singapore has established an enviable position as a leading Asian financial technology centre with an exciting innovation eco-system, a great talent pool and fantastic infrastructure. It also boasts a business-friendly environment so it was therefore an obvious winner when considering locations for new headquarters for our global operations.”

    Senjō invests in both start-ups and established companies that are profitable and scalable, as well as partnering with companies who are looking to benefit from its global footprint, financial support and operational expertise. Senjō aims to increase its portfolio significantly over the coming years.

    “Our mission is to make commerce better, faster, easier. All our portfolio companies are dedicated to identifying and addressing inefficiencies – in transactions and payments, e-commerce, financial markets and trading – to create value for our customers, our partners and our shareholders,” added Yoshio Tomiie, Head of Commerce, Senjō Group. “Senjō’s management team has had significant experience in the acquisition, operation, and growth of financial technology companies, and we’re very well equipped to continue operating in this space.”

    The Group’s commitment to expanding their business is also reflected in recent executive appointments: Gavin Lock joins as Chief Operating Officer and Sam Evans joins as the Vice President of Business Development and Head of Ventures. Lock has had over 20 years of global experience working in both technology and communications sectors, and he has held primarily executive roles in strategy, M&A and management consulting. He joins from Accenture, where he was Senior Manager/ Principal of Strategy Consulting. Evans brings over 30 years of experience from the financial technology and payments industries, where he has held positions in business development, sales and general management, with familiar names such as Unilever, First Data and Sun Microsystems.

    In addition to the new Singapore headquarters, Senjō also has regional offices in Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Luxembourg and the UK, and operations in most major markets.