Francesca Chan has joined HSBC Private Bank as regional head of family and philanthropy advisory for Asia Pacific, effective September 29, bringing two decades of experience in wealth management and family office advisory from UBS. Based in Hong Kong, Chan will lead the bank's family and philanthropy advisory teams across the region, reporting to Ann Ling, regional head of wealth planning and advisory for Asia Pacific. Her remit encompasses advising ultra-high-net-worth clients on succession planning, family office setup, governance structures and strategic philanthropy initiatives.
Chan's appointment reflects HSBC's strategic focus on deepening capabilities in family wealth advisory as the bank competes for ultra-high-net-worth clients in Asia Pacific. The hire signals the bank's commitment to strengthening its multidisciplinary advisory offerings in a market where complex succession and governance challenges are increasingly prevalent among Asia's largest family businesses. No search firm involvement was disclosed in the appointment announcement.
Chan brings 19 years of experience across family office, wealth management, investment and financial services. She most recently served as executive director and senior family advisor at UBS, where she specialized in Greater China family advisory. Earlier in her career, she held senior advisory roles at Deloitte Private, Noah Global Family Office, BNP Paribas Wealth Management and ZLC Wealth. Chan began her career as an investment advisor at HSBC Securities in Canada, where she studied accounting at the University of British Columbia. Her background positions her as a practitioner in the complexities of multi-generational family wealth transitions in Asia.
HSBC Private Bank is the wealth management and advisory division of HSBC Holdings, a global financial services firm with significant presence across Asia Pacific. The bank serves ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, providing integrated solutions across investment management, trust services and advisory. HSBC has been building out its family and philanthropy advisory capabilities as part of a broader strategy to become the leading international wealth manager in Asia, where an estimated trillions of dollars in family wealth are concentrated across the region's leading businesses and entrepreneurial families.
Chan's appointment may be read as HSBC's attempt to recapture territory in family advisory following competitive pressures from global wealth managers at UBS and Credit Suisse. By recruiting an executive with both UBS pedigree and earlier HSBC Securities experience, the bank gains an insider familiar with both competitor practices and its own legacy systems. The timing of this hire in late September suggests HSBC is prioritizing family office advisory as it competes for high-net-worth client relationships across the region heading into year-end wealth planning cycles.
