Die neue „Königin der Angestellten“ im Bankenbereich: Die vierte Generation einer jahrhundertealten, milliardenschweren Finanzdynastie will das Familienunternehmen nicht übernehmen?

There is once again a "finance worker" emerging in the financial industry.

On June 8th, United Overseas Bank (UOB) issued a sensational appointment announcement: Zheng Jun, the current director of the Hong Kong branch, will take over the leadership of UOB China and the position of Chief Executive, replacing Fu Maozan, who will retire this year after 15 years in office. Huang Yizong, the President of UOB, praised her as follows:

"An internally promoted manager with rich regional experience."

This news quickly sparked intense discussions in the financial industry. As one of the three largest banks in Singapore, there is a mysterious financial dynasty behind UOB. Therefore, some observant netizens raised the central question:

"Huang Yizong himself is the third - generation owner of the founding family of UOB. Why doesn't he let his own children directly lead the business in China?"

In fact, the Huang family, which controls UOB, has become wealthy in Southeast Asia over more than four generations and created a financial empire spanning several countries in nearly a century, covering banking, stock exchange and other businesses. In recent years, this financial aristocracy, which actually dreams most of having its own children take over the company, no longer seems so fixated on having its own children directly inherit...

1. A billion - dollar banking giant gets a new "finance worker"

A few years ago, many people looking at Zheng Jun's resume would not have thought that this "finance woman" would soon reach the top of one of the three largest banks in Singapore in the Chinese market.

Zheng Jun succeeds Fu Maozan, who is one of the most representative figures for the development of foreign banks in China. Under his leadership, UOB has established a firm foothold in China.

For this reason, the financial industry was particularly interested in Fu Maozan's successor. After Zheng Jun's official appointment, many were curious: Where does she come from and can she succeed Fu Maozan?

In fact, Zheng Jun was never an "outsider" but a finance woman who had been working in the foreign - bank industry for many years.

Zheng Jun graduated from Shanghai Jiao Tong University with a major in International Finance. It is said that she studied finance at that time because "her mother thought the financial industry had a future."

After graduating from university, she joined Standard Chartered Bank and started as a trainee. Later, she was steadily promoted and was the director of the Shanghai branch of Standard Chartered and the director of the business banking department in China when she left in 2018.

After switching from Standard Chartered to UOB China, Zheng Jun took over the leadership of the large - customer banking department and was responsible for the management of corporate banks, business banks, financial institutions, structured trade and commodity financing, transaction banks and investment banks. In March 2024, she became the director of the Hong Kong branch of UOB.

Now, two years later, Zheng Jun has been promoted again and achieved great success in the financial industry.

Generally, there are more male executives in the banking industry. What makes Zheng Jun so special that she could stand out?

In a previous interview, Zheng Jun mentioned that in her early days in the financial industry in her 20s, she had to lead a team to serve large enterprises.

"In meetings with customers, nine out of ten contacts were men. At first, they were skeptical when they saw that I was a young woman."

In the face of doubts, Zheng Jun was not intimidated but spoke with her professional competence. "After thorough preparation and a comprehensive understanding of the customers' business activities, I can give them professional consulting approaches to improve their operational efficiency and help their businesses."

Naturally, there are also opportunities for gift - giving disputes at work. Zheng Jun's approach was to preserve her principles:

"I politely drink one or two glasses with others, but I make my position clear and say from the beginning what I can tolerate. After everyone understands, my boundaries will be respected."

Looking at her more than twenty - year career, Zheng Jun has hardly ever experienced a real low point. As she herself says: "Maybe I'm naturally positive and optimistic. For every problem, I look for solutions and won't be easily discouraged." She also hopes that her experiences can inspire more professional women:

"Women should not set limits on themselves. They should believe in themselves and bravely pursue their dreams. Every step is a force that brings us to success!"

Zheng Jun's new position is not an isolated case. Currently, the Chinese subsidiaries of the three foreign banks Standard Chartered, DBS and Hang Seng are all led by female presidents. The "finance workers" have risen strongly in the financial industry.

2. There is a mysterious billion - dollar financial aristocracy behind UOB

At first glance, Zheng Jun's appointment seems to be a personal breakthrough for a professional manager, but behind it is a key figure, namely Huang Yizong, the current leader of UOB.

The name Huang Yizong has great influence in the Southeast Asian financial industry. He is the third - generation owner of the founding family of UOB. His father Huang Zuyao is a titan in the Singaporean banking industry, and his grandfather Huang Qingchang was the founder of UOB.

This is a financial aristocracy that has survived for nearly a century. To understand the history of the Huang family, one must start with the founder Huang Qingchang.

Huang Qingchang originally came from Jinmen, Fujian. He was born in a poor family in Malaysia in 1890. Later, he married the daughter of a local Chinese leader and founded the Huang Qingchang Company with the help of his father - in - law, which was engaged in the trade of rubber and other local specialties.

At that time, the banks in Malaysia and Singapore were mainly controlled by British and American capitals. Chinese small merchants had difficulties obtaining bank loans if they wanted to do larger businesses. This gave Huang Qingchang the idea of founding a Chinese bank. In 1924, he founded the United Chinese Bank and thus entered the financial industry.

In the early 1930s, Huang Qingchang realized that with the increasing number of Chinese residents in Singapore and the booming business and industry in the city, there was more room for the banking business in Singapore. In 1935, he founded the United Overseas Bank in Singapore together with seven Fujianese merchants from Singapore and Malaysia and took over the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Huang Qingchang had many children. The three sons of his first wife, Huang Xiande, Huang Xianren and Huang Fode, were all leading figures in the Malaysian business world. But the one who actually took over the succession of UOB was his fourth son, Huang Zuyao, the son of his second wife.

Huang Fode and his wife, as well as Huang Zuyao and his wife at the 60 - year anniversary celebration of UOB;

Huang Zuyao returned directly to the family business after graduating from university and got involved in UOB. In the 1960s, he took over the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors and took over the overall leadership of the banking business. Thus began the "Huang Zuyao era" of UOB, which lasted for more than half a century.

As a titan in the Singaporean banking industry, Huang Zuyao mainly did three things right:

First: Bold mergers and acquisitions. He encouraged UOB to carry out aggressive mergers and acquisitions. In 1971, UOB successfully acquired the Oversea - Chinese Banking Corporation, laying the foundation for its dominant position in the local financial market.

Second: Risk management. During the Asian financial crisis in 1997, many Southeast Asian banks were affected. However, thanks to Huang Zuyao's consistently cautious working style, UOB remained stable and even expanded after the crisis.

Third: Expansion outside Singapore. Huang Zuyao established branches in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand and other countries and expanded UOB globally. Thus, UOB gradually developed into one of the three largest banks in Singapore.

In February 2024, Huang Zuyao passed away. According to the latest net - worth data released by Forbes, Huang Zuyao had a fortune of $7.2 billion (about 51.8 billion yuan) at that time. His enterprises included the Hua Ye Group, the United Industrial Corporation, the Pan Pacific Hotels Group and the Haw Par Corporation.

Also this year, the Huang family behind UOB with a fortune of $7.8 billion entered the Forbes Rich List of Singapore for the first time and ranked seventh. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index shows that the Huang family is the richest banking family in Singapore. This low - key financial aristocracy can finally no longer hide.

3. A financial dynasty that has remained wealthy for more than four generations: Three generations at the top, but will the fourth generation no longer take over?

It is worth noting that the Huang family is an example for Chinese aristocracies in terms of successor training. Although it owns a huge financial empire, there has been no split between the second and third generations.

Huang Zuyao and his wife Zhuang Rongying have five children together. Currently, the family has 16 grandchildren and 22 great - grandchildren. After retiring in 2007, he handed over the family business to his three sons and pursued the strategy of "division of labor and industries, but no separation of the family".

The eldest son, Huang Yizong, joined UOB in 1979. He started as a bank credit officer and market executive and only took over the position of President in 2007 and became the third - generation owner of UOB. Today, he is the deputy chairman and chief executive of UOB Group.

The second son, Huang Yichao, is responsible for the family's stock - exchange activities and is the chairman of the stock - brokerage firm UOB Kay Hian Holdings. In addition, he is the chairman of the Haw Par Corporation, which is listed on the Singapore and Malaysian stock exchanges and is the manufacturer of the famous Hu Biao Wanjin You.

The third son, Huang Yilin, leads the listed real - estate company Hua Ye Group, one of the largest real - estate developers in Singapore and the parent company of the Pan Pacific Hotels Group.

The three sons each have their own business areas, and there has never been a conflict between the brothers or an internal family struggle.

Now, since Huang Yizong is already 73 years old, this billion - dollar financial aristocracy is once again facing the problem of succession. The fourth generation of the Huang family is gradually coming to the fore.

Huang Yizong has a total of three children: the eldest son Huang Dingwen, the second son Huang Dingquan and the daughter Huang Jingsi. However, so far, there is no sign that they will become the fourth - generation owners of UOB.

After graduating from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Huang Dingwen did not, as the public expected, take over the family business but instead entered the catering industry. He has successively founded the Loof Rooftop Bar, the The White Rabbit Restaurant and other successful catering businesses. The Lo & Behold Group founded by him already has 13 restaurants and bars.

Huang Dingquan was once in training in the corporate - banking department of UOB. Regarding the question of whether UOB is training him as the next - generation owner, his father Huang Yizong said calmly:

"We have a personnel - management program in which we train hundreds of young people. He is just one of them."

Today, it seems that Huang Dingquan's work...