Standard Chartered names banking vet Ramos as new chair

(Sharecast News) - Banking group Standard Chartered has chosen banking veteran Maria Ramos as its new chair, who is set to succeed José Viñals who will retire from the board at the end of his nine-year term this May. Ramos, currently an independent non-executive director of the bank since January 2021, was the chief executive of Absa (formerly Barclays Africa Group) for 10 years, and has held leadership positions within the private sector and government.

"I am honoured to take on the role of Chair at Standard Chartered at an important time in its continued transformation," Ramos said in a statement.

Ramos has "extensive international non-executive and chair experience" as well as a deep understanding of operating across emerging and developing markets, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

She is currently a director at Compagnie Financière Richemont, from which she will retire after 13 years in March, and is a member of the Group of Thirty (G30).

Her appointment follows an "rigorous and wide-ranging" global search process, according to Phil Rivett, head of the selection panel. "Maria is an experienced chair who benefits from a successful career across the private and public sectors. Her knowledge of the banking sector, as well as a deep understanding of the group's unique footprint stood out," Rivett said.

The stock was up 0.2% at 1,065p by 1004 GMT.