UOB strengthens trading desk in Singapore

Singapore’s United Overseas Bank (UOB) has made several senior trading hires, including a new head of market-making and trading. Samuel Lin joined on December 3 from local rival OCBC Bank, where he was head of financial derivatives for group treasury.

Lin oversees all market-making and trading activities in foreign exchange, interest rates, bonds and their derivatives. He replaced Raymond Lee, former managing director for trading and regional head of global treasury, who left for ABN Amro in Malaysia in mid-2007.

Lin’s appointment follows the hire of other OCBC alumni. Kenneth Lam left Citibank Singapore in November to become director in market-making and trading at UOB, having joined the Citi from OCBC in April.

Chong Churn Wei moved to UOB as associate director in market-making and trading from OCBC in January.

Yap Tsok Kee joined as deputy head of trading at UOB in September. Yap, who previously traded interest rate derivatives at KBC Singapore, now spearheads interest rate trading.

UOB also transferred Steven Chung, executive director for trading and market-making, to Seoul as general manager on January 1.