Welcome Sarah Chao: Intertrust Group’s new Managing Director in Hong Kong

We are thrilled to welcome Sarah Chao, who has joined us as our new Managing Director in Hong Kong. Sarah will take over from James Donnan to lead Hong Kong office as James steps into his new role as Regional Managing Director, Asia Pacific – a central part of our Asia Pacific growth strategy. With more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, Sarah has held a variety of leadership roles in both boutique private companies and Fortune 500 organisations specialising in investment, private equity and commercial banking as well regulatory compliance. Read on to learn more about Sarah’s plans for her new role.

Tell us about yourself and how you feel about joining Intertrust Group in Hong Kong?

I am both delighted and honoured to join Intertrust Group, especially at this critical juncture when we are faced with many external challenges and changes that are driving our strategy. The good news is that opportunities tend to arise from challenges. We are all aware that things will be done differently when we come out of this pandemic, and business practices and ideas are being reinvented and reengineered every day. Technology and digital transformation continue to evolve to meet the standards of the new norm.

I’m so excited about joining Intertrust Group with our established global offices, strong business models, our Centre of Excellence (CoE) and the technology-enabled platforms. I believe all of this position us well to navigate these challenges and take advantage of new opportunities. Most importantly, I’m excited about the people and the teams who are making things happen every day. Without these people, we’re not going anywhere.

What’s your plan to develop and grow the Hong Kong team?

People are our greatest assets. My number one priority is people empowerment, which means making tools and resources available for them to do what they do best for the company, providing training and opportunities for those who want to excel in their careers, promoting open, two-way communication to encourage idea sharing, to instil accountability and to support team member engagement. Last but not the least, since we spend most of our day at work, I would like to make work a fun place to be.

Anything else you would like to add?

I believe Hong Kong will continue to be a bright spot in the financial market. Last year, capital continued to pour in despite the pandemic and the geopolitical uncertainties. The Hang Seng Index is a much higher level compared to a year ago and even before the National Security Law was put in place. This year, I think Hong Kong will continue to benefit from the global capital liquidity and will remain to be a strong player in the financial world.