2024 was a record year for asset service providers in Asia-Pacific as they demonstrated resilience and adaptability in the face of global economic uncertainties.

Behind the industry’s success are hard-working and talented custodian bankers, asset servicing executives, corporate trustees, as well as securities and client servicing individuals, who skillfully met client requirements and dealt with the challenges using innovation, technology, product diversification, etc. In doing so, they manifested a strong commitment to the industry’s overall growth and development.

It is in this context that The Asset is announcing the Asset Servicing Leadership Awards 2025 as part of The Asset Triple A Sustainable Investing Awards for Institutional Investor, ETF, and Asset Servicing Providers 2025.

The outstanding industry leaders are:

Digital Custodian Banker of the Year

Eeh Fong Soh

Head, securities & fiduciary services, DBS Bank Group

Operational excellence is about going into the weeds, taking every step, and asking why. This level of attention to detail builds resiliency, crystallizes what client needs are, and paves the way to level up the service offering to the provider's target markets. Her role in transforming the bank's securities and fiduciary services, especially as asset servicing embraces digitization, the reimagined future of securities services  – the tokenization of assets – is no longer a leap faith.

Custodian Banker of the Year

Anand Rengarajan

Global head of sales, head of Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, securities services, Deutsche Bank

There were the dark days and then some. When the bank was downgraded by credit rating agencies seven years ago, counterparty risk became an issue. In the custody business, it is the number one concern when it comes to the safekeep of assets by the biggest owners/managers. From a period of uncertainty and underperformance, he stayed the course as the business turned around, confidence restored, and among key clients, rebuilt trust to restore the bank's standing as a provider and an alternative for those looking to diversify.

Custodian Banker of the Year, MENA

Rocío Echagüe

Head of securities services, MENA ( excluding Saudi Arabia ), HSBC

As the Middle East North Africa ( Mena ) region takes its place alongside other major financial centres in the world, upgrading its financial infrastructure and regulatory regime to global standards has been an urgent focus for asset service providers, asset owners, and financial institutions. 

For playing a pivotal role in advancing the Mena region’s securities services landscape through initiatives that include driving market infrastructure enhancements, promoting regulatory innovation, enhancing foreign direct investment inflows, as well as supporting capital market development.

Custodian Banker of the Year, India

Chaitanya Joshi

Head of financing & securities services business, India, Standard Chartered

For executing the bank's largest custody mandate - a highly complex exercise across hundreds of accounts - and continuing to win new business, leveraging the bank's extensive and deep roots as the oldest foreign financial institution, his dedication is a standout, boosting total assets under custody in a year when global investors see India as a standout.

Securities Lending Banker of the Year

Jansen Chua

Head of securities finance, Asia-Pacific, State Street

For being instrumental in advancing State Street’s securities finance operations across the region by navigating market challenges and enhancing performance despite macroeconomic headwinds, leading the implementation of technological advancements and platform re-engineering, as well as providing valuable insights into the APAC securities lending markets, which guided strategic growth for the bank’s clients.

For the full list of winners of the Leadership Awards for Asset Servicing, please click here.

Best Individuals in Asset Servicing and Corporate Trust

The Asset also announces the Best Individuals in Asset Servicing, a ranking based on the Asset Servicing Insights Survey conducted by Asset Benchmark Research. This year, almost 100 individuals secured nominations through more than 140 votes.

For the full list of winners of Best Individuals in Asset Servicing, please click here.

The ranking for the Best Individuals in Corporate Trust  is based on the Corporate Trust Services Insights Survey conducted by Asset Benchmark Research. This year, almost 50 individuals were nominated through more than 160 votes.

For the full list of winners of Best Individuals in Corporate Trust, please click here.

To learn more about these awards please go here.

Interested in joining our awards gala on June 19, 2025? Please contact us at celebrate@theasset.com