Standard Chartered Names Ying Ying Tan as Global Head of Securities Services and Digital Assets

Standard Chartered has appointed Ying Ying Tan to the dual role of Global Head of Securities Services and Global Head of Digital Assets, effective immediately. This leadership consolidation signals a significant shift in how Tier 1 banks are integrating traditional custody with emerging digital finance, moving tokenisation and digital trading from peripheral innovation units into the core of the bank's securities franchise.

What was announced

The bank confirmed that Ying Ying Tan will now lead the Securities Services business globally, taking over from Margaret Harwood-Jones, who has transitioned into the role of CEO, UK & Europe at Standard Chartered. In this capacity, Tan is responsible for the strategy and growth of the bank’s franchise across custody, fund services, clearing, and securities infrastructure solutions. Simultaneously, her appointment as Global Head of Digital Assets tasks her with executing the bank’s digital agenda, specifically focusing on scaling capabilities in tokenisation, digital asset trading, financing, and ecosystem partnerships.

Based in Singapore, Tan will continue to report to Ole Matthiessen, the Global Head of Transaction Services & Digital Assets. The restructuring also sees Rene Michau, who previously served as Head of Fintech Client Advisory, move into a senior advisory role. Michau will remain a member of the Group’s Digital Assets Steering Committee and will continue to report to Matthiessen, supporting the next phase of the bank's digital asset development.

Tan joined Standard Chartered in 2017 and has held various senior leadership positions, most recently serving as Global Head of Securities Services Product Management and Chief Operating Officer for the business. This appointment comes as the bank continues to build out its existing digital asset suite, which currently includes custody services, tokenised deposits, and tokenised money market funds. The move is designed to provide clients with more seamless access to a broader range of market infrastructures as traditional and digital finance continue to converge.

"Ying Ying brings a unique combination of expertise across securities services, transaction banking and digital assets. She has played a pivotal role in building and commercialising our digital assets custody capabilities while developing the breadth of our Securities Services franchise to meet our clients' evolving needs. Her appointment reflects the strength of our talent pipeline; her leadership, experience and track record of execution position her exceptionally well to lead the next phase of growth as we continue to strengthen our Securities Services franchise and advance our digital assets agenda."

Ole Matthiessen, Global Head of Transaction Services & Digital Assets, Standard Chartered.

The companies involved

Standard Chartered is a leading international banking group with a presence in 53 of the world’s most dynamic markets. Operating under its primary brand and accessible via sc.com, the bank has established itself as a critical player in transaction banking and global custody. The bank’s influence in the fintech sector is significant, with FF News tracking over 130 major developments involving the institution’s digital and operational shifts.

The bank’s leadership structure reflects its global reach, with key executives often moving between regional leadership and global product roles. For instance, Margaret Harwood-Jones, the former Global Head of Securities Services, now leads the bank’s operations across the UK and Europe. The bank has consistently positioned itself at the intersection of traditional trade finance and new technology, often participating in industry-wide collaborations for cross-border settlement and digital infrastructure. By maintaining a strong presence in Singapore, a global hub for digital asset regulation, Standard Chartered remains at the forefront of institutional adoption of blockchain and tokenisation technologies within the broader financial services ecosystem.

What FF News has reported before

Standard Chartered has been a recurring subject of our coverage, particularly as it bridges the gap between traditional banking and the digital asset economy. In October 2026, we reported that Standard Chartered Launches Institutional Custody for Ripple USD (RLUSD) on XRP Ledger, marking a major step into stablecoin infrastructure. This followed a significant industry milestone in September 2026, when J.P. Morgan, Deutsche Bank, and Standard Chartered Join Partior for 24/7 Cross-Border Settlement, showcasing the bank's commitment to real-time liquidity management. Furthermore, the bank has been a vocal proponent of the economic benefits of technology, with our previous report noting that Standard Chartered: Trade Digitalisation to Unlock $2.8 Trillion in Annual Global Trade by 2031. These reports highlight a consistent pattern of the bank moving beyond theoretical pilots toward live, institutional-grade digital solutions.

What this means

The unification of securities services and digital assets under a single global head is a clear signal that the "innovation lab" era of digital assets is over. For the wider industry, this move puts pressure on other global custodians to break down the silos between their traditional and digital teams. By placing a former COO and product management head in charge of both, Standard Chartered is treating digital assets not as a separate asset class, but as a fundamental evolution of securities infrastructure. This raises a critical question for the sector: will the traditional custody model survive as a standalone entity, or will all securities services eventually become digital asset services by default?