The charge alleges that Ryan Gwee, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accepted HK$150,000 ($19,273) in August 2011 from a then-chairman and major shareholder of an insurance company as a reward for handling his bank account and bank accounts of the companies controlled by him, according to an ICAC statement.
At the time, Gwee was supervising a sales team of the private banking division of Standard Chartered in Hong Kong and was also tasked to handle the bank’s customers and promote various banking services to them.
“[Gwee] faces one count of agent accepting an advantage, contrary to Section 9(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance,” the statement said.
The case arose from a corruption complaint, ICAC said. Standard Chartered Bank in Hong Kong has also rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation, the commission noted.
Gwee appeared at the Eastern Magistrates Courts’ today and no plea was given. The case was adjourned until 7 February, with Gwee granted bail but ordered not to leave Hong Kong, according to local media reports.
Standard Chartered announced the appointment of Gwee as Shanghai-based head of private banking for China in January 2011, according to a statement from the bank.
He was with Standard Chartered Private Bank for 10 years and held a number of roles based in Singapore and Hong Kong.
Gwee left the bank in November 2011 and joined Beijing Tian Jian Hua Xia Medical Management Company as vice president in China, according to his Linkedin profile. After that, he was the Hong Kong-based group managing director at ZACD, a Singapore-headquartered asset manager specialising in real estate. Currently he is managing director in Hong Kong at Asia Capital Pioneers Group.
