Standard Chartered (LON: STAN) and Ant Group entered into an agreement to deepen their partnership in driving green and inclusive finance, global fund management and sustainable development.
Both parties will jointly contribute “to tackling global issues such as climate change and ocean protection.” Dr. José Viñals, Group Chairman of Standard Chartered PLC, and Eric Jing, Chairman and CEO of Ant Group, “officiated the agreement signing ceremony.”
Since the first signing of an MOU between the two parties in 2017, Standard Chartered and Ant Group have “conducted extensive cooperation in China and multiple markets globally.”
In the field of green and sustainable finance, Standard Chartered is “one of the joint-mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners of Ant Group’s sustainability-linked syndicated loan and has carried out cooperation with Ant Group in sustainable deposit and other areas.” In addition, the two parties have also successfully “cooperated in digital innovation of global fund management, as well as in proliferating inclusive finance for SMEs.”
Under the expanded cooperation framework, Standard Chartered will “support Ant Group to build a global liquidity and foreign exchange management structure, and further strengthen their collaboration in ESG, digital innovation and inclusive finance.”
Dr. José Viñals, Group Chairman, Standard Chartered PLC, said:
“We are honoured to enter into this extended agreement and deepen our longstanding strategic partnership with Ant Group. Building on our mutual trust and joint commitment, we look forward to leveraging our shared vision to further our global cooperation in ESG, inclusive finance for SMEs and digital innovation.”
Eric Jing, Chairman and CEO of Ant Group said:
“Ant Group and Standard Chartered are long-term partners. We have always been committed to using technology to assist SMEs in their digital transformation journeys, and jointly promoting global sustainable and inclusive development. Together with our ecosystem partners, we look forward to expanding our cooperation with Standard Chartered, and further leveraging the expertise from both sides in digital technology, green finance and inclusive finance, to make greater contributions to global sustainable development.”
As noted in the update, Standard Chartered claims it is “a leading international banking group, with a presence in 57 of the world’s most dynamic markets and serving clients in a further 64. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good.”
Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges.
