Anita Fung: The HSBC chief executive who broke through the glass ceiling
Top banker is proud of her success, especially as a home-grown talent in a fiercely competitive industry
When Anita Fung Yuen-mei became HSBC's first female CEO for Hong Kong in September last year, she inherited a hot seat.
The lender had just announced 3,000 job cuts in Hong Kong and the pressure was on to ramp-up the bank's presence in China.
This did not detract from Fung's relish in taking up the role. "For me it is a great honour to be the first woman to take up the role of CEO of Hong Kong at HSBC, being the group's flagship business," she says.
She derives a certain amount of pride at being a home-grown talent, given the bank's 150-year history in the city.
"Taking up the role of CEO was indeed a milestone in my career. To be appointed to this key role in a town where I grew up made it especially significant for me," she says. "As a home-grown banker, I am very excited about ensuring we stay ahead of our competition in one of the most dynamic market places in the world."
Fung began her banking career in 1983 at rival Standard Chartered Bank, having graduated with a major in finance from the University of Hong Kong and a master of applied finance from Macquarie University in Sydney.
She joined HSBC in 1996 as head of domestic markets in the bank's treasury and capital markets division.
At one point she worked on the trading floor, traditionally a bastion of male egos, and enjoyed the experience.