Eric Lim now UOB’s first Chief Sustainability Officer

By ANIS FARHANAH MALEK
anisfarhanah@dagangnews.com

KUALA LUMPUR 9 April – UOB has appointed Eric Lim as its first Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) where he will lead a dedicated Corporate Sustainability Office and focus on achieving the bank’s sustainability objectives of helping businesses to advance responsibly, steering consumer wealth to sustainable investments and fostering social inclusiveness and environmental well-being.  

Given the importance of sustainability to the bank’s overall strategy, the CSO role will report directly to UOB Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Wee Ee Cheong.

Ee Cheong said, UOB ensures that its duty as a financial steward is aligned with the bank responsibility to help contribute to the region’s long-term economic, social and environmental well-being.

“Since Eric joined UOB in 2013, he has been instrumental in driving the bank’s sustainability agenda.

“With his new mandate, Eric and his team will build our capability and capacity further as we continue to forge a sustainable future for the better, for all,” said Ee Cheong in a statement.

The Corporate Sustainability Office will work closely with the business and support functions across UOB’s network to increase focus, engagement on and execution of the bank’s sustainability strategy.

The team will also develop and monitor the key performance indicators of the bank’s strategic sustainability goals, including UOB’s own carbon footprint target.

Meantime, Lim is also the chairperson of UOB’s Group Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Committee that is responsible for reviewing the bank’s material ESG topics, identifying relevant risks and opportunities and monitoring the progress of sustainability-related programmes and initiatives.

The CSO appointment is an extension of Lim’s current role as Head of Group Finance, where he oversees financial strategy, capital management, regulatory and financial reporting, tax management, business finance and performance management.

Prior to UOB, Lim was Managing Director and Head of Wholesale Banking Finance, Singapore and Southeast Asia at a multinational bank.

He began his career at a United States-headquartered financial services firm where he took on various executive positions in financial planning and analysis, mergers and acquisitions, audit and controllership based across the US and Asia.

He has a Bachelor of Accounting degree from the Nanyang Technological University and an Executive Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. – DagangNews.com