DBS Group has appointed a well-connected banker as its China CEO-designate, from his previous role as managing director of Credit Suisse's Chinese joint venture.

DBS Group has appointed a well-connected banker as its China CEO-designate, from his previous role as managing director of Credit Suisse's Chinese joint venture.

Neil Ge joined the Singaporean lender from Credit Suisse Founder Securities, the bank's Chinese joint venture formed in 2009, where he was a managing director and previously chief executive.

Singapore's largest bank is trying to build up in China, which is its third largest revenue generator, after Singapore and Hong Kong and contributes 30 per cent of revenues. It is well-known that banking in China frequently comes down to the concept of 'guanxi', or relationships and connections - which Ge is said to have in abundance. During his 20 years banking in the region Ge has "built strong relationships with the business community in Mainland China, and has a solid understanding of banking landscape in Greater China," said DBS in a statement. 

Melvin Teo, currently DBS China CEO, will move to a new posting within DBS Group, to be announced in due course. Like Teo, Ge will also be a member of the DBS Group management committee. 

Ge was also a managing director at Credit Suisse's Shanghai office and played an instrumental role in building up the joint venture between Credit Suisse and Founder Securities, said DBS in a statement. Prior to Credit Suisse, Ge was a managing director and a member of the executive committee at BOC International Holdings. He was credited for setting up BOCI's institutional businesses in Hong Kong and Mainland China.

Last year, DBS China’s net profit doubled from the previous year, crossing the RMB 500 million ($74 million) mark for the first time. Today, DBS China has 25 outlets across China, and works in corporate banking, trade finance, cash management, treasury and markets, as well as wealth management.

DBS opened its first Chinese representative office in Beijing in 1993, but incorporated locally in May 2007. In four years, DBS China has grown its customer base in China by about eight times, and doubled its staff strength to over 1,600. There are also plans to expand into new businesses such as commodity trade finance.