Mr. Morris Li, Chairman of the CTBC Bank Ltd from Taiwan, takes over as Chairman of the Asian Bankers Association for the next two years. He assumes the mantle of ABA leadership from Mr. Eugene S. Acevedo, President and CEO of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation from the Philippines.

Mr. Li was elected to the position during the 62nd ABA Board of Directors’ Meeting held on November 10, 2023 in conjunction with the 39th ABA General Meeting and Conference in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Mr. Li assumed his current position at CTBC Bank in September 2019. He first joined the Bank as Vice Chairman on November 29, 2016. Prior to that, Mr. Li was President and Executive Director of China Guangfa Bank (CGB) from July 2010 to August 2016. He was seconded to CGB, one of Citigroup’s most important strategic partners globally, in July 2010. CGB is one of the largest national commercial banks in China, based in Guangzhou. By the endo 2015, CGB’s asset was nearly 1.9 trillion RMB, with 742 networks, and more than 30,000 employees.

Prior to joining CGB, Mr. Li was the City Country Officer of Citigroup Taiwan and also Chairman of Citibank Taiwan Ltd., a subsidiary established after Citi Taiwan acquired Bank of Overseas Chinese in December 2007. The de-merger was successfully completed in August 2009.

For the position of ABA Vice Chairman, the ABA Board elected Mr. Mostafa Beheshti Rouy, Advisor to the CEO and Board Member, Bank Pasargad, replacing Mr. Oliver Hoffmann, Managing Director, Head of Asia,Erste Group Bank AG.

Mr. Beheshti Rouy, a veteran banker since 1971, has fulfilled an illustrious career of more than 30-years at Bank Mellat where he accomplished many high managerial duties prior to retirement in 2002, as the CEO of Bank Mellat Turkey; Director General-International Affairs; Director General-Planning & organization Division, and General Manager-Central Branch.

Before joining Bank Pasargad in 2005 as one of the founding members of the Bank and later on as the Executive Board Member, he was Chief Representative of Dubai Islamic Bank in Iran; Deputy CEO of Bank PARSIAN and Deputy CEO of NARGAN, a prominent EPC company in Iran.