Former Deutsche Bank executive Ole Matthiessen has joined Standard Chartered to lead its “newly unified” global transaction services and digital assets team.

Matthiessen moves to the lender after spending 18 years at the German bank, most recently as global co-head of its corporate bank – a role he left swiftly after being appointed in January this year. 

The newly created team in Standard Chartered’s corporate and investment banking arm covers transaction banking – including trade, payments and cash management – and financing and securities services, which comprises custody, clearing and settlement. 

The team also encompasses the corporate bank’s digital asset capabilities.

Matthiessen will be based in Singapore and report to Roberto Hoornweg, chief executive of Standard Chartered’s corporate and investment bank.

Standard Chartered said Matthiessen brings “extensive expertise across a broad spectrum of financial products”, from transaction banking to structured lending solutions. 

Hoornweg said: “Ole is a fantastic addition to the team as we harness the convergence between transaction banking and financing and securities services, and between TradFi [traditional finance] and DeFi [decentralised finance]. 

“Integrating these solutions in a unified financial ecosystem with our fast-growing digital asset capabilities will further accelerate our ability to provide a world-class cross-border experience for our corporate and financial institution clients.”

Matthiessen’s previous roles at Deutsche Bank include global head of cash management and head of corporate bank for Asia Pacific.

Gerald Podobnik replaces Matthiessen in his previous Deutsche Bank role, and will share it with existing co-head Michael Diederich. Podobnik has spent more than two decades at the German lender, in roles such as chief financial officer of its corporate and investment bank.