Paul Skelton has been named regional head of commercial banking, Asia Pacific at HSBC.

He will begin the role on October 1 and his remit will include global trade and receivables finance (GTRF) and payments and cash management.

He will report to Simon Cooper, global head of commercial banking, and Peter Wong, deputy chairman. Skelton was most recently regional head of commercial banking for HSBC in Mena, before which he spent 13 years in HSBC’s corporate and investment banking business in the Asia Pacific region.

Copper welcomes him to the team, saying: “By 2025, we expect Asia Pacific to contribute 36% of global GDP and, with a footprint in 19 markets across the region, HSBC is in a strong position to capitalise on this growth opportunity.

“Paul brings with him a wealth of experience from both Mena as well as from his time within Asia Pacific. He will focus on capturing the region’s emerging wealth by connecting corporates to opportunities across the world, with a renewed focus on China’s Pearl River Delta as well as the rising Asean.”