Introduction to the HSBC Group
Dedication and diligence are hallmarks of the HSBC Board of directors. Click on the links to the left to access further information.

Sir John Bond, Group Chairman
Age 57. An executive Director since 1990; Group Chief Executive from 1993 to May 1998. Joined the HSBC Group in 1961; an executive Director of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation from 1988 to 1992. Chairman of HSBC Bank plc, HSBC Bank USA(formerly Marine Midland Bank), HSBC Americas, Inc. and HSBC Bank Middle East. A Director of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and The Saudi British Bank and a non-executive Director of the London Stock Exchange and Orange Plc. Chairman of the Institute of International Finance and a member of the Banking Advisory Group of the International Finance Corporation.

*Baroness Dunn, DBE,Deputy Chairman and Senior non-executive Director
Age 59. Executive Director of John Swire & Sons Limited and a Director of Swire Pacific Limited and The General Electric Company p.l.c. A non-executive Director since 1990 and a non-executive Deputy Chairman since 1992. A non-executive Director of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation from 1981 to 1996. Former senior member of the Hong Kong Executive Council and Legislative Council.

Sir Peter Walters, Deputy Chairman and senior non-executive director
Age 68. Deputy Chairman of EMI Group plc, non-executive Chairman of SmithKline Beecham plc and a non-executive Director of Saatchi & Saatchi plc. A non-executive Director since 1992 and a non-executive Deputy Chairman since 1993. Chairman of Midland Bank plc from 1991 to 1994.

K. R. Whitson, Group Chief Executive
Age 56. An executive Director since 1994. A Director of HSBC Bank (formerly Midland Bank plc) since 1992, Chief Executive from 1994 to March 1998 and Deputy Chairman since January 1998. Joined the HSBC Group in 1961. Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt KGaA. A Director of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, HSBC Americas, Inc., HSBC Bank Canada and HSBC Roberts S.A. de Inversiones. A non-executive Director of the Financial Services Authority

Lord Butler, GCB, CVO, Independent non-executive Director
Age 61. Master, University College, Oxford. A non-executive Director since May 1998. Secretary of the Cabinet and Head of the Home Civil Service in the United Kingdom from 1988 to January 1998.

R K F Ch'ien, CBE, Independent non-executive Director
Age 47. A Director of Inchcape plc and Chairman of Inchcape Pacific Limited. A non-executive Director since May 1998. Chairman of HSBC Private Equity Management Limited and Co-Chairman of Beijing CAST Information System Technology Co., Ltd. A member of the Executive Council of the Hong Kong SAR. Chairman of the Industry & Technology Development Council, the Hong Kong Industrial Technology Centre Corporation and the Hong Kong/Japan Business Co-operation Committee and a member of the Economic Advisory Committee to the Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR. A Director of Hsin Chong Construction Group Ltd., Kader Holdings Company Limited and Tianjin Development Holdings Limited. A non-executive Director of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation since 1997.

D E Connolly, OBE, Independent non-executive Director
Age 67. Chartered Accountant. A Director of Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation. A non-executive Director since 1990 and a non-executive Director of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation from 1985 to May 1997.

W R P Dalton, Director and Chief Executive, HSBC Bank plc
Age 55. An executive Director since April 1998. Director and Chief Executive, HSBC Bank plc and Chairman of HSBC Asset Finance (UK) Limited (formerly Forward Trust Group Limited) with effect from 1 April 1998. Joined HSBC Bank Canada in 1980. President and Chief Executive Officer, HSBC Bank Canada from 1992 to December 1997. A Director of HSBC Investment Bank Holdings plc. A non-executive Director of MasterCard International Inc. and a non-executive Director and Chairman of Young Enterprise Limited.

D G Eldon, Executive Director
Age 53. An executive Director of the Company since 1 January 1999. Joined the HSBC Group in 1968. Appointed an executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation in 1996; Chairman since 1 January 1999. Non-executive Chairman of Hang Seng Bank Limited and a non-executive Director of Swire Pacific Limited.

D J Flint, Group Finance Director
Age 43. An executive Director since 1995. A Director of HSBC Investment Bank Holdings plc, HSBC Bank Malaysia Berhad (formerly Hongkong Bank Malaysia Berhad), HSBC Roberts S.A. de Inversiones and HSBC Bank USA. A member of the Urgent Issues Task Force of the Accounting Standards Board. A former partner in KPMG.

W K L Fung, OBE, Independent non-executive Director
Age 50. Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Li & Fung Limited. A non-executive Director since May 1998. Past Chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. A member of the Economic Advisory Committee to the Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR and Chairman of the Hong Kong Committee for Pacific Economic Co-operation. A non-executive Director of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation since 1995.

S K Green, Executive Director Investment Banking and Markets
Age 50. Joined The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation in 1982. Group Treasurer from 1992 to February 1998. Chairman of HSBC Investment Bank Holdings plc and a Director of HSBC Bank plc and HSBC Guyerzeller Bank AG.

Alan W Jebson, Group General Manager, Information Technology
Age 50. Group General Manager, Information Technology since April 1996. Joined The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited in 1978 as Manager Computer Audit before serving at the Saudi British Bank. Worked in various IT capacities in the Hong Kong SAR and London. Deputy Chairman, CLS Services Ltd. A qualified chartered accountant since 1971 and now a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales.

The Lord Marshall, Independent non-executive Director
Age 65. Chairman of British Airways Plc, Inchcape plc and BTR Siebe plc. Deputy Chairman of British Telecommunications plc. A non-executive Director since 1993. Deputy President of the Confederation of British Industry and a member of the Board of the New York Stock Exchange. A non-executive Director of Midland Bank plc from 1989 to 1994.

C Miller Smith, Independent non-executive Director
Age 59. Chief Executive of Imperial Chemical Industries plc. A non-executive Director since 1996. A former Director of Unilever plc and Unilever N.V. and a non-executive Director of Midland Bank plc from 1994 to 1996.

Sir Brian Moffat, OBE, Independent non-executive Director
Age 60. Chairman of British Steel plc. A non-executive Director since March 1998. A non-executive Director of Enterprise Oil plc.

M Murofushi, Independent non-executive Director
Age 67. Chairman of ITOCHU Corporation. A non-executive Director since 1992. Chairman of the Japan Foreign Trade Council. Special Advisor to the Chairman of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Vice Chairman of the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Chairman of the Japan-Brazil Economic Committee of Keidanren (Japan Federation of Economic Organizations). A member of the Foreign Investment Advisory Council of the Russian Federation.

C E Reichardt, Independent non-executive Director
Age 67. Former Chairman and Chief Executive of Wells Fargo & Company. A non-executive Director since 1996. A Director of Ford Motor Company.

H Sohmen, OBE, Independent non-executive Director
Age 59. Chairman of World-Wide Shipping Agency Limited, World-Wide Shipping Group Limited, World Maritime Limited, World Shipping and Investment Company Limited, World Finance International Limited and N&T Argonaut AB. A non-executive Director since 1990. A non-executive Director of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation since 1984 and Deputy Chairman since 1996.

Sir Adrian Swire, Independent non-executive Director
Age 67. Executive Director and Honorary President of John Swire & Sons Limited and a Director of Swire Pacific Limited and Cathay Pacific Airways Limited. A non-executive Director since 1995. Former Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping and former President of the General Council of British Shipping.