Her engineering background taught her to solve problems with data and tech.
Xie Wen, global head of small and medium enterprise (SME) banking at Standard Chartered PLC (StanChart), is helping SMEs scale internationally with leadership, cultural insight, and digital innovation, which all can be just as crucial as funding.
“We have relationship managers who are trained, who understand the culture, who speak [our clients’] language, and are able to serve their needs holistically,” she told Asian Banking & Finance.
This is especially important for Chinese SMEs entering Southeast Asian markets. They’re not just looking for financial services—they want a bank which truly understands them and resonates with their ambitions on a cultural level, she pointed out.
Standard Chartered operates SME services in 14 markets across Asia and Africa, offering foreign exchange, trade services, cash management, and wealth solutions.
Xie said the bank’s international network allows it to guide SMEs through new markets, providing market insights and helping them build robust supply chains.
Some of their clients started as small startups, she said. “We’ve watched them grow into listed companies and multinational firms. That gives us huge satisfaction.”
Xie has spent more than 29 years at Standard Chartered across various markets, with experience spanning risk management and frontline banking.
Her engineering background—a PhD and master’s in industrial engineering and management from Xi’an Jiaotong University and the National University of Singapore—gives her a structured, analytical approach to banking challenges.
“With an engineering background, it’s always easier for me to see when the problem presents itself, and if there is a way to solve it using data and technology,” she said in a video call.
In many ways, she said, banks are increasingly operating as technology companies given the volume of transactions and they process daily.
“Clients are expecting banks to use technology to support them better. So we have been putting in a lot of effort in the last few years, and we continue to invest in our digital platforms to support them better,” Xie said.
Digitalisation and connectivity are key priorities for Xie. The bank has upgraded host-to-host links, know-your-customer systems, and cash management platforms to help SMEs enter new markets. Partnerships with local players further smooth the regulatory and logistical hurdles.
Xie also champions women-led SMEs through Standard Chartered’s Women’s International Network (SC WIN), providing them with access to financing, expertise, and global peer networks, helping them scale beyond their home markets. Since its launch, SC WIN has extended over US$540m in financing to women-owned businesses across Standard Chartered’s network’
Last year, the bank launched its SC WIN Now & Next challenge in Hong Kong, offering $128,000 (HK$1m) in grants and professional training for women entrepreneurs
Women leaders bring new perspectives, professional ethics, and a focus on meaningful impact, she said.
She urged female bankers to step out of their comfort zones. “You need to try and step forward to capture great opportunities.”