Chai currently serves as a Managing Director in the bank’s Institutional Banking Group (IBG), where he leads coverage across several strategic industry sectors, including automotive, food and agribusiness, and metals and mining.
In 2023, he spearheaded the creation of the IBG Foreign Direct Investment Desk to capture growing inbound investment into Singapore and ASEAN, and he previously served as Head of Large Corporates at DBS China from 2013 to 2018.
Chai succeeds Lim Chu Chong, who has led DBS Indonesia as President Director since August 2022 and will move to become CEO of DBS Taiwan effective 1 January 2027. Under Lim’s leadership, DBS Indonesia delivered double-digit net profit growth in 2025, deepened its institutional banking business, strengthened its position in sustainable finance, and expanded its wealth management franchise.
The bank was also recognised by Euromoney as Indonesia’s Best Digital Bank for Large Corporates in 2025.
Lim joined DBS as a career banker with more than 30 years of experience across institutional, SME, and consumer banking, and had previously served as Chief Operating Officer of IBG and Head of DBS IBG China.
Tan Su Shan
“I am delighted that, as a testament to the strength of our leadership bench, we are able to appoint Sebastian’s successor and make other senior leadership appointments from within DBS,” said DBS CEO Tan Su Shan.
She said Chai, Lim, and incoming Hong Kong CEO Ng Sier Han bring deep institutional knowledge, strong client relationships, and proven track records of delivery to their new roles.
Paredes Retires, Triggering a Three-Way Shuffle
Lim’s move to Taiwan is one piece of a broader succession plan at DBS. It follows the retirement of Sebastian Paredes, Head of North Asia and CEO of DBS Bank (Hong Kong), who steps down from executive duties on 1 March 2027 after 16 years with the bank, remaining on as Senior Advisor.
Ng Sier Han, currently CEO of DBS Taiwan, will succeed Paredes in Hong Kong, opening the Taiwan role that Lim will now fill. All appointments remain subject to applicable regulatory approvals.
Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Indonesia based on an image via Magnific.
