HSBC swept up a total of 33 awards at the Global Finance Awards 2006 held on 18 September at the Shangri-La Hotel, including Best Global Banks: Best Consumer Bank, Best Global Sub Custodian Bank and Best FX Derivatives Provider in Asia.

HSBC Singapore CEO Guy Harvey-Samuel was on hand to receive four of the awards - Best Domestic Bank: for Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, Best Emerging Market Bank: Asia and Best Global Banks: Best Consumer Bank - from Global Finance's President and Publisher Mr Joseph D. Giarraputo.

"The accolades we received at the Global Finance Awards 2006 are a testament to the confidence that the global banking industry has in our Group and HSBC's business has always been diversified and prudently managed. We have also recently strengthened our sub-custody network by acquiring the sub-custody business of Westpac Bank in Australia and New Zealand. The Group continues to grow and innovate in the 76 countries and territories across the world in which we operate. In Singapore, we have also been growing and strengthening our presence and customer base in a very competitive market, with our credit cards issuance reaching the 500,000 milestone last month," said CEO Guy Harvey-Samuel

In its 19th year of publishing, the Global Finance magazine has 50,000 subscribers and more than 250,000 readers in over 158 countries. All selections of winners were made by the editors of Global Finance, after extensive consultations with bankers, corporate financial executives and analysts throughout the world.

Factors they considered range from the quantitative objective to the informed subjective. Amid nominally objective criteria were growth in assets, profitability, geographic reach, strategic relationships, new business development and innovation in products. Subjective criteria included the opinions of equity analysts, credit rating analysts, banking consultants and others involved in the industry.

The mix of these factors yields leading banks that may not be the largest, the oldest or the most diversified in a given country, but rather the best - the bank with which corporations around the world would most likely want to do business.

"We recognise these banks for their outstanding accomplishments," said Mr Joseph D. Giarraputo in a Global Finance press release. "Conditions in each market may have differed but the winning banks were all noteworthy in their dedication to satisfying their customers' needs."

Best FX Derivatives Provider - Asia

Best Sub Custodian Banks: Country Winners - Argentina, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom

Best Sub Custodian Banks: Regional Winners - Asia, Caribbean, Middle East

Best Sub Custodian Bank - Global Winner

Best Provider of Money Market Funds - Asia

Best Bank - Payments and Collections - Asia, Middle East

Best CLS-Linked Bank Offering - Asia

Best Overall Bank for Cash Management: Regional Winners - Asia, Middle East

Best Trade Finance Banks: Country Winners - Hong Kong, United Kingdom

Best Trade Finance Banks - Asia

Best Foreign Exchange Banks: Country Winners - Hong Kong, United Kingdom

Best Foreign Exchange Banks: Regional Winners - Western Europe - Honourable Mention, Asia-Pacific

Best Domestic Banks: Country Winners - Hong Kong, United Kingdom

Best Emerging Market Banks - Asia

Best Global Banks - Best Consumer Bank