Tour of Standard Chartered Bank

 

Chris Hollands, Louise Riley (assistant to the curator),
Lin Dore, Warwick Morris, Sylvia Park
and Sir Tom Harris at the reception.

This event was surely quite an eye-opener for many of the 30 or so AKS members who gathered in the impressive building which is Standard Chartered’s London Head Office at 1 Basinghall Avenue on 18 May 2011. Any fears that a bank would be boring were instantly dispelled on entering the foyer, where a temple building from Thailand took centre stage surrounded by African and Asian art and artefacts.

In the state-of-the-art basement auditorium we were presented with an overview of the bank’s origins and growth by Sir Tom Harris, Vice Chairman of Standard Chartered Capital Markets, followed by a personal account of the recent acquisition of Korea First Bank given by our AKS treasurer, Chris Hollands.

Having absorbed its history, we then learnt about the philosophy of the bank and how this is reflected in the working environment. The building’s soaring architecture, impressive green credentials and stark modernity provide an efficient workspace, but it is the collection of art and artefacts that create the environment for success of which Standard Chartered are justly proud.

Lin Dore, who is responsible for implementing the bank’s philosophy, then took us on a tour of conference rooms and communal areas where we saw an overwhelming variety of objects, both ancient and modern, covering all disciplines from sculpture through painting, photography, ceramics and furniture. The common theme was people, with all items originating from parts of the world where Standard Chartered have a growing presence, namely Asia and Africa.

After feasting our eyes on the artwork, we were whisked to the 10th floor where we feasted again, this time on the delicious canapés and exceptional wine. With a backdrop of spectacular views over the City of London we enjoyed the opportunity to chat to our hosts and discover more about this most unusual, and definitely not boring, bank.

We are extremely grateful to Standard Chartered for their generosity in opening their offices to members of the Anglo-Korean Society, and in particular to Sir Tom Harris for suggesting the evening to Sylvia Park.

A slideshow of images from the evening:
 

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