The United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) was founded on 6 August 1935 by Sarawak-born Datuk Wee Kheng Chiang – father of the present UOB Group Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Mr Wee Cho Yaw – and a group of Chinese businessmen.

Since then, UOB has grown from strength to strength. It is today a leading bank in Singapore and a dominant player in Asia-Pacific. As at 31 December 2007, the UOB Group had total assets of S$175.0 billion and shareholders' equity of S$17.3 billion. It achieved a net profit after tax of S$2.1 billion in 2007 with a ROE of 12.6%. To view the latest UOBM financial results, please click here.

The UOB Group
The UOB Group provides a wide range of financial services: Commercial and corporate banking, personal financial services, private banking, trust services, treasury services, asset management, corporate finance, capital market activities, venture capital management, proprietary investments, general insurance and life assurance. It also offers stockbroking services through its associate, UOB-Kay Hian Holdings.

It has a banking subsidiary, Far Eastern Bank, in Singapore, while its banking subsidiaries in the region are United Overseas Bank (Malaysia), PT Bank UOB Indonesia, UOB Radanasin Bank in Thailand and United Overseas Bank Philippines.

Through its other subsidiaries and associates (principally the United Overseas Land Group), UOB also has diversified interests in travel, leasing, property development and management, hotel operations and general trading.

The UOB Group has a network of 500 offices in 18 countries and territories in Asia-Pacific, Western Europe and North America.

Our Corporate Milestones

• 1935
Kuching-born Datuk Wee Kheng Chiang, father of UOB Group Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Mr Wee Cho Yaw, founded the United Chinese Bank (UCB) together with six other Chinese businessmen. The paid-up capital was Straits $1 million.

• 1965
UCB changed its name to United Overseas Bank (UOB).

UOB's first overseas branch opened in Hong Kong.

• 1970
UOB obtained a listing on the then Joint Stock Exchange of Singapore and Malaysia.

•1971
UOB acquired a majority interest in Chung Khiaw Bank (CKB) and its branch network in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

UOB introduced its distinctive red five-barred logo that is derived from the traditional Chinese "five- barred gate" system of counting in fives.

• 1973
UOB acquired 100% shareholding in Lee Wah Bank and its branch network in Singapore and Malaysia.

• 1974
Mr Wee Cho Yaw succeeded his father, Datuk Wee Kheng Chiang, as Chairman of the UOB Group. The Group moved into its new 30-storey UOB Building.

• 1984
UOB acquired a majority interest in Far Eastern Bank (FEB).

• 1987
UOB acquired a majority interest in Industrial & Commercial Bank (ICB).

• 1988
Chung Khiaw Bank became a wholly-owned bank subsidiary of UOB.

• 1994
Lee Wah Bank's operations in Singapore and Malaysia were merged into UOB and UOB's Malaysian bank subsidiary, United Overseas Bank (Malaysia) Bhd, respectively. The banking Group now comprises UOB, CKB, FEB and ICB.

• 1995
UOB celebrated 60 years of banking in Singapore. Singapore's Senior Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, officially opened UOB Plaza, the Bank's new headquarters building.

• 1997
Chung Khiaw Bank's operations in Malaysia were merged into United Overseas Bank (Malaysia) Bhd.

• 1999
Chung Khiaw Bank's operations in Singapore and Hong Kong S.A.R. were merged into UOB. The banking Group now comprises UOB, FEB and ICB.

UOB acquired a majority interest in Westmont Bank, Philippines and its network of 97 branches. The bank is renamed United Overseas Bank Philippines.

UOB acquired a majority interest in Radanasin Bank, Thailand and its network of 68 branches. The bank is renamed UOB Radanasin Bank Public Company Limited.

• 2000

United Overseas Finance's operations in Singapore were merged into UOB for better integration of similar businesses between the finance subsidiary and the Bank.

UOB merged its stockbroking arm, UOB Securities Pte Ltd, and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, UOBS Research (M) Sdn Bhd and UOB Securities Nominees Pte Ltd, with Kay Hian Holdings Limited to form a new associate, UOB-Kay Hian Holdings Limited.

UOB also entered into a conditional agreement to transfer, for a cash consideration, its stockbroking interests in Hong Kong S.A.R., Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand to UOB-Kay Hian Holdings Limited.

• 2001
UOB successfully acquired Overseas Union Bank Ltd, making it the largest Singapore bank in terms of domestic customer loans, credit cards and market capitalisation.

• 2002
On 2 January, UOB and OUB became one legal entity.

On 28 August, ICB was legally merged into UOB. The merger is part of UOB's on-going exercise to consolidate its subsidiaries for greater efficiency of resources.