The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) is pleased to announce the
opening of its Asia-Pacific Regional Treasury dealing room.
Earlier this year the Board of Governors of the BIS decided to expand the
Bank's activities in the Asia-Pacific region by establishing a Regional Treasury
dealing room in its Representative Office for Asia and the Pacific. The dealing
room commenced operations in October. The main purpose of the new dealing room
is to provide central banks with access to BIS banking services during trading
hours in the Asian time zone. It also provides the BIS with an opportunity to
strengthen banking relationships with its commercial counterparties in the
region.
Commenting on the new initiative, BIS General Manager Andrew Crockett said:
"The expansion of the Bank's activities in the Asia-Pacific region reflects the
growing importance and involvement of the region's central banks in the work of
the BIS." Bob Sleeper, Head of the BIS Banking Department, noted that: "This new
dealing room, working in tandem with our head office operations in Basel, will
ensure that the BIS continues to provide a first-class banking service to the
central bank community in the Asia-Pacific region."
The BIS established its Representative Office for Asia and the Pacific in
Hong Kong SAR in July 1998. The principal roles of the Representative Office are
to enhance cooperation between central banks in the region, to further develop
the BIS's banking services for regional central banks and to act as a regional
centre for monetary and economic research on issues of interest to central
banks.
For further enquiries please contact (in Hong Kong SAR):
- George Pickering, Chief Representative, BIS Asian Office
- Guy M Q Henriques, Head of Regional Treasury, BIS Asian Office
Tel. + 852 2878 7100, Fax. +852 2878 7123
E-mail: guy.henriques@bis.org