ING Bank announced that Krista Baetens will be appointed as CEO of ING Wholesale Banking Asia Pacific, effective 15 January 2020. Based in Singapore, the Bank’s regional headquarters, Krista will drive the wholesale strategy for APAC and is responsible for the performance of the wholesale banking business across 14 markets in the region.

A veteran ING banker, Krista has held various management roles in the APAC and EMEA regions over the past 22 years. She started her career with ING in 1998 with Corporate Credit Risk in Hong Kong. Between 2005 and 2012 Krista was based in Singapore, holding various leading roles in commercial and wholesale banking. She was Chief of Staff ING Wholesale Banking Asia, headed Corporate and FI Lending in Asia, and led Wholesale Banking in Singapore and South East Asia.

She was appointed Global Head of Specialised Financing Group in Amsterdam before taking on her current responsibilities as the Chief Risk Officer and member of the Executive Committee for ING in Belgium, in October 2016.

Returning to Asia, Krista succeeds Gerrit Stoelinga, who was CEO of ING Wholesale Banking Asia Pacific since 2016. Krista will report to Isabel Fernandez, Member of ING Bank’s Management Board and Global Head of ING Wholesale Banking.

Isabel Fernandez said: “Asia has been a market of rapid growth for ING Bank, as well as a major engine of growth for global economy and a key focus for international businesses. Krista’s strong leadership qualities and extensive banking experience, as well as her deep understanding of the Asia Pacific region, make her an excellent fit for this role. I am confident that she will continue to strengthen our successful Wholesale Banking franchise in the region.”