Standard Chartered Bank launches first ever Belt and Road Relay

Standard Chartered Bank’s first ever Belt & Road Relay kicked off in Hong Kong on February 17, in conjunction with the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, which is one of the biggest sports events in the city. It will run across forty-four Belt and Road markets within a 90 day period and will end in China in May. The Philippines is the 10th market to be visited by the Standard Chartered Belt and Road relay happening on Sunday, March 3, in Nuvali Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Eight staff athletes selected from the bank’s diverse footprint in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe and the Americas will run 10K each market. It is the first ever global running event spanning the B&R initiative with the aim of highlighting Standard Chartered Bank’s footprint and the bank’s continued commitment to B&R initiative and its impact to communities and businesses globally. Standard Chartered’s local staff including members of its management team will also be participating as runners and to cheer on the athletes. Belt and Road Initiative is a development strategy adopted by the Chinese government involving infrastructure projects and investments in countries in Europe, Asia and Africa to enhance global connectivity. It covers more than 60 countries to address infrastructure gap and accelerate economic growth. Standard Chartered Bank Group Chief Executive Officer Bill Winters ran alongside the eight athletes in the Hong Kong launch. He said, “The Belt and Road Initiative is the most ambitious and far-reaching project of its kind in the world today. We are present in two-thirds of Belt and Road markets, and our rich heritage, deep local knowledge and unparalleled connectivity mean that we’re ideally placed to help our partners, clients and communities to make the most out of the initiative.” Standard Chartered Bank Philippines Chief Executive Officer Lynette V. Ortiz said, “SCB Philippines is proud to be part of this milestone event. As the oldest international bank in the country, our presence and longevity help highlight the depth of Standard Chartered Bank’s commitment and extent of our footprint along the new Silk Road.” The Belt and Road initiative is core to Standard Chartered. In 2017, the Bank committed additional financing for Belt and Road projects of at least USD 20 billion by 2020, and was involved in more than 50 Belt and Road deals worth more than USD 10billion across a range of products and services. To follow the progress of the Standard Chartered Belt & Road Relay, or for more information on the Belt and Road initiative, please visit www.sc.com/beltandroadrelay.