Digital wholesale bank Anext Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Jack Ma-backed Ant Group’s overseas unit Ant International, welcomed a new chief executive officer on Friday (Jan 24).
Deputy chief executive officer and chief technology officer Kai Qiu is now CEO designate, and replaces CEO Toh Su Mei, who is leaving the bank after nearly four years at its helm.
In a LinkedIn post on Friday, Ant International CEO Peng Yang announced Toh’s resignation from her CEO role “to open a new chapter in her life”.
In the post, he thanked her for her contributions to the company and announced Qiu’s appointment. “Kai Qiu, currently deputy CEO and CTO of Anext Bank, will take on the position as CEO designate.”
According to Toh’s LinkedIn profile, she assumed the role of CEO at Anext Bank in June 2021. From June 2024, she was concurrently general manager for digital lending services at its parent company, Ant International.
Qiu, in a LinkedIn post on Friday, expressed gratitude for Toh’s contributions to the company.
He said that as part of the bank’s strategy, it will continue to focus on embedded finance, which is its “strength and core”.
Launched in 2022, Anext Bank is a Singapore-incorporated digital wholesale bank that provides digital financial services to local and overseas customers. A significant portion of its customer base includes micro and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Its parent company, Ant International, is the international arm of Ant Group – the fintech behemoth linked to Alibaba Group, which is co-founded by Chinese billionaire Jack Ma.
