Vice President, Export & Agency Finance, Global Transaction Banking, Asia Pacific (Korea ECAs Focus)

Vice President, Export & Agency Finance, Global Transaction Banking, Asia Pacific (Korea ECAs Focus)

Country: Hong Kong

The role is responsible for origination, structuring and execution of Export & Agency Finance (EAF) transactions with a primary focus on the Korean Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) , supported deals. The successful candidate will independently manage deals from A to Z - from origination and pitching to structuring, negotiation, credit approval, documentation, and execution while fostering strong teamwork with internal stakeholders (e.g. coverage teams, risk, legal, and product partners) and external parties (Clients, Korean Exporters/Importers, and ECAs).

Frequent business travel (up to 20%) is required to build and maintain relationship in Korea and across APAC.

Key Responsibities

• Lead origination, structuring, and execution of Korean ECA-supported transactions (inbound to Korea, outbound from Korea, and intra-APAC), including buyer credits, supplier credits, and untied loans backed by KEXIM and/or K-SURE.
• Independently drive end-to-end deal management (A to Z), including pitching to clients/Korean exporters, preparing transaction proposals, term sheets, and marketing materials.
• Build and maintain consolidated relationships with key Korean stakeholders, including major exporters/importers, banks active in EAF, and direct contacts at KEXIM and K-SURE.
• Collaborate closely with Santander's corporate banking coverage teams, product specialists, and regional offices to identify and distribute EAF opportunities across APAC.
• Provide input into credit proposals, liaise with risk teams on approvals, and follow up through the credit process.
• Negotiate loan documentation with internal departments (Middle Office, Legal, Compliance) and external advisors as needed.
• Support broader APAC EAF transactions (including other ECAs/MLAs such as JBIC/NEXI, ADB, AIIB) when required, contributing to team goals and knowledge sharing.
• Demonstrate strong teamwork by actively supporting other team members, sharing market intelligence, and contributing to the development of Santander's EAF franchise in Asia Pacific.

Basic Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, or other relevant disciplines.
• Minimum 8 years of relevant EAF/structured trade finance experience, with a strong track record in Korean ECA (KEXIM/K-SURE) supported transactions (previous experience at a major bank active in Korean export finance is essential).
• Proven ability to independently originate and execute complex EAF deals from A to Z, including client-facing pitching, commercial negotiations, structuring, and documentation.
• Deep knowledge of ECA-supported financing structures, products, and technicalities, particularly for Korean ECAs.
• Established network of contacts with Korean exporters/importers, banks, and ideally direct relationships at KEXIM/K-SURE.
• Strong credit assessment skills and experience liaising with risk/credit teams.
• Excellent teamwork and collaboration skills, with a proven ability to work effectively in a matrix environment across geographies and functions.
• Good knowledge of broader corporate banking and trade finance products.
• Fluency in English and Korean with an additional Asian language is a plus.