Mark Dowie resurfaces at Standard Chartered

Standard Chartered has flown Mark Dowie in from the UK to head corporate finance for its wholesale banking business.

Dowie, who joined Standard Chartered earlier this month, will be based in Singapore and will join the wholesale banking management group. He will report to Mike Rees, who is chief executive officer of wholesale banking. Dowie takes over from Sean Wallace, who currently heads corporate finance alongside his role as group head of origination and client coverage. Wallace’s time will now be freed for him to focus exclusively on his origination responsibilities, said a Standard Chartered spokesperson.

It is an interesting hire. Dowie is a former Royal Navy officer who left investment banking in 2004 to co-found a marine services business in southwest England, covering boat sales, maintenance, engineering, moorings, fuel supply and shellfish sales. He spent eight years in the navy, resigning in 1990 as a lieutenant — though after almost a decade in Asia he had earned the nickname ‘Admiral’ (a handsome promotion). Indeed, some old industry hands might remember him turning up at our awards dinner in 2002 dressed as Lord Nelson.

After leaving the navy, Dowie joined Baring Brothers in London in 1990 and moved with the bank to Asia before switching to Jardine Fleming in 1995 as head of mergers and acquisitions advisory. After four years with Jardine, Dowie jumped ship to UBS as co-head of investment banking for Asia. When Rob Rankin was promoted to co-head investment banking for Asia in 2003, Dowie moved back to London as vice-chairman of the investment bank, with responsibility mostly for client origination.

“Mark’s strong industry knowledge will support the continued growth of our business, as we continue to build out and deepen our corporate finance offerings for our clients across our footprint,” said Rees in a written statement.