Standard Chartered Bank AG appoints Isabelle Saadjian as Chief Risk Officer

Frankfurt, Germany – 8 December 2025 Standard Chartered Bank AG (SCB AG) has appointed Isabelle Saadjian as Chief Risk Officer and a Member of the Management Board. Based in Frankfurt, Germany, her appointment is effective 1 January 2026. Isabelle replaces Michael Hellbeck who has decided to leave the Bank.

In this key role for SCB AG, Isabelle will further advance our risk strategy and governance in Continental Europe, ensuring we maintain a strong risk culture and continue to meet the expectations of our regulators as the business grows on the continent.

Isabelle joins us from SMBC Group where she spent the last 14 years. Since 2018, following the Brexit referendum and the establishment of SMBC Bank EU AG to serve SMBC’s Continental European clients, she has served as the entity’s Chief Risk Officer and a Member of the Executive Board.  In addition to risk, her board mandate also covered credit and sustainability. Prior to joining SMBC, Isabelle held various positions in a number of international financial institutions in New York, London and Brussels with a focus on structured finance and structured credit.  She also worked as a banking expert for the European Commission during the financial crisis from 2008 to 2011. She graduated from HEC in Paris and holds a master’s degree in European economics from the College of Europe in Bruges. 

Nicolo Salsano, CEO, Europe and SCB AG, Standard Chartered said: “We are delighted to welcome Isabelle Saadjian to Standard Chartered. Her experience, leadership and deep expertise in risk management will be invaluable as we continue to embed a strong risk culture, further strengthen our control environment, and support the next phase of growth for our Continental European business”.

SCB AG serves as a cornerstone in the European franchise and enables the Bank to better serve its strategic and evolving European client base, providing lending, transaction banking, corporate finance and financial markets products. SCB AG has a diverse employee base from over 50 nations across offices in Frankfurt (Germany), Paris (France), Stockholm (Sweden), and Warsaw (Poland).

–  ENDS –

For further information please contact:

Julien Moity
Senior Communications Manager
Standard Chartered
Email: Julien.moity@sc.com

Notes to editors

Standard Chartered

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