Reference codeI246Name of interviewee (English)PURVES, Sir WilliamName of interviewee (Chinese)浦偉士爵士Date of interview04/11/2008BiographyBorn in Kelso, Scotland, Sir William Purves trained with The National Bank of Scotland in 1948 and served in the national service in Korea, during which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. Sir William later moved to Hong Kong to join HSBC and was appointed Chairman and CEO of the corporation in 1986. He was knighted in 1993 and awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 1999.Interview summaryNarrates his background in Scotland and his experience in the national service in Korea. Talks of his career path joining Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) and his relocation process to Hong Kong in 1955. Mentions the working culture within HSBC, the four-year marriage rule and the differences between the American and British banking industry. Talks of the Scottish community in Hong Kong and social life in the colony. Also discusses the economic downturn in Asia in the 1990s and HSBC's role in the manufacturing boom.Duration66 minutesInterviewerAmelia AllsopTopic1967 RiotsColonyHSBCJapanese OccupationScottish CommunityLanguageEnglishLevel of accessUnclassifiedCollectionOral History CollectionCollection SummaryPURVES, Sir William, 浦偉士爵士
