UOB marks 90th anniversary in Singapore by honouring communities, colleagues and customers
The bank celebrates its legacy with initiatives that look to the future
UOB turns 90 this year, marking a milestone defined by people and progress. Since 1935, the bank has grown alongside Singapore and across the region by building lasting connections with its communities, colleagues and customers. Its anniversary celebrations reflect this focus, with initiatives that honour this shared history while building the future of Asean.
Communities: shaping the future together
For UOB, 2025 has been a year of giving back on a grand scale, with a strong focus on education. A S$110 million (US$86 million) gift to Nanyang Technological University from UOB and the Wee Foundation, a Singapore-based charity established by the bank’s late chairman Wee Cho Yaw, will create new opportunities in education, mentoring and innovation, benefiting thousands of students every year. The newly launched UOB FutureGen Scholarship extends that commitment by supporting 90 students from across the region to study in Singapore, nurturing the leaders of tomorrow.
“UOB has always been steadfast in our commitment to doing right by our communities. We believe strongly in supporting education, an investment in our shared future across the region,” says Wee Ee Cheong, deputy chairman and CEO of UOB. “As we mark our 90th anniversary, we remain committed to contributing beyond banking and to doing our part for the community.”
The bank also expanded its flagship regional education programme, UOB My Digital Space, which equips disadvantaged children with digital tools and skills. Through a partnership with Ruangguru, one of Southeast Asia’s leading ed-tech platforms, the bank will provide 90,000 underprivileged students across Indonesia with training in coding and computational thinking, bridging the digital divide and preparing young people for the jobs of tomorrow.
UOB’s anniversary celebrations also highlighted the bank’s long-standing support for the arts.
The bank transformed the facade of its Singapore headquarters, UOB Plaza 1, into a projection mapping canvas that set three Guinness World Records for the tallest, brightest and longest such display. The projection celebrated Singapore’s journey and UOB’s legacy while reflecting the innovation and resilience that define the bank’s operations.
This record-breaking display also turned the building into the world’s largest light canvas, showing 30 winning artworks by Singaporean artists from UOB Painting of the Year, Southeast Asia’s longest-running art competition. The installation served as both a symbol of innovation and a platform for creative expression, underscoring UOB’s belief in the power of art to inspire collective imagination.
Colleagues: stories of resilience and growth
The anniversary has also shined a light on the people who shaped the bank from within. The “Stories from UOB” series features bank colleagues whose personal journeys reflect resilience, unity and growth.
One such story is that of Irene Teo, who spent more than five decades at UOB before retiring in 2024. “When I started at UOB, I was only 17 years old. UOB supported me from a junior clerk to my last position as branch vice-president,” she said. “UOB has always done right by me, through good times and bad.”
That loyalty inspired Teo to return after retirement to mentor younger staff through UOB’s Gig+U programme, which enables retirees and women with caregiving responsibilities to rejoin the workforce in flexible roles.
Economist Sue Ann Lee provides another perspective. While recovering from a major health crisis, she received constant support from her UOB colleagues, then channelled her renewed sense of purpose into volunteering. She has taken part in many initiatives under UOB Heartbeat, the bank’s corporate social responsibility programme, ranging from food banks to working with children, while also providing her peers with training in economics.
Customers: honouring generations of trust
For nearly a century, families have entrusted UOB with their savings and future aspirations, making customers central to every chapter of the bank’s story. One UOB customer who credits the bank with supporting his entrepreneurial journey is Lucas Ng, a short-track speed skater known as the first Singaporean athlete to compete in a major winter sports event at the 2011 Asian Winter Games. From opening his first bank account to helping him set up his own skating academy, UOB has accompanied Ng through every stage of his journey from athlete to entrepreneur.
“UOB has come to feel like family,” says Ng, whose mother also works for the bank. “By banking with UOB, I get to focus on what I love – coaching, training and building a skating community – because I am able to have that trust and peace of mind.”
Looking ahead
As UOB celebrates 90 years, its anniversary is more than a look back at history – it is a launch pad for the future. By celebrating communities, colleagues and customers, the bank has shown how it will continue its path forward. Just as it has grown with Singapore and the region over the past nine decades, UOB remains focused on supporting the generations still to come.