Richard Cole Richard joined the HSBC Group in 1980 having trained as an accountant with Ford of Europe. Since 1984 he has undertaken a variety of roles in the Project and Export Finance business with particular emphasis on infrastructure in Asia and the Middle East. Between 1989 and 1992 he was resident Director of HSBC Group's Moscow office. He returned to the PEF business in 1992 and was appointed a Director of Samuel Montagu & Co. (HSBC Group) with global responsibility for Export Finance. In 1998 he became a Managing Director in HSBC Investment Bank responsible for global origination of Project and Export Finance and in 2003 he was appointed Chief Executive of the Global Project and Export Finance business. Under his direction, HSBC achieved a leadership position in Infrastructure on a global basis having been ranked as Global No.1 Adviser by Dealogic and Advisor of the year by Thomson PFI for 2005. In 2007, Richard was appointed Head of HSBC's Principal Investments Emerging Markets team. Richard has an MA Hons from Cambridge University and is a member of the Association of Chartered Management Accountants.